At Open Sky, we believe in the importance of families working together to meet goals and find success throughout the therapeutic process. We provide many opportunities for parents to learn, grow, and be involved in their child’s journey. One of these opportunities is Parent Coaching.
Families who engage in Parent Coaching services receive six weekly 50-minute teleconference calls with an Open Sky Family Services therapist or wellness counselor. Starting in January 2021, all enrolled parents are offered a 75-minute introductory Parent Coaching call.
Parent Coaching calls are distinct from the weekly clinical update calls in that they are not focused on the student’s progress, but rather provide parents with individualized coaching to support their growth and address issues within the family system. It is an influential service that offers a variety of benefits for the entire family. Here are three powerful ways Parent Coaching can enhance your family’s experience at Open Sky.
It helps parents focus on and better understand themselves.
By engaging in Parent Coaching, parents can focus on their own health, story, and experience, rather than focusing solely on the student’s process and experience. Through Parent Coaching, we help parents see and remember who they are, what they are passionate about, and how to be good role models for their children. We help parents take accountability for themselves, dive deeper into expressing emotion, process family history, and take steps toward forming healthier patterns within the family. The result is that parents are better able to understand themselves, their child, and the connection between them.
It provides a space for practicing important therapeutic skills.
Simply reading about a new communication skill or becoming aware of a negative parenting style may not be enough to change a destructive pattern or family dynamic. Parent Coaching offers a prime opportunity for parents to learn, practice, and use the mindfulness, emotional regulation, and communication skills that their child is learning in the field. Parent Coaching builds on the concepts introduced in the Family Pathway and Family Pathway Class and creates a space to integrate these skills into their daily lives. The more that parents are practicing new skills, learning about themselves, and making concrete and long-term efforts to improve the family system, the more likely it is for patterns to change and dynamics to improve.
It inspires students’ behavior and progress.
One of the most powerful things for a student at Open Sky to witness is their parents putting in the effort to make positive progress alongside their own journey. The student starts to recognize the isomorphic nature of their parents’ efforts, and by watching their parents take steps toward change, the student becomes more willing and motivated to change as well. The thought of forming meaningful and healthy family connections won’t seem as daunting or hopeless when both parents and children have the necessary tools to center themselves and communicate effectively.
Parent Coaching at Open Sky helps families achieve and sustain their long-term goals. When parents understand on a deep level why their own growth and change are vital to the success of the family, they are more engaged, see a greater change in their child, and sustain the growth long after their Open Sky experience.
To learn about more skills development opportunities for families at Open Sky, click here.
January 26th, 2021