Info for Parents

ROBERT M. NEWELL, PH.D.

FORENSIC AND CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Specializing in Behavioral Healthcare for Children &

Adolescents, Families, Couples, and Adults.

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Thank you for visiting my website. The fact that you are reviewing this information may mean that your son or daughter is experiencing some challenges and problems that are causing you concern. Please take the time to review the information on my site, and let me know if I can help you in any way.

► CLICK HERE to read my ”What Every Parent Needs to Know….” series.

An Open Letter to Parents:

"It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.” This bon mot written by Charles Dickens in his book The Tale of Two Cities pretty much sums up what it means to be a parent—it can bring the greatest joy…or it can bring the greatest of sorrow and frustration.

The basic goal of parenting is to raise a child to become a happy, well-adjusted, and responsible adult. That’s much easier said than done, right? Parenting is one of the most difficult tasks any of us will ever undertake, and most of us are not well prepared to fulfill this profound responsibility. One of the ironies of life is that just about the time you figure out how to be a really good parent, your children’s children are full-grown adults! Another one of life’s ironies is that you can go to Costco and buy a DVD player with instructions in five different languages, yet when you brought your new-born baby home from the hospital, the advice and “instructions” you received did little to prepare you to deal with the many challenges of raising a happy and healthy child.

Often parents of children and adolescents who are displaying behavioral or emotional problems are hesitant to seek help for their child because they are afraid of being blamed for causing their child’s problems, and of being told that they are a “bad” parent. One of the things I tell parents is that there is no such thing as “perfect” parent. All parents are human, and a part of the human condition is that we make mistakes. Therefore, all parents make mistakes in raising their children. That’s the bad news. The good news it is not necessary to be a “perfect” parent in order to raise a happy, healthy child or adolescent. One needs only to be a “good enough” parent. That means that a parent can make mistakes—sometimes even big ones—and your children will still turn out okay. So, you’ve made some mistakes as a parent? Welcome to the club—every parent has made mistakes.

Another important point for parents to understand and remember is the distinction between being the “cause of the problem” and being the “key to the solution.” As a clinical psychologist, my goal in working with children, adolescents, and families is to facilitate the healing process and to help restore psychological health. To this end, I am not interested in finding out who I can blame for causing a child’s difficulties—it is rarely productive. Instead, I am interested in finding out which adults in a child’s or teen’s life will be the key to the solution. So, my focus is on helping your child or teen to overcome his or her problems, and not on placing blame on you for whatever difficulties your son or daughter may be experiencing. The basic question I ask each parent is simply, “Are you willing to help your child?” Please CLICK HERE to read My Approach to Treatment with Children and Adolescents.

When you bring your child or teen to my office for treatment, you have my sincere promise that I will take your concerns seriously, and that I will do my best to help you with whatever challenges face your child and your family. This is my commitment to you.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my website. I hope that the information you find here will be helpful to you. Please CONTACT ME with any questions you may have about your son or daughter, or your family. I am here to help.

Very truly yours,

Robert M. Newell, Ph.D.

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DR. ROBERT M. NEWELL

Telephone: 509-910-0329

Email: mail@drrobertnewell.com

Website: www.drrobertnewell.com