Online Therapy for Parents in North Carolina
Support for overwhelmed Moms and Dads
Therapy for Stressed Parents
Parenting isn’t supposed to feel this hard… but lately, it does. You might find yourself constantly overwhelmed, snapping more than you want to, or lying awake at night wondering, “Am I messing this up?” Maybe your child isn’t listening, emotions are running high in your home, and no matter how hard you try, it never feels like enough. If you’ve searched things like “why is parenting so hard,” “overwhelmed parent help,” or “how to stop yelling at my kids,” you are absolutely not alone.
Many parents across North Carolina struggle with parenting stress, anxiety, and burnout—especially without the level of support families used to have. The pressure to be patient, present, and “do it right” can leave you feeling exhausted, irritable, and disconnected from the parent you want to be.
I offer online therapy for parents who feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in constant conflict with their child. Whether you’re navigating toddler behavior challenges, parenting a strong-willed child, or feeling the weight of parenting burnout, therapy can help you slow things down and regain a sense of control. Rooted in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I often work with moms and dads throughout the Triad and surrounding areas, such as Clemmons, Kernersville, Greensboro, High Point, Boone, Elkin, Statesville, King, Lexington, and Mount Airy.
You don’t have to keep white-knuckling your way through parenting. With the right support, you can learn how to manage stress, respond instead of react, and feel more calm, confident, and connected in your role as a parent.
Parenting FAQ
Why is parenting so overwhelming?
Historically, when a new child entered the world, parents had a 4:1 ratio for assistance, meaning there were four adults helping with every newborn. Fast forward to today. For most parents, they are on their own little island, white knuckling their way through parenthood. Even though we live in a time where we are more connected than ever (e.g., phones and internet), we are more distant from our support system and disconnected from our communities than any other time in history.
Modern day parenting is hard because:
We lack the proverbial "village to raise a child.” Many children have moved away from their support system.
We have our own “emotional baggage” we bring into the parent-child relationship
There’s no “clocking out” from being a parent
You often have to put the needs of your child before your own
It can be monotonous (the kid needs the same routine every day)
Conflicting information - there are so many parenting approaches out there
Loss of identity and autonomy
Why does motherhood feel so hard?
The corporate American workday is rooted in having a partner at home engaging in 40+ hours of unpaid labor. Yet, most households require two working parents. The system isn’t designed for working moms.
Motherhood feels hard because:
The average mother inherits 20-40 unpaid hours of work following the birth of their first child.
Loss of free time
Mothers spend 3-4 hours per day breastfeeding/pumping.
Mothers are often primarily responsible for the unpaid domestic work of the home.
Mothers are usually responsible for the mental load of planning and executing tasks.
The public school schedule doesn’t provide full-time childcare
Having to do the majority of the caregiving alone
Mothers often are primarily responsible for caring for the children AND are trying to manage a part- to full-time career. This results in feelings of burnout, exhaustion, and impacts their relationship with their spouse and children.
Why does fatherhood feel so hard?
Fatherhood can often feel difficult in different ways. With the birth of the first child, men often engage in an additional 5 hours of paid labor per week, with an average work week increasing from 40 to 45-hours-per week. This means less direct time to spend with your child for bonding, increased stress to be the provider, and a shift in your relationship.
Fatherhood is difficult because
Employers are less understanding of taking paid-time off for childcare needs
A shift in identity - it’s no longer just you and your partner
Loss of freedom - you have less time to engage in hobbies and spend with friends
You’re asked to carry an emotional load you’ve never trained for (how the heck do I help my dysregulated child)
Pressure to be the provider, resulting in less time with your kids
Shift in your relationship
Invisible loneliness - there are fewer dad groups compared to moms groups
It brings up things from your own childhood
Fatherhood is hard because it matters to you.
How Can Counseling for Parents Help?
Being a parent is tough. We all enter parenthood with our own preconceived ideas of how we are going to do the job of parenting. We also have our own baggage from our childhood. And our kids, God love them, they just know how to push our buttons.
Talking with a therapist can help in the following ways:
Helps identify “blind spots”
Helps find ways to better align with our kids
It can encourage us to build our community
Identify our values and value congruent action
Find practical solutions to our problems
Identify and learn new ways to parent
Provide an outlet for emotional support
How do I know if I need therapy as a parent?
You feel constantly overwhelmed and burned out
You find yourself feeling irritable and are yelling and snapping more than you’d like
You constantly worry about your child’s future
Feeling numb or without joy
Feeling triggered
Struggling with guilt and shame
Feeling isolated
Feel stuck
What is evidence based treatment for parents?
-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
-Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
-Mindfulness
-Parent Management Therapy
Challenges of Parenthood
Once you have a kid, you have to somehow keep this kiddo alive and raise them to be a good human. It is a lot of work!
As our child starts to age, we will see a natural personality start to emerge. In clinical terms, we call this a temperament. Some kiddos are what I call "dandelion kids.” They are strong, resilient, and can easily adapt to any environment. Whereas, other children are “orchid kids.” If you’re not a plant expert, please let me tell you a little bit about orchids. Orchids are very temperamental plants. Orchids are beautiful plants, but it is up to the gardener to keep them alive. “Orchid kids” are wonderful kiddos, but they can take a little more work parenting. It can be problematic if you’re trying to parent your “orchid child” like a “dandelion kid.” In clinical terms, we call this goodness-of-fit.
What is Goodness-of-Fit in parenting?
In plain language, all children are born with a basic temperament, with some kiddos having a slower-to-warm up style and others are more outgoing. If you have a parent with a similar temperament or is understanding of their child’s temperament, there is less conflict in the parent-child dynamic. It’s up to you, “the gardener,” to identify what your “plant” needs to thrive, with some plants requiring more work compared to others.
How do I choose a therapist?
When picking a therapist, you want someone who has a shared lived experience and the clinical training to help you navigate your concerns. In my personal life, I’ve been a stay-at-home mom, working mom, and have parented an “orchid child.” I get the challenges of navigating motherhood, working life, and parenting tiny humans.
Professionally, my practice is located in Winston-Salem and I am a licensed therapist who provides services to clients located in North Carolina. I often work with clients who are located in the Triad, including Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. With a background in rural mental health, I often work with clients in the surrounding areas, including Lexington, Boone, Elkin, Statesville, Mount Airy, Yadkinville, Kernersville, Clemmons, and Lewisville.
In my clinical training, I’ve work with a variety of individuals, including men, women, and children. I’ve had the honor of being mentored by Dr. Thomas Ollendick (a psychologist who has received the lifetime achievement award for his work in child psychology) and often incorporate this experience into my work.
At Tranquil Talk Therapy, I regularly work with parents who are struggling with parenthood and are learning to navigate their new normal. Our work may focus on navigating the challenges, identifying old parenting patterns, learning new parenting tools, and becoming the parent you desire.
I get it. Being a parent is hard work and even harder if you aspire to raise your kiddo to be a good human.
If you feel like you need:
Therapy for parental burnout
Parenting support from a psychologist specializing in stress, anxiety, and behavior challenges.
Additional Support
Evidence-based therapy for parents navigating tantrums, defiance, sleep struggles, and big emotions.
Compassionate counseling for moms and dads who want to feel more confident and less reactive.
Identify bad parenting cycles and ways to change.
Therapy for parents balancing demanding careers and family life.
Parenting therapy that focuses on practical tools you can use immediately at home.
A Therapist for working moms and dads
Then, we would likely be a good fit. Reach out today to get started!
Fast Access to Therapy.
Scheduling with a psychologist shouldn’t be hard. All email inquiries will be responded to within 24-hours. At Tranquil Talk Therapy, there is no waitlist. Clients are usually scheduled in the same-week for therapy appointments to determined if we are a good fit. If we’re not a good fit, I’ll happily provide a referral to one of my colleagues with openings.
If you are tired of walking alone on this journey, reach out for confidential online therapy for parenting support in North Carolina. Get support for parental burnout, stress, and compassion fatigue. Flexible scheduling available.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation for Parenting Support in North Carolina and take the first step toward feeling less overwhelmed and more like yourself again.
Reach out today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards becoming the parent you want to be.