Mother connects childhood experiences to parenting challenges

A mother of three young children felt overwhelmed and found herself frequently yelling at them. While cooking, she was distraught when her kids fought and screamed for her attention. This common scenario led her to realize that she was struggling with her emotions and wanted to change her parenting style. She sought advice from parenting experts and tried to be more patient, but the anger often resurfaced. After some reflection, she decided to explore therapy for deeper issues from her past. Inspired by her mother, who had positive experiences with a specific type of therapy, she began attending sessions focused on EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and IFS (internal family systems). Through therapy, she learned to connect her parenting triggers to unresolved issues from her own childhood. Even though she had a "good" childhood, she recognized that she needed better emotional support and communication from her parents. As she faced these memories, she discovered that certain moments in her kids' behaviors reminded her of her past experiences, causing her to react in anger. Her therapist encouraged her to notice physical signs when she was triggered, such as tension or rapid breathing. By acknowledging these feelings, she was able to pause and respond to her children with more calmness and patience. She learned techniques to ground herself in the present, making her less reactive and more connected to her kids. Now, instead of yelling at her children, she responds more gently, often encouraging them to communicate their feelings. She has noticed positive changes not just in herself, but also in her children, who seem more confident and relaxed. While she still makes mistakes, she is committed to improving as a parent, taking steps to heal and grow for the sake of her family.