Disability may set your life on an entirely different course. Helping children with disabilties can be demanding and challenging. In addition to the physical adjustments and adaptations, it can give a parent a feeling of grief and loss; loss of the child that you were anticipating.
Each child brings their own beauty in the world and raising kids comes with all kinds of challenges, triumphs, fears and victories. However, raising a child with additional needs most definitely brings other challenges; ones that change your life forever. Yet you are not alone.
Support for Parents of children with disabilities
When a child is diagnosed with a disability or requiring additional needs, all of the attention is focused on helping the child. But parents also need assistance in coping with stress, their own feelings and frustrations.
Parents of children with disabilities had very elevated scores of stress in their role as parents than parents of children without disabilities.
The most frequently may be:
- parent guilt
- worry about the future;
- parents’ perception that other people think they may be the cause of the problem ‘What did I do wrong?’
- expectations
- difficult behaviour of children with disabilities
- feeling a need to protect their child
- disagreement between parents about dealing with the child
- disagreement between parents about the existence of a problem
- increased financial burden
- finding competent professional services
- sibling resentment of attention given the child with disabilities.
Counselling and hypnotherapy can assist a parent:
- To develop realistic expectations
- Assist with negative self-talk
- Boost your own self-confidence.
- Assist with stress levels.
- Assist in developing a support system by sharing honestly your feelings of frustration, anger and concern.
- Assist in learning to tolerate changes as they come.
- Be able to live in the presence of imperfection.
- Be healthily selfish, free yourself from needing outside approval
Parenting children with disabilities presents special challenges. Most parents face burnout as they place all energies into their precious children and often not recognising that:
- they are just as important as their child
- their child has a place in the community regardless of their ability
- they are not alone
Nicky has worked in the disability field for a number of years and has vast knowledge both personally and professionally in how to assist others in gaining balance within themselves to cope on a daily basis. Her compassion and understanding can help in alleviating stress and anxiety levels; focus on addressing and overcoming fears and help in unlocking the power within to bring more stability, awareness and positivity to your life.
