Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Working with Parents

Parents are faced with numerous life demands, and all parents, regardless of their parenting experience, can become stressed. Balancing professional, familial, and financial demands with the daily stressors from parenting can have a negative effect on their overall health (Schneiderman et al, Annu Rev Clin Psychol 1:607–628, 2005) and have a trickle-down effect on their families. When parents struggle to cope with these stressors, their parent practices and relationships (Weitlauf et al, Autism 18(2):194–198. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361312458039, 2014) are impacted, resulting in negative mental and physical health outcomes for the child and family unit. Parents can become immensely overwhelmed by their child’s experiences resulting in parent anger, anxiety, and/or depressed mood.