Dear Provider, Please Listen to the Parent

We need to talk.

As professionals, we hold a lot of power. But sometimes, in the rush of data collection, goals, and timelines, we forget to listen to the most critical voice in the room: the parent.

The parent who’s seen the meltdowns, the progress, the patterns. The parent who knows their child’s humor, triggers, and what works when nothing else does. The parent who’s showing up, again and again, even when the system makes it feel like an uphill battle.

If we want to be truly effective providers, we must partner with parents—not just inform them.

At The Therapy Garden, we view parents as teammates. Co-regulators. Co-creators. And let me tell you—when you bring a parent’s wisdom into the therapy plan, magic happens.

To every provider out there: slow down. Ask. Listen. Trust.

And to every parent reading this: you are not too much. You are not being dramatic. You are essential.