Therapy & Marriage Counseling: Why they're great + How they fall short

Hi there! I'm Danielle. I help defeated parents find validation, support + proven techniques to parent their strong-willed kids with composure, connection, confidence + cooperation through a 4 month group coaching program based on the Wholehearted Framework I’ve developed over years of working with families 1:1.

As a parent, you have more resources than ever before. It’s incredible that we have the ability to connect across states and oceans, we have access to the latest research at our fingertips, and we can have AI generated summaries of our questions at a moment’s notice. However, as we know with most good things- too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. How do you sort through it all?

When you know you need help, where do you start?

On the Failing Motherhood podcast in April, we're discussing each parenting resource:

EPISODE 1: April 15th, 2025

v. Parenting Content

v. Self-Paced Parenting Course or Book

v. In-person Parenting Class

EPISODE 2: April 22, 2025

v. Occupational Therapy

v. PCIT

v. Child Therapist / Psychologist

EPISODE 3: April 29th, 2025

v. Marriage Counseling or Personal Therapy

v. One-off or 1:1 Parenting Coaching

v. Virtual Parenting Programs & Memberships

For each, we break down the time/place and family that that resource is BEST for, compare/contrast the unique Pros and Cons of utilizing that support vs. another, and ultimately for some, the way they fall short.

v. Marriage Counseling or Personal Therapy

MARRIAGE COUNSELING IS BEST FOR...

• Struggles in your relationship with fundamental disconnect

• Ideological differences in priorities and values

• Lack of respect

• Struggles with setting boundaries, managing conflict, communication

• External stress (outside of parenting) affecting the relationship

PERSONAL THERAPY IS BEST FOR...

• Working through past trauma

• Building self-awareness and self-esteem

• Working on themes of co-dependency, harmful relationship dynamics within your family or romantic partnerships

• Healing your inner child

• Needing a safe outlet to process negative emotions from circumstances beyond parenting in everyday life

   
  BENEFITS:

• Depending on your plan, you can use insurance and services can be offered virtually.

• They can uncover and build awareness of roots of disconnect, miscommunication, triggers and patterns of behavior.

• They can offer and teach some coping strategies using cognitive behavior therapy, offering new perspective, ways to see things and tackle problems.

• They are things everyone can benefit from- in some seasons of life more than others, often as a valuable supplement to more future-focused and strategic life/parenting coaching.

For parents that need MORE, they realize...

• They are left wondering- but what do I actually DO to stop this behavior? A therapist/counselor won’t advise you on scripts or discipline next steps.

• They may be able to better identify triggers and they may bother them less, but the lack of cooperation still remains.

• The therapist may offer too clinical of an approach + aren't speaking from experience / real-life (They don’t have kids themselves, aren't married themselves, the advice isn’t relatable or is too over-simplified).

• One partner can be adverse to the idea if they grew up in a home that “demonized” therapy or had a bad experience in the past.

Read more about these resources: click the links below-

Considering 1:1 Parenting Coaching Instead?

Or joining a Virtual Parenting Program/Membership? 

I work with families experiencing same symptoms you’d go to those resources for -

• wanting to learn and grow as a parent

• struggles to regulate your own emotions, stop yelling, have more patience

• learn the skills you were never taught so you can teach your child

• wanting to improve morale, culture of your home, relationships like marriage and sibling dynamics so everyone feels more peace and love

• most importantly- your experience of parenting - feeling exhausted, defeated, resentful, disengaging, losing hope.

What about a group coaching program?

Group coaching programs combine a committed, safe environment, the fostering of relationships with like-minded people who get it, and the vulnerability they bring forth to create TRANSFORMATIONS. Think business masterminds, support groups for sobriety, fitness challenges- you achieve much more together than you ever would on your own!

WHO IT'S BEST FOR:

✅ Accelerated progress for the parent who needs MORE than random content, books or a course

✅ They know they need INDIVIDUALIZED support, not generalized info.

✅ Their time is PRECIOUS + you need to learn on-the-go.

✅ Their partner is an ENGAGED parent + wants to get their questions answered too; the majority of stress in the relationship is related to parenting.

✅ They crave connection + community, wanting to be KNOWN + HEARD.

✅ They value working with a mentor who's BEEN THERE, DONE THAT.

✅ They are willing to put the work in when it's actually proven to WORK!

✅ They seek to surround themselves with uplifting + powerful conversations with other COMMITTED, cycle-breaking parents

My program, Wholeheartedly CALM, specifically is BEST FOR…

• Worrying Warrior parents, "It is what it is" parents, and "Just tell me what to do" parents (described in detail in my free masterclass- CALM + CONFIDENT)

• The majority of behavior challenges happen at home.  The child has high highs & low lows, strong opinions, and struggle with regulation.  Their parents want to learn to work WITH the way they’re wired.

• A parent is neurodivergent (EX: diagnosed ADHD or gifted as a child) and they wonder if their child will be too (but they're too young to tell or it's all developmentally appropriate right now) OR their child has been diagnosed with ADHD or is on the spectrum

• The majority of stress in their marriage is related to parenting

• They want to transform their relationship with their strong-willed child into the teen years & beyond
• They want to go from dreading pickup to feeling like besties, from 10 meltdowns a week down to 2, strengthen their personal confidence, family’s resilience, and their marriage along the way. 

PROS OF THE PROGRAM:

• No wait-list - apply, schedule call - enroll with immediate access or within next few weeks depending on schedule.

• No commute

• No direct child involvement

• No pressure to medicate or label

• Stress management first

• Comprehensive & Immersive

• Digest and DO it, not just think about it

• Teaches specific strategies for your exact goals, struggles, and strongest-willed child

• Is designed to maximize your time + effort through digestible, repeatable micro-modules

• Equips your partner alongside you the whole way - RARE & critical

• Stress management first, then skills to manage behaviors & strengthen mindset, unlocking connection you always wanted all along

• Able to customize and adapt journey by accessing needed bonuses at anytime, asking most pertinent questions first

• Includes only critical game-changers, not a bunch of backstories, theories or generalized info

• Back-to-back weeks create momentum and accountability, making it more likely you complete it and can ride on the curtails of other’s momentum and hope on the hard days or weeks

• Crowd sources invaluable insight, validation, and support from a tight-knit small group

• Provides unlimited individualized solutions and community like no other

It's the last resource you'll ever need.

NEXT STEP:

Watch the FREE masterclass with your partner-

Calm + Confident - Master the Kind and Firm approach your strong-willed child needs without crushing their spirit or walking on eggshells at parentingwholeheartedly.com then APPLY.