Family and parenting counselling online
Family life can be warm and hard at the same time. Counselling can help parents and families understand each other and find ways forward.
What families often bring
- Frequent conflict between parents and children, or between siblings.
- Not knowing how to respond to a child's behaviour.
- Tension with in-laws or other family members.
- A major change such as a move, illness, separation or loss.
- Wanting to parent differently from how you were parented.
How it helps
A psychologist helps you understand what is going on beneath the arguments, and works with you on communication and boundaries that suit your family and culture. If your concern is about a younger person, see how child and teen counselling works. If the tension is between partners, couples counselling may be the better place to start.
Parents can come alone for guidance. Sometimes the whole family joins, depending on the situation.
What to expect
- A calm first conversation about what is happening at home.
- No blame. The aim is to understand and find what can change.
- Practical suggestions you can try between sessions.
Things people ask
Can I come alone as a parent?
Yes. Many parents start on their own to get guidance and support.
Many parents begin on their own to talk through worries about a child, a teenager or tension at home. This is common for families in Kerala and for Malayali parents abroad who are raising children far from grandparents and extended family.
Is there an age limit for children?
Mentra supports children and teenagers. For younger children, the work usually involves the parents too. See our page on child and teen counselling.
Mentra works with children, teenagers and their parents. For younger children, sessions focus on the parents and the family, and a psychologist will tell you what suits your child's age. Each psychologist's profile lists the age groups they see.
Will you tell us who is right?
No. A psychologist helps everyone understand each other. They do not decide who is right or wrong.
Family counselling is not about winning an argument. The psychologist helps each person feel heard and helps the family find ways to talk, set boundaries and make decisions together, in Malayalam or English.
What does family counselling help with?
Family counselling can help with repeated arguments, big changes such as moving or loss, tension between generations, and difficult conversations at home.
Families also come after a move abroad, when children are growing up between two cultures, when grandparents live far away, or when roles change at home. Mentra offers family counselling online for families in Kerala, the UAE, the GCC, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.
Can a psychologist help with parenting stress and difficult behaviour?
Yes. A psychologist can help you understand what is behind your child's behaviour, set calm and consistent boundaries and look after your own stress. For children and teens, see child and teen counselling.
Parenting can feel especially hard when you are away from relatives who used to help, or when your child goes to school in a different culture from the one you grew up in. A psychologist can help you plan routines, respond calmly to tantrums or defiance and look after your own wellbeing, in Malayalam or English.
Does the whole family need to attend?
No. Many parents start on their own. Sometimes other family members join later, depending on the situation.
Sometimes the best plan is one parent first, then both parents, and later children or other relatives. Online sessions make it easy for family members in different cities or countries to join the same session link.
Can we have family counselling online if we live in different places?
Yes. Family members can join the same online session from different homes, cities or countries. See online psychologist.
Many Malayali families are spread between Kerala, the Gulf and the West. Family counselling online lets parents in one country and adult children in another take part together. Your confirmation shows the time in your own time zone, and sessions run from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM IST.
Can family sessions be in Malayalam?
Yes. Many of our psychologists work in Malayalam, in English, or both, and each profile lists the languages. Read more about online counselling in Malayalam.
Family conversations about parenting, respect and expectations often sound different in Malayalam than in English. Family and parenting counselling is available in Malayalam and English for families in Kerala, the UAE, the GCC, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia.
Is family counselling confidential?
Yes, within the limits of the law and professional ethics. Your psychologist explains how privacy works when more than one person joins.
Your psychologist explains, before the first session, who will be present and what stays private if children or teenagers are involved. Mentra uses secure video, and your contact details stay with Mentra.
How do I book a family or parenting session?
Choose a psychologist, pick a time, pay securely online, and we send your private session link on WhatsApp. At your time you join by video or voice from your phone or computer.
Choose a psychologist who works with families and parents, then pick a time that suits everyone who will attend. Sessions are online, and times between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM IST can suit families in India, the Gulf and the West.
This page is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can assess your situation.
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