If you are a SEN parent, the word ‘oooof’ might resonate with you. The paperwork. The meetings. The misunderstandings. The repetition. The not being invited to the party. The struggle to get them to attend school. The impact on your work. The cost of the equipment. The battles. The missed milestones. The not knowing what the key might be. The diagnoses. The not getting a diagnosis. The unseen disability. The system. The ‘not getting it at all’ from usually well-meaning people. The time spent with your own thoughts. The list goes on.
Each one a body blow. Some are little jibes, others are like big blows. Oooof.
The rewards, when they come, can come infrequently, and sometimes in magical bursts. The unexpected cuddle. The eyes lighting up. The new friend. The settling into a new routine. The wheelchair that fits. The hour to yourself. The out-of-stock medicine arrives. The breakthrough. The new food tried. The day trip that didn’t end in disaster. The little wins that only a SEN parent might understand.
Counselling for SEN parents
This is why the focus of my Counselling Practice is with Mums who have children with additional needs. I want to provide space for you to feel all these things. To be seen, to be heard, even when the situation can’t be fixed. A place where you can bravely let down your guard of being brave and strong all the time. We can explore small ways to ensure you are not abandoning yourself in the mix. We can acknowledge the losses together and provide space for adjustment.
Getting to appointments can be hard. If you can’t manage to make it to my Counselling room in Totnes (Devon), you might prefer to have online Counselling on Zoom. Let me know what works for you.
If you read this post and this is the type of situation you are facing, please do get in touch to see how Counselling might be helpful for you.
PS I often get asked if I ever work with Dads. Yes, absolutely, is the answer. Being a Mum myself, I have tended to work more with Mums over the years but I welcome the opportunity to work with men too. It’s a privilege of my job to support anyone who is out there caring for others, in whatever shape or form that might take.
