When a person develops emotional or mental illness the family members are usually at a loss as to what is going on with the individual and how to react or help the individual. When a child or adolescent is admitted to Psycamore, that individual benefits from the entire family working together to identify positive changes and implement them in the home.
What Is the Purpose of Parenting Groups at Psycamore?
Our parent education groups at Psycamore are designed to help parents better understand and support their children, as well as their own parental role in their child’s mental health treatment. This is accomplished by providing strategies, tools, and techniques that parents can apply at home. Psycamore uses the 1-2-3 Magic Effective Discipline Program by Dr. Thomas W. Phelan in our Child Program as well as during Parenting Group to offer simple, proven strategies to improve behavior and strengthen the parent-child and family relationship.
Parents also offer support to one another and get feedback from the therapist specifically related to their child. The group works together to build a behavioral plan for success. Group attendance is strongly encouraged by any adults who are often in the role of parenting the child, be they parents, grandparents, or others.
How Does the 1-2-3 Magic Effective Discipline Program Work?
The 1-2-3 Effective Discipline Program developed by Dr. Thomas W. Phelan is a program that helps parents develop better discipline strategies for their children and create a healthier and more consistent home life. The program also focuses on building positive relationships between parents and their children so that both parties can build trust, respect, and understanding of each other’s needs. In Psycamore’s parenting group, the overarching components of the program are discussed and strategies are applied.
This includes techniques for controlling negative behavior, encouraging positive behavior, and reinforcing a healthy bond between parents and child. First, parents learn techniques on how to identify and discourage any unwanted behavior such as angry outbursts or argumentative behavior. Second, parents examine and apply strategies to encourage the desirable behaviors that their child should exhibit, such as completing chores or homework or being home by curfew. These techniques should be applied in a firm, calm, and gentle manner. Third, parents explore effective ways of building rapport, increasing trust, and developing deeper bonds with their child.
How Effective are Parenting Groups?
The main objective of parenting groups is to support the entire family unit in handling the changes they are facing by having a loved one with a mental health issue. This begins by establishing healthy disciplinary methods for all children. Psycamore’s parenting groups help create a healthy, cohesive home life where children are supported in their unique needs and parents consistently apply successful and effective discipline strategies. Often, after using techniques learned in parenting groups, parents observe an increase in their child’s positive behaviors such as empathy, obedience, sharing, and so on, with a decrease in unwanted behavior, like aggression, hyperactivity, anger, or rule-breaking. Families report improved communication, a deeper bond, and a more peaceful home. Ultimately, parenting groups help bring families together in successfully supporting one another.
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