For most people who are parenting there are challenges, however raising a child with a disability brings additional challenges. Accessing a counselling service can be extremely useful for all family members.
There are many reasons that you may seek counselling, some parents of children with a disability have shared the grief and loss, others may be angry about the lack of services and waiting times. Parents often experience anxiety or depression about what this means for their child, themselves, their family and the future.
Parents take on a major role in their child’s treatment. This can be overwhelming. Balancing all that needs to done is the key to taking care of yourself. Counsellors can assist you with strategies and suggestions that will be useful in:
– assessing what therapies are needed;
– coordinating, monitoring and case-managing treatments;
– finding services, liaising with professionals and advocating for support;
– assisting your child with communication and behaviour at home and in public.
Counselling can come in many forms, including couples counselling, family counselling or individual counselling. A counsellor can offer families a neutral source of support. It can be useful to talk to someone who doesn’t have any kind of emotional attachment or agenda.
Caring for a family member with a disability can wear out even the strongest caregiver. Taking care of yourself is important. Counselling can help you set reasonable expectations to lower stress and make you a more effective caregiver.
Seeking counselling is a really positive way to help families stay on top of the issues that arise as they are learning to support the child or children with a disability.
Research indicates that parents of children with disability are particularly vulnerable to stress. Counselling can help parents to become aware of what is happening and how it is impacting the rest of the family, as well as looking deeply at their own feelings and needs.
According to the Ackerman Institute for the Family,* some of the benefits of counselling can include:
– increased understanding of the child with special needs;
– more sensitive and effective parenting strategies;
– increased marital satisfaction and co-parenting;
– improved sibling relationships and attention to the needs of the typically developing child;
– increased family support, coping, problem solving and communication skills;
– appropriate family routines and activities;
– opportunity to discuss family struggles and the emotional reactions to having a child with a disability;
– increased confidence to navigate early intervention/special education and medical systems.
GET STARTED
Find the right counsellor for you and your family can be tricky, and it may take time to find the right person, but do not give up. Finding a good counsellor will pay off for you in the long run, so take your time to find the right person for you.
There are several ways to access counsellors, and the cost is variable depending on the service.
Talking with your General Practitioner is important; a General Practitioner will be able to refer you to services that are funded to provide counselling for families.
There are funded services that you can access, such as the Carer Gateway Counselling Service, which provides free counselling for carers. To find out more about this service, visit the Carer Gateway Counselling Service page or phone 1 8 0 0 4 2 2 7 3 7.
Anglicare offer their Family and Relationships Counselling Service in the south of Tasmania at a reduced cost, or free to Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card holders. Take a look at the Family and Relationship Counselling Service page for more information on how to access.
Remember, if you or someone you know is at immediate risk of harm, call 0 0 0 and get help now.
If the risk isn’t immediate but you are still concerned, you can call Lifeline on 1 3 1 1 1 4 or Beyond Blue on 1 3 0 0 2 2 4 6 3 6 to talk to a trained mental health professional, both servies are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For information on medical and crisis support available, see our Finding Your Way chapter – Medical and Crisis Support.
ACTION STEPS
Here you can find a simple list of the best actions to take if you are interested in this topic:
1 .
Talk to people. This could be your doctor; it could be another parent of child with a disability. You may belong to groups that have information and aware of supports for parents. Try to find someone who has experience working with people like you and understands your situation and needs.
2 .
Take a look at their credentials.
3 .
Set goals in the first session. If you do not feel your goals are being met after a couple of months, you may want to find someone else.
4 .
Make sure you’re comfortable. If a counsellor doesn’t feel like the best fit for you, that’s okay, there’s no rule requiring you to continue working with any counsellor.