If you’re a parent who feels like raising kids is harder than ever before, you’re probably not imagining it, according to veteran family therapist Vanessa Harnischmacher. Source: The Catholic Weekly.
But she also thinks there’s never been a harder time to be a kid.
The practice manager for Parent Line NSW, which is managed by CatholicCare Sydney, believes today’s parents are up against it on a number of fronts with changing societal attitudes about discipline, education, and mental health all playing a role along with tectonic shifts in technology, working and economic life.
Throw in the COVID pandemic and that means a lot more pressures on families.
The counselling and referral service for parents and carers with children aged 0-18 has taken over 250,000 calls and helped more than 135,000 families in need of support or compassionate reassurance since it was set up in 1994.
“Lots of people will say to us, ‘Oh my gosh, this has been more helpful than a session with my psychologist’,” Ms Harnischmacher said.
“I think that’s because in one call, we do understand the context of what’s happening to them to make them want to pick up the phone, and then offer somewhere for them to go next.
“Whereas when you see someone face to face, you’ve got a much longer time to build a rapport and understand them. We’re almost like a counselling session on speed.”
Parent Line NSW itself is the fruit of a successful partnership, funded by the Department of Communities and Justice NSW and managed by CatholicCare Sydney.
In October the team marked its 30-year milestone with a celebration at Marrickville Pavilion.
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Help for parents just a phone call away (By Marilyn Rodrigues, The Catholic Weekly)
