What is the secret to making your marriage special while also parenting a child with special needs?
Approximately 10 percent of individuals within the general population have a disability. Now, with the rise of certain disabilities like autism disorders, many couples are parenting special needs children. In those instances, making your marriage special can be more like a chore. When so much extra time and energy is put into taking care of a child with special needs, what ends up happening to the marriage?
Becoming a parent for the first time is a challenge and usually involves a degree of adaptation. For parents with a special needs child, however, adaptation can be much more difficult. These parents must learn to adjust to the unique and sometimes scary path of raising a child with a disability. And with the many extra demands that it places upon parents as individuals, having any time to work on the marriage might seem impossible.
Our guest today is Dr. Barbara Lowe-Greenlee, a licensed psychologist with Greenlee Psychological & Support Services in Chapel Hill, NC. She works to help families with special needs children succeed and thrive despite the tough challenges they face. To find out more about Barbara and her practice, visit her website or call (919) 824-5743 to make an appointment.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Is your marriage strong enough to endure the challenges of autism?
Living with a family member on the autism spectrum can make communication difficult. Whether it’s your spouse, your child or yourself, trying to break through the communication barrier to have a fulfilling relationship can be so taxing that it takes away from other family relationships. In many cases, families’ lives begin to revolve around the needs of just one person – and then, everyone suffers.
Adults begin to feel isolated from one another because they’re suffering from guilt, stress and grief. When the special needs family member is a spouse, feelings of isolation can become even more extreme – and can even lead to divorce in some cases.
How do you move past these challenges to lead a happy, fulfilling life? Is it possible to salvage a relationship that’s been eroded by years of difficult struggles?
Abbe Colodny is an outpatient therapist with Therapeutic Partners in Raleigh, NC. Abbe received her Master’s in mental health counseling and has extensive experience in diagnosing and working with those with autism and other developmental delays. Abbe has used her specific training and experience to work with individuals, couples and families struggling with autism.
To find out more about Abbe Colodny and her practice, Therapeutic Partners, you can visit their website or call 919-233-7360 for an appointment.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Who could have imagined that it would be possible to improve your marriage just by watching television?
One of the greatest American pastimes for individuals, couples, and families continues to be checking out what is on television. We love TV! Whether you’re trying to relax or looking for information on a topic, there is always a show for you.
What about a show for marriage? The pre-scripted sitcom shows of the last fifty years have proven to be a very useful tool in teaching the world what marriage is really about. Does your marriage have what it takes to stand up against famous sitcom sweeties like Mike and Carol Brady from the The Brady Bunch?
“There are actually a lot of great nuggets of wisdom that we can learn from analyzing some of the relationship on TV. You can tell yourself that you’re doing something productive after all when you’re sitting there watching your favorite TV shows,” says Dr. Wynns.
Dr. Kristin Wynns is a child and adolescent psychologist who owns an adolescent specialty private practice in Cary, NC called Wynns Family Psychology. Dr. Wynns and her staff provide therapy and testing services for children, teens, and parents. Dr. Wynns is also the founder of a parenting website called NoWimpyParenting.com with services available to help parents struggling with behavior and discipline problems at home. Dr. Wynns keeps her skills in marriage psychology tuned at home with her husband of 13 years.
To find out more about Dr. Kristen Wynns and Wynns Family Psychology, you can visit them online or call 919-467-7777 for an appointment.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
