Single Parents | Individual Therapy
There are over 14 million single parents in the United States who are responsible for raising over 21 million children. This represents 26% of all children. Even though being a single parent is common, there are unique challenges that most people are totally unprepared for.
People become single parents for many reasons such as choosing to parent alone, the result of divorce or end of relationship, becoming the custodian for a child who has lost parents due to death or incapacity, and so on.
Regardless of how you became a single parent, we know that it can be one of the most challenging endeavors you have ever undertaken. The top concerns single parents face include how to best balance work and personal life, how to achieve financial stability and security, how to raise well-adjusted and happy kids, dating and finding a life partner, legal issues pertaining to custody or other issues, and finding someone to talk to about their life situation.
In addition to the complexities of managing your family alone, you also need to deal with the outdated notions of others that single parent families are somehow deficient. These judgments can come from family members or from others in your community, and they can be hurtful and cause you to doubt your own capabilities.
While you as a parent are undergoing changes and learning to make adjustments, your child is also growing and changing. Many times the intersection of these changes can be quite painful as you struggle to make sense of a new reality that is in constant flux.
We encourage you to find the support and guidance you need from someone who is intimately familiar with the complexities and dilemmas of being a single parent. We believe that taking care of yourself is one of the best ways to care for your children. There are creative strategies to resolve problems and help you develop skills so you can have the life you and your child(ren) deserve.
Questions for Thought
Below are a few questions that are intended to help you consider your personal situation more closely. If your responses cause concern and you want to make changes, we encourage you to contact us to discuss how we can best help.
- Do you have a support system in place?
- Are you financially ready to be a single parent?
- What strengths do you have that lead to being a good single parent?
- What weaknesses do you need to watch out for?
- How do you handle stress and pressure?
- How do you take care of yourself when the pressure is on?
- How will your family and friends be involved?
- What do you think is going to be the most challenging to deal with as a single parent?
- How will you let others know about your decision?