Parents and children can develop cycles of reactivity that can damage bonding, reduce trust, lead to perpetual crises, and ultimately cause a serious relational divide. Over time, and with the emergence of psychological, behavioral, or emotional problems, once effective parenting skills fall short and personal resources can become exhausted. Even without prominent child/teen emotional or behavioral struggles, ordinary developmental changes and transitions can lead to disharmony, distancing, and conflict. This often occurs when a loved one moves into or out of various developmental phases such as child-to-teen and teen-to-young adult. Children and teens start to individuate from their parents, striving for more independence and freedom. In response, parents begin to slowly expand the boundary circle based on their child’s readiness for additional freedom and responsibility.

These can be trying times as developmental shifts can often be the hallmark for an increase in family stress. Our goal is to help parents build awareness to these kinds of instances and cycles, and to adaptively assist their child or teen in navigating these transitional phases.

Through the use of clear, practical, and responsive parenting approaches, we help parents bridge relational gaps, and restore communication, flexibility, warmth, closeness, and a strong parent/child attachment. Parents learn to curtail communication that imparts reactivity, anger, and disappointment adopting a more pragmatic style that focuses on personal responsibility and improving their child’s judgment. Parents are removed from punitive roles, as their child or teen enjoys success or suffers consequences based on their choices. Family rules and expectations are defined and parenting plans are developed that help to establish structure and reduce family conflict.