When your child is angry, anxious, or easily overwhelmed, you do your best as a parent - and sometimes it feels like too much. That’s where parent coaching comes in.

Parent coaching is a way for you to get direct feedback and advice on how best to manage your child’s behaviors and emotions, along with recognizing the family dynamic. It’s like having a really supportive therapist just for your parenting. And we have a fabulous resource online and in St. Louis - Nicole Schwarz!

For some kids with anxiety and anger management, individual therapy is the best bet. We can work individually to help them build the skills they need to manage their emotions before they feel too big.

For other kids, individual therapy helps, but it’s not enough on its own. That’s where parent coaching comes in.

Read below to learn more about how Nicole works with parent coaching tailored to parenting styles.

I often refer people who are parenting anxious children to Nicole, because of her understanding and empathetic approach. I’m so excited to share this interview with you all!

Why did you choose to become a Parent Coach in St. Louis?

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Parent Coach. I started my career as a therapist working with children, teens, and families because I wanted to provide kids with tools and support early in their development. However, over time, I realized my favorite way to support kids was to empower their parents. I no longer provide mental health therapy, instead focusing on giving parents tools and education through Parent Coaching.

What kind of treatment do you provide?

I provide Parent Coaching which is personalized support, education, strategies, and encouragement to help you parent well through the difficult stages of child development. My coaching philosophy is rooted in Positive or Respectful Parenting, which focuses on brain research, connection, and teaching - rather than consequences or punishments.

“I also witnessed first-hand how effective art therapy can be when a loved one received various treatments for anxiety and depression. Art therapy helped them to relax, develop more trusting relationships with their therapists, and become immersed in a joyful creative process in the midst of such a difficult personal struggle. “

Anxiety can often follow a traumatic experience. It’s so important to get the help you need.

Anxiety can manifest itself in a lot of different ways, and can be due to a lot of different things, internally and externally. For many people, their anxiety symptoms start after a trauma. That’s why it’s so important to work with a therapist who can help dig in to what’s going on underneath your symptoms - a therapist who is trained in assessing all the different causes of anxious responses, who can work with you to move forward.

As we continue our Helping Professionals Interview Series, we are excited to share our interview with Melissa Webb, LPC, BC-TMH.

Melissa is a faith-based counselor that uses EMDR and CBT to help her clients work through their anxiety and trauma. Melissa brings her sense of humor, her passion, and her faith to give her clients the best care she can. We’re excited to share her expertise with you today!

Both parents and kids can benefit from child psychological testing

It’s no secret that teens experience a lot of change. Starting new schools and meeting new people can be overwhelming. All of that change can make it hard to communicate how they're feeling, especially to their families. It’s important for teens to know that they aren’t alone in how they feel and it’s okay to be anxious!

Dr. Dan Weinstein, PsyD, helps people find their strength and accept who they are by utilizing CBT and elements of DBT. It’s his dedication to his patients (and his juggling skills!) that makes us so excited to have interviewed him for today’s blog! Please read more about his practice below!

Why did you choose to become a psychologist in St. Louis?

I am from St. Louis and I chose to be a psychologist because of my interest that began at age 9 with a family friend who was working on his Ph.D. in psychology at Wash. U.

"Mindfulness" is probably a word you hear a lot, especially if you're looking for anxiety or anger management strategies. In this upcoming six week series, you'll find out the purpose or mindfulness, how to integrate it into your day-to-day life, and fundamental strategies for using it. This week, we're all about just finding a seat. 

What is anxiety? We know the classic signs, but many people miss important clues that they are dealing with their own anxiety. Frustration, depression, and isolation may also indicate that you need some support for managing your own anxiety. What are your next steps?