Parenting Support - Parent Stress Management

Parenting and family work is central to what we do at the Tarnow Center. Parenting Groups help parents learn the techniques that we use in therapy to promote positive change. These groups combine education and support, and parents will walk away with an individualized plan for their home.

Has your child been diagnosed with an emotional, learning, or behavioral problem? Are you struggling to understand or come to terms with the diagnosis? Are you experiencing feelings of guilt, shame, worry, confusion, pessimism, fear or hopelessness? All parents deal with stress, but parents of children with physical, behavioral, emotional, or intellectual disabilities experience far higher ratings on the Parent Stress Index.

Over the summer, Caitlin Bailey, M.Ed., LPC will be leading a 12-week psychoeducational support group for parents of neuroatypical children. Children are often more mindful than we think about their parents feelings, so it’s important to work through any negative emotions you might be harboring and learn to move towards genuine contentment and acceptance of your child.

Group topics will include:

• Understanding stress, developing coping skills and self-management techniques
• The stages of grief, moving from grief to acceptance
• The effects of unresolved guilt, moving from guilt to forgiveness
• Understanding your child’s diagnosis and how to advocate for them
• Examining your fears, moving from fear to confidence
• Remaining hopeful, moving from pessimism to optimism

As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Caitlin Bailey works closely with children and young adolescents diagnosed with neurological disorders including Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Tourette’s Syndrome, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Working with children with behavioral, intellectual, or emotional problems, Caitlin has noticed that parents almost always have the same questions: How did this happen to my family? Is there something we could have done differently as parents? Will this ever get better? Often these questions are later accompanied by feelings of guilt: Why would I want to change my child? Shouldn’t I just accept them the way that they are?

Are you feeling alone in your journey to understand and accept your child? This group is for you! Call Caitlin Bailey, M.A., LPC at 713-621-9515 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.