COUNSELING FOR MOTHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN
Parent Mental Health Counseling
Parenting is both incredibly rewarding and deeply challenging—often at the same time. We offer support to help you navigate the complexities of raising children, beyond the first postpartum year, with greater confidence and joy.
Online therapy in PA, VA, MD, and FL
Does this sound like you?
Do you find yourself reacting to your child in ways you promised yourself you would never do?
Are you and your co-parent frequently clashing over day-to-day parenting approaches and routines?
Do you feel completely overwhelmed by your child's challenging behaviors or intense emotional needs?
Are you struggling to maintain your own identity and well-being while meeting your family's constant demands?
Motherhood brings more challenges than anyone warned you about.
SOMEHOW YOU THOUGHT IT WOULD ALL BE DIFFERENT
You thought that you'd naturally know what to do as your child grows beyond infancy, that your toddler or preschooler would respond the way parenting books suggest, or that you wouldn't repeat patterns from your own childhood.
Instead, you may be feeling overwhelmed by your child's developing independence, uncertain about setting healthy boundaries, or worried you're not the mother your growing child deserves.
The reality is that parenting beyond the first year doesn't come with a manual, and most mothers struggle during these transformative years.
While social media showcases picture-perfect families with seemingly well-adjusted toddlers, behind closed doors, many mothers face difficult behaviors, challenging transitions, and moments of self-doubt.
Managing evolving sleep patterns
Navigating picky eating phases
Addressing tantrums
Balancing your identity as both a woman and a mother, and
Coordinating parenting styles with your partner can all create significant stress.
When these challenges affect your mental health or your family dynamics, counseling can provide the support and guidance you need. While focusing directly on your child might sometimes seem like the answer, nurturing your own wellbeing often leads to better improvements in your relationship with your child and the overall home environment.
These are normal challenges for mothers of young children.
First, take a deep breath. Every mother navigating the toddler and preschool years struggles sometimes, and seeking help doesn't mean you've failed—it means you care enough to want to be better.
Mothering a young child beyond infancy is filled with constant transitions—from first steps to first words, from diapers to potty training, from total dependence to budding independence. Unlike other challenging roles, most of us receive very little training for these shifting dynamics.
The challenges you're facing are common among mothers with growing toddlers and preschoolers. Understanding your parenting approach within a supportive counseling environment can provide valuable insights into how your own experiences and needs influence your relationship with your developing child.
While parenting books and advice from family members about toddler tantrums or preschool transitions can sometimes help, there are times when the support of a trained professional who specializes in maternal mental health can make all the difference in creating a more balanced experience of motherhood and a healthier, happier family unit.
Here’s how we can Help
Parent counseling creates stronger families.
At Ohana Counseling Services (where "ohana" means family), we provide a supportive environment where you, as a mother of young children beyond the first year, can explore your parenting challenges without judgment.
Our therapists, Megan Kuminski, MS, LCPC, PMH-C, and Beth Santa Maria, LCSW-C, understand the unique complexities of mothering toddlers and preschoolers. Let us help you develop more effective strategies for your evolving relationship with your growing child.
We focus on understanding the root causes of your maternal challenges, not just addressing your child's behaviors. Our therapists act as guides, providing skills and insights to help you navigate this dynamic phase of motherhood.
Understanding your approach to mothering is crucial, as it helps you see how your own needs, experiences, and stressors may affect your relationship with your child and overall family dynamics.
Megan Kuminski, MS, LCPC, PMH-C
Beth Santa Maria, LCSW-C
Whether your struggles stem from your own childhood experiences, identity shifts after becoming a mother, overwhelm, mental health concerns, or simply not having the right tools for this new phase, we'll help you gain insights for lasting change.
Our counseling sessions are practical and personalized.
We'll work together to:
Identify patterns that aren't serving you or your young child
Develop new strategies for managing toddler/preschooler behaviors
Improve communication as your child's language and emotional expression develop
Align parenting approaches with your co-parent for consistency
Balance healthy boundaries with emotional connection as your child seeks independence
Create sustainable self-care practices that support your wellbeing
We understand that being a good mother doesn't mean being perfect—it means being willing to learn, grow, and adapt for the benefit of both your child and yourself as you navigate beyond the first year of parenthood.
Get help navigating motherhood beyond baby’s first year.
Get the support you need to show up as your best self for your toddler or preschooler. When you're emotionally balanced and confident in this new phase, you create a more stable and nurturing environment for your young child to thrive.
Stronger Mother-Child Connection
Understand your child's changing needs. Build strong communication for a secure bond in these key years.
Evolving Mothering Approaches
Learn practical ways to handle toddler behaviors. Set healthy limits that help your child grow while staying connected.
Maternal Wellbeing Support
Parenting gets more complex as your child grows and changes. Our support helps you handle these shifts with less stress and more balance.
Get the support you deserve.
Become part of our ohana (family) where you'll find more than just advice—you'll find a partnership that helps you become the parent you want to be.
Common Questions Abut Parent Counseling
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Yes. While family therapy typically involves the whole family in sessions to work on family dynamics together, our parent counseling focuses specifically on supporting moms.
It provides a space for mothers to address their own concerns, develop parenting skills, and work through personal issues that may affect their parenting.
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Absolutely. Navigating different parenting styles is challenging, especially when you're trying to maintain family harmony. Our parent counseling helps mothers understand these differences, develop effective communication strategies, and find confidence in their parenting decisions.
While we focus on supporting you individually rather than as a couple, the insights and skills you gain can significantly improve how you navigate co-parenting challenges and advocate for approaches that align with your values.
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Never. Our approach is completely non-judgmental. We understand that parenting is challenging and that every parent has strengths and areas for growth. Our goal is to build on your strengths while helping you develop new strategies for areas where you're struggling.
