Support for Parents Facing a Child’s Medical Diagnosis
There are no words that fully capture what it feels like to hear that your child has a serious medical diagnosis such as cancer. It is overwhelming, disorienting, and life-changing. Parents often describe feeling like the ground has fallen out from under them. In the middle of medical appointments, hospital stays, and the unknowns of treatment, it is easy to feel lost, alone, and unsure how to hold your family together.
Therapy can provide a space to breathe, process, and begin to make sense of what this means for you, your partner, and your family.
The Impact on Parents and Families
A medical diagnosis does not only affect the child receiving treatment. It affects the entire family system. Parents often experience:
Intense stress and fear about the future
Feeling pulled between caregiving, work, and the needs of other children
Strain on their relationship with a spouse or partner
Guilt, anger, or helplessness that feels difficult to talk about
A sense of isolation from friends and family who may not fully understand
Uncertainty about how to parent a sick child in ways that are supportive without becoming consumed by fear or overprotection
My Approach
I work with parents to support both their emotional well-being and the strength of their family system. My background in relational therapy means I focus on how this crisis impacts your connection with each other and your children. I help parents make sense of their emotions, communicate their needs, and stay connected even in the hardest moments.
Therapy is not about taking away the pain or fear. It is about helping you carry it in a way that does not break you apart. It gives you a place to talk honestly about what you are experiencing without judgment or pressure to be “strong.”
What You Can Expect to Work On
Making space for your emotions without being consumed by them
Supporting your partner or co-parent while also getting your own needs met
Talking with your children and siblings about what is happening in ways they can understand
Learning how to parent a sick child in a way that balances care, compassion, and boundaries
Helping reduce the impact of medical trauma on your child by empowering them to feel informed, supported, and understood
Creating strategies for coping with medical trauma and uncertainty
Reducing the impact of stress on your marriage or co-parenting relationship
Building a sense of support and resilience for your family
The Goal
When your child is facing cancer or another serious medical diagnosis, there are no easy answers. My role is to walk with you through this season so you do not have to carry it alone. The goal of therapy is to help you find steadiness, preserve your most important relationships, and reduce the impact of trauma on your child by helping them feel empowered and supported in age-appropriate ways.