Divorce has become a fact of life for many and about half of all marriages end in divorce in the United States. There are a variety of reasons given for why a couple may choose to divorce including, infidelity, alcoholism, physical or emotional abuse, incompatibility, lack of communication, lack of sex, or lack of sharing of household tasks.
Divorce will impact all members of the family, including the children, and will usually be a temporary strain. Children suffer from not only the physical loss of a parent, but the financial strains, parental incompatibility and feelings of being "caught in the middle".
We can help through all three stages of divorce: pre-separation period, divorce transition period, post-divorce period.
All three of the therapists at Park Professional Group provide couples therapy. This can be sessions with the couple, or individual sessions for each partner prior to work on the couple relationship. Couple issues may include: communication difficulties, stage of life changes, grief, depression, mental health problems and family issues. Cathy is also well trained in issues of Domestic Violence in relationships.
Children's therapy/play therapy
Both Michele Missel and Mary Haskins treat children in therapy. In addition to utilizing behavioral and family approaches we often use Play Therapy. Play Therapy is a structured, theoretical based approach that utilizes the curative powers of play to help children express feelings, explore their troubles and learn more adaptive behaviors. Play therapy differs from regular play in that the therapist helps children to address and resolve their own problems. Play therapy builds on the natural way that children learn about themselves and their relationships in the world around them (Axline, 1947; Carmichael, 2006; Landreth, 2002). Through play therapy, children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, modify behavior, develop problem-solving skills, and learn a variety of ways of relating to others.
Bereavement is the period of sadness after losing a loved one through death. Grief occurs during the period of bereavement and grief is the normal process of reacting to the loss. Symptoms of grief may include: feeling emotionally numb, unable to believe the loss occurred, feelings of depression and anxiety. A variety of losses can lead to symptoms of grief.
Commonly we experience grief in five stages and our therapists can help you successfully move through these stages, although each person's grief and recovery is personal. The stages of grief are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Through the process of therapy and counseling you can find support as you cope with your loss.
Parenting can be wonderful and rewarding, but it can also be difficult and unpleasant. Most parents experience moments (or months or years) of feeling overwhelmed. There's a lot of information out there about what we "should" do to raise "good" kids. In reality, there are no guaranteed methods for ensuring we and our children will be happy, healthy, and successful in life. There is, however, plenty of research showing that parents can make a significant, positive difference through a number of simple approaches. (http://www.parentfurther.com)
Our therapists can assist parents in resolving their own childhood struggles, family of origin problems, adult-child relationship problems that further impact parenting. Therapy is often needed to assist children, who are experiencing family difficulties, have school problems or mental health disorders.
Family therapy helps families resolve mental and emotional disorders within the context of the family. Therapy is meant to increase overall well-being of the family. Goals established to help accomplish this might include: the creation of clear boundaries, effective communication, and exploration of the family structure. At Park Professional Group we are committed to helping, engaging and supporting families. We can help you and your family learn effective communication, understand feelings, improve social and problem-solving skills, and assist you in helping your child/adolescent with a variety of challenges
PCIT is a specific therapy approach designed to address disruptive behaviors in young children ages 2 to 7. PCIT has been found effective in treating oppositional behavior, inattention, and aggression. The child's parent(s) is actively involved in PCIT. PCIT teaches parent(s) specific strategies to increase the child's compliance and decrease aggression.
Mary Haskins became a certified PCIT Therapist in 2012. Her services are provided in the office at Park Professional Group and may include other locations depending on the needs of the child and family.