Parenting is a deeply personal process. No other relationship requires such emotional investment, personal beliefs, traditions and values, and is as closely associated with one's identity as parenting a child. The moment we become aware of being solely responsible for another human being, we experience an overwhelming amount of joy, gratitude and commitment to raising and shaping someone we hope can become a better version of ourselves. The process of parenting alters everything about us from our lifestyle to our thinking and our beliefs to the way we see the world and interact with it, as well as our relationships with others. Furthermore, we look forward to raising a child who we can love and cherish and will hopefully love us in return. It is a natural process but also a deeply personal process. Because parenting is a deeply personal process, parents are oftentimes the last ones to recognize, acknowledge and agree to obtaining mental health treatment for their child.

 

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 31.9% of adolescents (age 13-18) experience an anxiety disorder. The prevalence for females for any anxiety disorder was 38% compared to 26% in boys. When it comes to depression, an estimated 20.1% of adolescents in the United States have experienced at least one episode of major depression.