Parental support
Support for parents
World Psychologists support you in your parenting role and in connecting with your child. We offer guidance, conversations, and practical tools for parents whose children are struggling with their mental health.
Being a parent is not always easy – especially if your child is experiencing emotional or psychological distress. Feelings of guilt, shame, and sadness are common among parents of children struggling with mental health issues. Some parents describe it as an unbearable situation, making it difficult to find a way forward. In such circumstances, seeking support can be crucial in managing everyday life.
Parental support from a psychologist
A psychologist can offer both emotional support and practical advice, equipping you with the necessary tools to ease daily life for both yourself and your child. A child in distress often requires much greater support than others, which can be both challenging and exhausting for a parent.
Challenging, because it is not always clear what kind of support is helpful and what might have the opposite effect.
Exhausting, because it requires constant alertness and emotional energy, often leaving little room for rest or recovery.
Understanding your child
Parental support from a psychologist can primarily help you as a parent to understand your child from a different perspective. An external professional can provide insights and guidance, and sometimes, it may be easier for a child to open up to someone other than their parents.
It is common for parents to feel uncertain about what their child is going through, and it can be deeply distressing to realise that your child is struggling emotionally.
This is often when emotions such as shame, guilt, and sorrow become overwhelming:
Shame for not having recognised the extent of your child’s distress earlier.
Guilt for wondering whether you could have done something differently to prevent their struggles.
Sorrow, because as a parent, your greatest wish is for your child to feel well and happy.
At World Psychologists, we offer professional parental support, helping you navigate these emotions and strengthen your relationship with your child.
Supporting a child in distress
Parents of children experiencing mental health issues often play a key role in helping their child on the road to recovery. This may involve:
Encouraging and gently challenging your child to gradually face the things they find difficult.
Helping to maintain daily routines, such as ensuring that your child eats and sleeps properly.
Maintaining routines and exposure to challenges are common strategies for improving children’s mental well-being, but they are not always sufficient. The right approach depends on the specific difficulties your child is facing and the overall situation.
At World Psychologists, we tailor individualised treatment plans, ensuring that support is adapted to your child’s unique needs.
Parental support and psychological guidance
Many parents need support in their parenting role, and this becomes even more essential when their child is struggling with mental health difficulties. World Psychologists provide help for both children and parents.
Our experience in supporting children
We have extensive experience in helping children with a wide range of psychological difficulties, including:
Eating disorders
Self-harm behaviours
Emotional crises
Parental support and child psychologists
Parental support is often most effective when combined with direct psychological therapy for the child. World Psychologists has extensive experience in supporting parents while also providing therapy for children and adolescents.
In many cases, joint parent-child sessions can be beneficial, alongside separate individual support sessions for parents.
Read more about the psychological support we offer for children and young people.
Parental support in London
We offer in-person parental support sessions at our practices in London. We have multiple locations in each city, and you can usually secure an appointment quickly.
Parental support online
If you do not live in or near one of our main cities, we also offer digital parental support via secure online platforms.
Online therapy and support sessions can be just as effective as in-person consultations. Therefore, even if you live near one of our clinics, you are still welcome to book an online session if that suits you better.
Let us support you on your journey as a parent. Contact us today.