parenting therapy in andover, MA.
Reclaim your calm, confidence, and be the parent you truly want to be.
Therapy for anyone in a parenting role, including step-parents and grandparents raising grandchildren.
You never imagined parenting would be this hard.
Raising kids is rewarding… and overwhelming.
You know the kind of parent you want to be, and all of the traditional parenting “advice” sounds great on paper. But in that moment when your child is testing boundaries, melting down, and pushing every last button you have, you find yourself reacting, second-guessing, and feeling completely helpless. The cycle of overwhelm, frustration, and guilt feels endless, and you just want a break… and someone who gets it.
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You want to break cycles that you grew up with, but there’s no instruction manual for how. You know you want to do certain things differently than your parents did… but what exactly does that look like, and how do you get there? And how do you break those ingrained patterns from your own upbringing?
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Your well-being often feels overshadowed by the needs of your partner, your stepchildren, and even sometimes the other biological parent, and you’re trying to figure out where your own needs fit in. There are times you feel like an outsider in your own home, and it’s confusing and lonely. You’re doing your best to navigate what often feels like a minefield of unexpected challenges, and you just don’t know where to go to get your own support from someone who understands.
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You’re tired, and so much has changed since you were parenting your children. On top of that, you feel grief and perhaps guilt for the circumstances keeping your grown child from being able to raise their own kids. This wasn’t what you expected from this phase of your life. You love your grandkids deeply, but trying to support them through this stressful and unpredictable time is draining and overwhelming.
Hi, i’m Lauren.
You don’t have to keep trying to figure this out all on your own.
As both a mom and a stepmom myself, I know firsthand how messy and uncertain raising children can be. I also know that there is no “one size fits all” approach to parenting, despite what so many blogs, parent coaches, articles, and podcasts want you to believe. Instead of quick-fixes or formulas, I offer a deeper, collaborative approach where together we can be curious about your parenting journey, strengths, and challenges in a warm, safe, and judgment-free space.
Whether you are a first-time parent or have multiple kids, whether you are a biological parent or are stepping in to help raise a child who’s not your own, I’ll meet you where you are in order to help you feel more empowered and less alone. We’ll explore how the ways you were raised may be influencing how you show up in your relationship with your child, and help you to intentionally shift old patterns and beliefs that are no longer serving you. And together, we’ll help you figure out who YOU want to be as a parent, so that you can feel more confident, more grounded, and can ultimately strengthen the relationship you have with the children you’re raising.
How I can help
Parenting takes a village… let me be a part of yours.
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Raising little (or not so little!) humans can bring up so much in us - our own childhood wounds, our insecurities and triggers, our feelings about how we were raised.
Together we’ll be curious about what the parenting role has brought up for you, the reactions you may have in certain situations, what parts of your own upbringing and your parents’ approach you want to carry into your relationship with the children you’re raising, and what cycles from your childhood you may want to break.
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No one prepared you for the complexity of stepping into a step-parent role or blending your family with another. There are so many emotions, challenges, and stressors to navigate, and others on the outside can’t fully understand.
Together we’ll help you find your place and your voice within whatever family structure you have, learn to balance your own needs with those of other members of your family, set boundaries that feel good to you, and help you find the words to communicate more effectively to your partner how you feel and what you need.
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You have stepped in to provide support and stability for your grandchildren in a time of stress and unpredictability; but you’re finding very little support and guidance for yourself.
Together, we can help you figure out how to navigate this chapter that you weren’t prepared for - both in terms of concrete problem-solving around how best to help and care for your grandchildren, and also by allowing you the space to process the layers of grief, anxiety, sadness, and guilt that you’ve likely been feeling.
How it works
You’ve got enough on your plate;
let’s make this part simple…
Reach Out: Click this link to schedule a free, 15-minute consult at your convenience. Come with all of your questions, and we can determine together if we’re the right fit to work together.
Find a Safe Space to Grow: Learn more about yourself in a space free of judgment and “shoulds”. Together, we’ll explore how you got to where you are, what feels like it may be getting in your way, and how to grow into the person and parent you want to be.
Reclaim Your Calm and Confidence: Start parenting from a place of confidence instead of second-guessing, calm instead of reactivity, and strengthen the connection with the kids you’re raising.
