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Focus on Anxiety & Depression

Image by Patricia Prudente

The Journey Through Anxiety & Depression

Finding peace and wellness as you parent a child struggling with debilitating anxiety and depression is no easy task. When your child is hurting, it can be difficult to understand what’s truly at the root of their struggles.

 

Teens and young adults who are struggling with anxiety and depression often:

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  • Stop participating in activities they once enjoyed
     

  • Experience frequent stomachaches, headaches, or other physical complaints without a clear medical cause
     

  • Isolate themselves from friends and family, preferring screens or technology
     

  • Engage in persistent self-criticism or negative self-talk
     

  • Refuse or struggle to attend school

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  • Express anger or blame toward their parents citing unhelpful or no support 

If you suspect your child is experiencing anxiety and depression, I offer a four-stage process, called Waypoints, to help you make informed decisions about how best to help your child and family. Any or all of these Waypoints can be combined with custom coaching. The goal is to design the best process to meet your needs.

The Journey: Waypoint 1

The Consultation

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Waypoint 1 involves a free one-hour consultation, either via phone or in person, during which we will explore the details of your unique experience. We will discuss things such as:

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  • The behaviors and symptoms that your child has demonstrated;

  • The structure of your family and family dynamics;

  • The impact of what is happening on other members of the family (parents, other siblings, other caregivers);

  • The approaches you have tried to help your child and your family;

  • The financial implications of finding the right path for your family;

  • Your hopes and needs.

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If, at the end of the conversation, we mutually decide that I can be of help to you and your family, I will provide a summary of what we discussed and recommend next steps.

The Journey: Waypoint 2

Choosing a Path

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Waypoint 2 begins with a broad look at the best options for your family based on your unique situation, and the costs associated with each. In particular, we will get down to the details of:

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  • The challenges unique to your situation and alternatives to address them;

  • A customized list of questions for you to ask potential service providers as you investigate identified options;

  • Some resources you can explore to help cover associated costs.

The Journey: Waypoint 3

Navigating the Journey

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Waypoint 3 is about implementing all the hard work that you accomplished during Waypoint 2. I will provide ongoing support and encouragement through this stage to:

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  • Educate and prepare you for some things you might not expect;

  • Guide and support you as you navigate your role in your child’s treatment experience;

  • Help you acknowledge and accept what you can change, and what you cannot.

The Journey: Waypoint 4

Life Moving Forward

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If your child participated in a structured treatment program, whether an IOP, a wilderness program, therapeutic boarding school, or other treatment facility, Waypoint 4 focuses on preparing your family and your local support network to replace the structure of their treatment environment. During this stage I will help you think through:

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  • Possible changes to the home environment;

  • Smoothing the transition back to a local school, including syncing academic calendars and transferring credits;

  • Re-establishing social ties; 

  • Investigating possible transition support services;

  • Re-integrating in to the family, if needed.

Father and Son in Bed
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