On the “About” page on this website, in addition to mentioning my years of professional experience and my personal experience with addiction and recovery, I mention how many years I’ve been a parent. You may wonder why I’ve included this and how it’s relevant to the work I do. In fact, I’ve had some individuals ask about that line. I felt it was important to answer the question.
To put it simply: there is significant value in lived personal experience. It allows for greater empathy and understanding. No one understands a parent like a parent.
A very important factor in my ability to resonate with, create rapport with, and understand individuals in recovery or those still challenged by active addiction is my personal experience in the same area. Parenting is no different in that aspect. An individual may have all the credentialing in the world and can have read a library’s worth of books on parenting, but living it personally is a different kind of understanding. In my 13+ years of work supporting parents whose children are facing challenges, the fact that I am a father myself has been of value and importance to clients. Many have expressed that to me directly, and when inquiring about my services, a lot of parents ask if I’m a parent myself. Therefore, I believe it is a crucial piece of the unique and effective combination I offer. My professional, personal, and parenting connections create the formula that allows me to make as much of a positive impact as possible.
