Mother-Daughter Counseling

There are not enough words to describe the delicate, yet sensitive relationship between a mother and her daughter (at any age). For most women, our first and most vital ‘attachment relationship’ we share is with our mother. A healthy mother-daughter relationship is an influential bond based on empathy, love, and trust, setting the foundation for future relations with family, friends, colleagues, partners and our children.

Although a mother and her daughter can share a meaningful relationship, they can also experience complex and difficult circumstances.

Sometimes unexplained friction occurs, causing hurt feelings. Strains in the relationship may impact our physical, spiritual, psychological and emotional wellbeing. It may trigger dangerous addictions, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, poor communications with others, and low self-esteem. When there is a conflict, both mother and daughter must work together to resolve any issues and close the gap.

One of the common types of relationships shared by mothers and daughters is called an enmeshed relationship. The relationship is affectionate as the mother treats her daughter as a best friend. Both of them share their interests, feelings, and many other things. Though this type of relationship may feel good at times, it is not healthy.

Our trained therapists will help you set expectations, establish boundaries and express your feelings in a non-judgmental setting and uncover the many factors that potentially contribute to conflicts between mothers and daughters. Warrenton Women’s Counseling Center’s mother-daughter therapy sessions will help you both heal and reconnect with one another, regardless of your age. Whether your daughter is a pre-teen or an adult, our counselors strive to accomplish a compassionate and trustworthy relationship that includes:

• Defining your basic expectations
• Accepting one another’s mistakes and failures
• Manifesting mutual care and respect even during conflicts
• Communicating clearly and compassionately
• Spending quality time with one another
• Respecting each other’s desires and freedoms
• Establishing flexible and healthy boundaries

Healthy mother-daughter relationships are full of positivity and love. They don’t put each other down or use guilt to manipulate. As we all know, critical mothers can lead their daughters to a lifetime self-doubt and/or being critical mothers to their own children, friends, and partners..