3.
Parent Consulations
Therapeutic Support for Parents in Cambridge
As a qualified Child and Teen Psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience, I offer specialist support for parents who are finding their relationship with their child or teenager emotionally challenging or strained.
Many parents feel deep sadness, guilt, or frustration when they are unable to connect with their child in the way they had hoped. You may find yourself repeating patterns you swore you wouldn’t, or feeling confused by your child’s emotional responses and unsure how to support them.
Beyond Quick Fixes: Understanding the Deeper Dynamics
This work is not about generic parenting tips or surface-level strategies. Instead, I help you explore how your current relationship with your child may be shaped by your own early attachment experiences—how you were parented, how you responded emotionally as a child, and the beliefs you carry now.
By reflecting on these patterns in a supportive therapeutic space, you can begin to make conscious, meaningful changesin how you relate to your child. This can lead to more connected, resilient, and emotionally attuned relationships within your family.
Mentalization-Based Family Therapy (MBT-F)
In addition to one-to-one parent support, I am trained as a Mentalization-Based Family Treatment Practitioner, a model developed by the Anna Freud Centre. MBT-F is a short-term therapy (typically 6–12 sessions) that helps families:
-
Better understand one another’s emotions and intentions
-
Reduce conflict and miscommunication
-
Improve emotional regulation across family members
-
Strengthen the capacity for empathy and mentalizing
-
Deepen parent-child bonds through shared reflection
MBT-F combines discussion with interactive activities and games, making it accessible and engaging for children, adolescents, and parents alike.
Who This Support is For
I work with families of children of all ages—from toddlers through to young adults—offering parent therapy and family sessions tailored to your needs. This support may be especially helpful if you're facing:
-
Persistent conflict or emotional distance with your child
-
Feelings of guilt, shame, or overwhelm in your parenting role
-
Reactions that feel “bigger” than the moment (from you or your child)
-
A history of trauma, loss, or mental health struggles affecting parenting
-
Challenges related to neurodiversity, divorce, or blended families
Therapy offers a non-judgemental space where we can think together about what’s happening—and how to create change that lasts.