COVID-19 Note: The need for parental consultation increases dramatically during times of crisis, as children and adolescents may be experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties due to the stress related to COVID-19. Their academic lives have been turned upside down as they have switched to online learning. Their home environments have likely changed significantly, as parents may be trying to work from home as well. Children may need extra parental support with online learning, while parents may not be able to provide it as they are struggling to complete their work online as well. Parents may have lost their jobs, which increases stress levels in the home.
Furthermore, children's and teen's social relationships have been altered as they can no longer see their friends in person. The information children may see on television, as well as the information they gather through altered family interactions, represent an increased sense of uncertainty for the foreseeable future. All these simultaneous changes in the home environment may cause new forms of stress. Children and teens may react by regressing to earlier stages of development or by exhibiting increased emotional and behavioral difficulties. StepStone is available to offer parental consultation during this time via a HIPAA-compliant videoconferencing platform. Also, please see StepStone's BLOG for COVID- 19 information and age-appropriate ways to talk to your children
Many parents of children and adolescents with learning difficulties and/or attention difficulties may find that their typical child-rearing strategies are less successful than they would like. StepStone works with children and their parents to learn new strategies that create a more positive home environment.
Cognitive Behavioral and Solution Focused approaches are used during parental consultation sessions to work with the unique needs of each family. Evidence-based interventions are used to help children and their parents learn new strategies to more successfully cope with academic and life challenges.
Photo from You X Ventures Studio , Toronto, Canada
