Support Groups
In the fall 2004 Parentalk, Dan Knoepfler, MC and Martha Davis, MSW wrote an article on parent support groups.
Many parents feel they must put on a strong front to help their child get through the treatment process. Though this may be true, parents also need to express their own anger, frustration and sadness.
They need to discuss how their child’s and family’s lives have been changed. A common thread that runs through most parents’ stories is their anger toward their child for putting the family in its current situation. Many parents feel a loss of control over their family and their ability to make decisions on their own. They struggle with feelings of resentment because they must consult or get permission from their child’s therapist and probation officer to do things that used to be normal day-to-day activities. These difficulties seem less overwhelming to the parents when they share strategies with others in the same situation.
The parents feel that the most valuable part of group is the wealth of information that each parent con-tributes.As professionals, we can be sympathetic and compassionate about their struggles, but the real strength of a support group is the expressions of empathy the parents show for each other; they all know what it is like to have a child with sexual behavior problems. Parents share valuable first hand knowledge regarding the courts, law enforcement, child protection,and treatment. Parents who have had a child in treatment for awhile share their experiences with parents who are just beginning. Some group members exchange phone numbers and support each other outside the group as well.