Teen aggression and negative behaviors can stem from unresolved trauma. Often these traumas are not identified or addressed. Unfortunately, neglected mental health issues can lead to poor life outcomes. Adolescents with unresolved trauma may begin to experience strained relationships, difficulty concentrating in an academic setting, and problems sleeping. The good news is that a variety of therapies can help. Equine therapy can help girls heal emotional wounds, develop self-esteem, and build confidence. Interventions like this are often needed to help girls heal from the past and move forward. Additionally, adolescents need love, compassion, and support from their families to achieve full healing. Families can be involved in helping girls heal from trauma and incorporate healthy coping skills. Parent weekend workshops can help with this. During workshops, parent-daughter relationships are strengthened and families become equipped to offer ongoing support.
The Link Between Poor Mental Health and Strained Relationships Before and After Treatment
When adolescents are facing challenges with their mental health, it is common for them to become withdrawn from loved ones and society as a whole. It is also common for girls to stop engaging in certain activities they once enjoyed.
For example, individuals with mood disorders such as depression may sleep often or for longer than expected in order to find comfort. As another example, behavioral disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may make it difficult for girls to connect with others. What’s more, addictive behaviors may lead to extreme distrust and potentially ruin relationships with loved ones.
Regardless of what mental health symptoms an adolescent has, these symptoms can create great strain on parent-daughter relationships. This can be especially so if the mental health issue is left unmanaged or parents still have not properly identified their daughter’s condition.
The Impact of Positive Parent-Daughter Relationships on Mental Health
According to The Journal of Positive Psychology, studies have provided information about the effects of parent-child relationships. Parent-child relationships may have short- and long-term consequences on a child’s well-being. The research highlights that relationships with both parents that are affectionate and supportive and allow children appropriate autonomy may influence good psychological functioning.
Parents who assume a positive approach may be able to reduce a teen’s psychological burden. Some researchers also believe that as more people use positive parenting approaches, this can improve the population’s mental well-being as a whole. Using positive reinforcement techniques may also contribute to improved cognitive function. Those techniques are associated with better emotional regulation and cognition during the teen years.
Ways to Repair and Strengthen Parent-Daughter Relationships
Although the parent-daughter relationship may endure strain before and after treatment, there are ways that families can repair and strengthen a healthy bond. To be a great parent, an individual must not only be a good friend but also set solid boundaries with positive engagement. An individual must find a balance between love and care to actively promote mental stability for their child. Ways to provide support and heal parent-daughter relationships include:
- Expressing love and care often
- Listening and empathizing in a zero-judgment zone
- Participating in sober activities together
- Eating meals together
- Communicating from a place of passion
- Offering space as needed
- Providing emotional support during recovery
- Reevaluating the treatment plan together to encourage improvement
- Reaching out for aftercare services if necessary
The Importance of Staying Connected During Treatment
Parental guidance and support can significantly improve parent-daughter relationships post-treatment. Often when teenage mental health issues arise, a disconnect can grow between parents and the adolescent. Even though different methods can help repair and strengthen relationships, following up with different programs can help prepare families to establish a healthy environment for comfortable living.
Parents may benefit from staying involved in their daughter’s care throughout her path to recovery. For example, if a person’s daughter is participating in equine therapy, they will be encouraged to come and visit their daughter after an appropriate number of family therapy phone calls. Clearview understands that the journey toward healing and growth involves not just the girls in their residential treatment center but extends to their families as well.
How Parent Weekend Workshops at Clearview Help Families Prepare for Post-treatment Life
Participating in parent weekend workshops can also improve relationships that may have been affected. Parent weekend workshops touch on different topics. These include relationship building, self-awareness, and effective communication skills to establish stronger connections with their loved ones.
Parents are provided with useful tools and healthy strategies to foster healthy development and growth within the family. Poor mental health can affect one’s ability to meet major life milestones. Failing parent-daughter relationships can lead to problems developing relationships with peers as well. A strong parent-daughter relationship can foster and protect an adolescent’s future altogether.
This family-centric approach works by giving parents the opportunity to incorporate new skills into their weekly routines. Relationships may be negatively impacted when parents lack an understanding of the underlying reasons for certain behaviors. Parents gain more insight into their daughter’s mental health condition by attending these workshops. Ongoing participation may facilitate family harmony and promote long-term recovery. Moving forward with Clearview can transform the therapeutic process into a hands-on experience that creates a stronger parent-daughter relationship.
Repairing and strengthening parent-daughter relationships requires hard work. At Clearview Horizon’s boarding school for girls, many therapies help to repair this bond. Equine therapy aims to help girls develop needed skills and attributes, such as accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, communication skills, and problem-solving skills. When your daughter heals, so will her surroundings. Parent weekend workshops can give parents insight into their daughter’s mental health issues and teach them strategies to provide appropriate and effective support. The resounding sentiment from those who have attended is that the workshops are a true blessing. Call Clearview at 866-584-4788 to learn more about how our parent weekend workshops can help you build a stronger parent-daughter relationship.
