Parenting counselling with registered psychologists and counsellors
Counselling for parents is a confidential, non-judgemental space to talk about the pressures of parenting, understand your child’s needs and your own reactions, and build practical strategies that work for your family.
Psychologists and counsellors in attendance at our Centre work with mothers, fathers, step-parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, and separated parents. You can attend on your own, with a partner or co-parent, or alongside sessions for your child or the whole family.
Please call (07) 3831 4452 to speak with our reception team.
Written and clinically reviewed by Natascha Madden, Registered Psychologist (AHPRA reg. PSY0000953827), Brisbane Counselling Centre. Last reviewed: October 2026
What is counselling for parents?
Counselling for parents is support focused on you as a parent: your stress, your reactions, your relationship with your child, and the parenting decisions you are facing.
It is not about being judged or told you are doing it wrong. Most parents who come to counselling are doing their best under real pressure. Sessions help you step back, understand what is happening, and respond in ways that fit the parent you want to be.
Why do parents seek counselling?
Parents come to counselling for many reasons, including:
- feeling exhausted, overwhelmed or burnt out by parenting
- losing your temper more than you would like, then feeling guilty
- constant conflict or power struggles with a child or teenager
- worry about a child’s anxiety, behaviour, mood or school difficulties
- parenting a neurodivergent child, for example a child with ADHD or autism
- parenting after separation or divorce, and co-parenting with an ex-partner
- blended families and step-parenting
- disagreeing with your partner about parenting
- wanting to parent differently from how you were parented
- adjusting to becoming a parent, or to a new baby
- supporting a child through grief, trauma or a major change
- feeling isolated, lonely or unsure where to turn
How can counselling help me as a parent?
Understanding yourself as a parent
Our own childhood shapes how we parent, often without us realising. Counselling helps you see which patterns you want to keep and which you want to change, so you can break unhelpful cycles rather than repeat them.
Managing your own triggers
Children can trigger strong emotions in their parents. A toddler’s tantrum may bring up powerlessness, or a teenager’s defiance a fear of failing. Counselling helps you notice what is happening for you, stay calmer, and respond rather than react, which in turn teaches your child how to manage their own emotions.
Dealing with stress and parental burnout
Parenting is relentless, and many parents are also juggling work, finances, relationships and their own health. Counselling offers practical tools for managing stress, setting boundaries and looking after yourself.
Navigating separation, co-parenting and blended families
Separation and new family structures bring big adjustments for children and adults. A psychologist or counsellor can help you put children’s needs at the centre, reduce conflict, and communicate more effectively with a co-parent. See also family therapy and counselling.
Supporting a child who is struggling
When a child is anxious, angry, withdrawn or struggling at school, parents often feel helpless. Counselling helps you understand what may be behind the behaviour, respond in ways that strengthen your relationship, and recognise when your child would benefit from their own support. See counselling for adolescents and teens.
Why does the parent-child relationship matter so much?
Children learn how to manage emotions, relate to others and see themselves first through their relationship with their parents.
Attachment theory, first developed by John Bowlby, shows that children feel secure when their caregivers are consistently responsive to their needs, particularly in moments of distress. Secure attachment is linked with healthier self-esteem, better emotional regulation and stronger relationships later in life.
Secure attachment is not about being a perfect parent. It is about being “good enough”: emotionally available most of the time, and willing to repair the relationship after things go wrong. Mistakes are inevitable. It is often in the repair, the apology, the reconnection and trying again, that children learn the most about love, forgiveness and growth.
Simple ways to build connection include:
- showing warmth and affection every day
- listening to your child and naming their feelings
- spending regular time together doing something you both enjoy
- using calm, consistent boundaries rather than harsh punishment
- repairing after conflict, and modelling that it is okay to say sorry
What happens in counselling for parents?
Your first session is about understanding your family and what you would like to change. Your psychologist or counsellor will ask about your child or children, your own background, what has been difficult, and your goals.
From there, sessions combine reflection and practical skills. Approaches may include attachment-focused and emotion-coaching strategies, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for managing stress and reactions, and mindfulness for staying calm in difficult moments. Where your own past experiences are affecting your parenting, EMDR or other trauma-focused therapy may help.
If you and your partner disagree about parenting, joint sessions can help you work as a team. If the strain is affecting your relationship more broadly, couples counselling may also help.
You can read more about what a typical session looks like.
How do I book counselling for parents in Brisbane?
- Please call (07) 3831 4452 or complete our enquiry form. Our reception team will suggest a suitable practitioner. You do not need a referral.
- Consider your rebate options. If parenting stress is affecting your own mental health, for example through anxiety, low mood or burnout, your GP may prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan for Medicare rebates. Private health insurance with extras cover for psychology may also apply.
- Attend your first session. You can come alone or with your partner or co-parent. There is nothing you need to prepare.
Brisbane Counselling Centre is at Level 7, 87 Wickham Terrace, Spring Hill, near the Brisbane CBD, about five minutes’ walk from Central Station. We are open Monday to Friday 7:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:30am to 5:00pm, which can make appointments easier around school and childcare. Online and telephone sessions are also available.
Meet the psychologists and counsellors or see our fees and rebate information.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral to see a psychologist for parenting support?
Can I claim parenting counselling on Medicare?
How much does counselling for parents cost?
Does my child need to come to the sessions?
Can my partner and I come together?
What if I am worried I am repeating my parents' mistakes?
What is parental burnout?
Can you help with parenting a teenager?
Do you offer counselling for new parents?
Do you offer online or Saturday appointments?
Where are you located and is there parking?
Help is available
Seeking support as a parent is an act of care, for yourself and for your children. It shows them that it is okay to ask for help, and that feelings can be understood rather than feared. A caring psychologist or counsellor can help you become the parent you want to be.
Please call (07) 3831 4452 to speak with our reception team. The Brisbane psychologists and counsellors are available to help.
If you need urgent support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Parentline on 1300 30 1300. If you are pregnant or have a baby and are struggling, PANDA’s National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline is available on 1300 726 306. In an emergency, call 000.
