Parenting

Raising children is tough. While there is more than one right way to be a good parent, the wealth of information, advice, and opinions (both solicited and unsolicited) available is overwhelming. Issues including discipline, household responsibilities, child behavioral problems, setting boundaries, and scheduling can be daunting. With the right support system in place, parenting, though difficult, is also highly rewarding. Whether you are facing a specific problem or you just need a sounding board and some general guidance, a qualified mental health professional can help with parenting challenges.

Local experts in Parenting

Kaysey Crump (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, PMH-C

When I became a parent I learned first-hand how life-altering this transition can be. How anxious or depressed thoughts can make it difficult or impossible to feel present and joyful with your children. I’ve experienced and seen how even the most seemingly aligned and committed relationships can be rocked by the transition into co-parenthood.

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Annette Smith (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA, NCC, LPC Registered Associate

I have been working with parents for several years on skill building, creating and securing an Attachment, and learning attunement with their children. I work with parents individually and within groups. I am also a firm believer that how we are parented greatly impacts our lives. I work with adults who are looking to heal their wounds around how they were parented, helping them to re-parent themselves in healthy ways.

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Matia Kelly, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Your unique experiences and personality shape how you react and relate to your unique child. Without support, it can be difficult to transcend those experiences and be the parent and partner you want to be. With support, I have seen clients experience a tremendous amount of healing about their own painful experiences by feeling more influence over how those experiences play out in the present.

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Nancy Pearson, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Parenting is one of the biggest challenges and biggest sources of satisfaction that some of us will ever take on. We have such big expectations for ourselves and our children and we struggle to live up to who we want to be. It can be helpful to get perspective and assistance from a trained professional who has also walked this walk. Together we can explore, problem solve, and actualize success!

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Jessica Baker, M.A. LMFT (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

B.S. Health Psychology, M.A. Counseling, LMFT

Parenting can be a very fulfilling and life changing journey; yet it is also challenging and can push a parent or couple to their limits. I offer a space to explore the new identity of being a parent, parenting consulting/ advice and way to cope with the challenges that arise from the blessings that are our children. I strongly identify with attachment theory and practices.

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Patrick Welly Jungian Analyst

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I have successfully raised two healthy emotionally secure young adults - a girl and a boy. I love supporting parents in search of meaningful and healthy relationships with their children.

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Restore Therapy + Psychiatry

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

The Collaborative Problem Solving approach by Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital is a tried and true parenting method that calms behavior challenges, opens up new pathways of thinking, and builds the skills to meet more and more of your expectations. Helping your child improve areas like frustration tolerance, flexibility and problem solving can be a game changer for your relationship.

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Julie Kirchner (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT,RPT

Parenting can be hard on a couple's relationship. I can help you come together and parent on the same page while building stronger bonds with your children. I have additional training in parent-child therapy, and I am knowledgable in child and parent relationships and child developmental stages.

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Jillian Brown (She/Her)

Professional Counselor Associate

LPCa

I entered into this field with a passion for families to be able to feel safe and loved and cared for. I also long for families to be able to be their own unique beautiful selves in a system that supports individuality and self-expression. The parent child relationship is so important. I long for parents to have the security they need, so that they can offer that security to their children.

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Irma E. Llanes (she/her/ella)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

As a parent, I understand the challenges of consciously raising children. My professional experience includes helping to design & facilitate parent groups/family forums, teaching parents how to support their children through a divorce/separation, working with blended families, supporting parents in a reunification process and helping couples adopt.

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Michaela Curtis-Joyce (they/them)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW,LICSW

Raising children is the most intense and rewarding experience I have had. No one can do it in a bubble. We all need support sometimes. I find it quite rewarding to offer support for others doing caretaking. It not only supports the adults I'm working with but their children as well.

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Brettyn Gibson

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LPC, LMFT, NCC, IMH-E®

Children don't grow in isolation. Parents are the most important people in the lives of children. I'm happy to help support parents through the challenging and rewarding process of raising children.

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MereAnn Reid

Licensed Professional Counselor

Registered Play Therapist, Certified Adoption Therapist

Parenthood is a job that never feels done. But it doesn't have to be alI-consuming! I help parents understand how stuck patterns and chronic stress can fuel the unworkable behaviors you're seeing. We may explore a new approach to setting limits, reworking expectations, or tools for building more connection. I offer parent coaching as part of family play therapy and build active parenting support into our sessions. I run a series of non-therapy workshops for parents at https://www.familyzest.com/

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Sarah Lange (She/Her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MFT Associate

As parents we have a beautiful opportunity to do better than was done for us. I would love to support you in this tender time.

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Sasha Rosenfels, MA, LMFT (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

Supporting parents and caretakers in implementing tried and tested strategies and mindsets that support their child's mental and emotional well-being.

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Sarah Felsted (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA

I have systems training as well as specific training in family conflict management. I am happy to work with family systems including parents of teenagers and the issues that arise with that demographic.

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Eric Nielson

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

One of the threads that has run through my work throughout my career is working with parents. I also have extensive experience working with adoptive and foster families, and working with families with children who struggle with things like Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), difficulty with anxiety, anger or impulse control, and attachment issues.

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Kate Keating (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA, LPC-A

This is a special interest of mine. My expertise in this area comes from endlessly researching this topic, being a parent myself, and working with parents in my practice.

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Anthony Marchant

Licensed Professional Counselor

Extensive training and experience with parenting issues and family issues.

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Richard Halpern (he/him)

Professional Counselor

M.A., Trauma Informed Coach

Kudos to you for being open to exploring ways to be better at parenting! This is a hugely rewarding endeavor, but did not come with an instruction manual. I can help! I'm Certified as a Parent Educator in nationally recognized Positive Discipline + Nurturing Parenting Programs. 25+ years experience working with parents, Currently am a Parent Educator for Multnomah Family Court. And, a dad myself!

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Danielle Thompson

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I have experience providing behavior modifications techniques to all different children's behaviors.

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Jenny Kepler (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

I help parents and caregivers orient from a grounded place of love and connection. Many parents come to me when they are at very low points, feeling ashamed and angry, bogged down by the day-to-day grind of endless parenting tasks - you don't have to go it alone! You can find links to my parenting articles at http://www.psychedinsanfrancisco.com/author/jennykepler/

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Alisha Phillips (She/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

My professional experience prior to becoming a counselor was as a parent coach. I have also worked in crisis intervention for parents who have a child that has experienced trauma as a licensed counselor. My approach to working with clients around parenting has to do with examining layers of personal history from childhood, parental identity development, attachment theory, and practical coaching based on child development.

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Ann DeWitt

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I am a Certified Parent Educator and have been teaching parenting for 20 years. I host a weekly parenting radio show/podcast called Passport to Parenting. I love helping parents to help their kids grow to be confident and competent young people.

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Family Roots Therapy

Licensed Professional Counselor

Our therapists who specialize in parenting have advanced training in using Collaborative Problem Solving and Positive Discipline. We coach parents in how to communicate effectively with their kids and how to listen to their kids' needs and address their children's challenging behavior with empathy.

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Carrie Sturrock (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

Professional Counselor Associate

Parenting little humans - or big humans! - can feel overwhelming and stressful at times. These are some of the most important relationships of our lives and it can be helpful to sort through what's happening for you emotionally as you try to engage with a child that needs you in so many different ways over time.

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Katrina Thatcher (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, MS, NCC

With specialized training in Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), I support parents in understanding their children's behavior and learn to communicate love and boundaries in ways their children understand. This process is the foundation of a strong parent-child bond which leads to feelings of competency and satisfaction in parenting.

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Faith Swords (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

As a parent of children in elementary and middle school who also has several years of experience working with adolescents in schools and private practice, I am familiar with the many challenges, successes, and decisions that parents of 21st century children face. I have experience helping families navigate special needs diagnoses, family crises (e.g., death, divorce, relocation, etc.), and day-to-day relationship navigation.

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Amy Altenberger (She/Her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA in Art Therapy

I have over 25 years working with children and families., as a Child and Family Therapist working in schools and as Mental Health Consultant for an Early Childhood Program. I am a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator and have led multiple parent education groups and provided trainings on parenting to educators.

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Jennifer Jeffcoat

Somatic Practitioner

MPH, CST, PPN-E, PPN-P, CH.t

A child’s ability to move during each development stage lays the foundation for physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Understanding this developmental approach to your child can assist with bonding, Behavioral issues, ADD/ADHD, communication, bedwetting, handwriting, paying attention, postural conversation, and emotional regulation.

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Kat Canada (they/them)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, LiCSW

I work with parents and caregivers as part of family therapy services or as a component of therapy for kids and teens. I specialize in Collaborative Problem Solving and similar approaches that center connection, support, and mutual growth and de-center emphasis on behavioral control. My practice is heavily influenced by transformative justice and abolitionist models of accountability.

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Carly Henderson (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, LMHC, NCC

I hold a masters degree in Social and Developmental Psychology - my thesis research focused on parent-child communication and conflict. I have additional training in Collaborative Problem Solving, Positive Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Interpersonal Neurobiology (the brain/mind/relationship connection).

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Family Ties Counseling Center

Licensed Professional Counselor

When relationships within a family are strained, parents are powerful leaders to bring their family to a place of harmony. Parents will be the leader in this process because adult brains is more developed, more adept and stronger. You have greater skills (even if sometimes you don’t feel like it).

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Susan Lehman (she/her)

Reverend

CPDT, HART, life coach

With over 40 years of experience working with families and children, I have a variety of techniques of ways to support parents. I am also a CPDT, Certified Positive Discipline Trainer.

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PK Foss (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

I love working with parents on a variety of issues including but not limited to; co-parenting more efficiently, behavior change with your kids, and becoming the type of parent you want to be. I base a lot of my work with parents in Gottman Method Emotion Coaching, which is research based and tested.

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Dr. Sarah Kendrick (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

PMH-C, CCTS

Years ago I saw a mom collapse on a stack of perfect-parenting books with shame-filled tears falling onto her baby's head. I hid the books & held them both (& still do that when I can). I'm now a Perinatal Mental Health & Trauma Therapist helping parents navigate depression, anxiety, scary thoughts, rage, shame, & the unbearable weight of impossible expectations. I help folx let go of getting it right so they become safe, seen, & supported on the embodied journey they are so perfectly made for.

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Sarah Felsted (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA

Many issues that come up between a couple relate to differences in parenting. Do you have a teenager that is struggling and you each have a different perspective on the issue? I can help resolve differences, allowing you both to reach consensus.

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Angela Keeney, LCSW (She/Her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

Parenting is one of the most rewarding and challenging adventures we will embark on and one that can bring us face-to-face with our greatest sense of vulnerability. I am passionate about supporting parents of young/school-aged children through the many ups & downs - bringing more balance & awareness to your role as a parent and helping you learn effective strategies to raise healthy, happy and resilient children.

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Abe Hatch

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I provide specific help for infants and toddlers who have been impacted by trauma or toxic stress or developmental challenges. If you are needing support in promoting your child’s optimal development or with learning to become a tuned in and emotionally available parent, I can help.

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Brittany Eide

Professional Counselor Associate

I recently completed a certification in Synergetic Play Therapy where I learned how to educate and support individuals in healthy parenting. I have also been a school counselor and therapist since 2002 and have had the privilege of working with numerous families, collaborating to ensure their school success and overall well-being.

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Sarah Nelson (she/her)

Clinical Psychologist

Ph.D.

The seasons of pregnancy and parenthood are marked by huge and layered transitions and complex changes in identity. I offer inclusive, holistic, and holding therapy for individuals who are trying to get pregnant, are pregnant, have experienced pregnancy loss or fertility concerns or for those who are adjusting to parenthood or have parenting concerns. I have specialized training in life-span development, particularly in prenatal and postpartum counseling and in parenting.

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Deborah Nichols LPC, NCC (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, NCC

Mom-ing is hard. That’s the truth. It’s the anxious spiraling thoughts, the heart pounding deep pit in your stomach and the constant need to control all the things that are constantly taking from you. Working with a therapist can really help you to identify the areas that are creating your anxiety, and give you tools and strategies to manage it effectively.

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Chad Ernest, MS, LPC (He/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

Parenting children can be like being dropped in the middle of a forest with only the clothes on your back and having to find your way out and survive. We don't have all the answers to working with children and sometimes our own experiences with our parents was not the best example either. I am like the woods guide who helps you learn techniques to become better at what you already know.

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