New Dad Struggles? You're Not Alone! Tips for Fatherhood
- First Step Men's Therapy
- Nov 9, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 30
First Step Men's Therapy helps men across Canada develop healthier relationships with themselves and others. We offer individual, couples, and group counselling to men and their families online using our secure telehealth platform.
For those expecting, thoughts and feelings may arise that can challenge our ability to be there for our newborns and our partners. For those who have recently become new fathers or have young children, the stresses and challenges that one encounters on a daily basis, both as a new father and as a partner, can be important areas to explore within therapy.
New fathers and those with children often carry their own childhood wounds and internal challenges into parenthood, thus therapy can be a great opportunity to examine one's own upbringing from a new perspective and to better co-parent and raise children in a healthier way. If you're looking for new father therapy in Toronto, Ottawa, or Oshawa, there are professionals who specialize in helping men navigate the complexities of fatherhood.
Some of the common questions new fathers and parents express include:
How can I best support my partner in our marriage and family life?
I had such a horrible childhood; how can I prevent this from happening to my children?
How can I balance work-family-friends-health to ensure all areas of my life are adequately supported?
How can I nurture and foster my child’s development in a healthy way?
How do I find ways to develop better self-care and coping habits to ensure that I maintain my sobriety or mental health during difficult times?
Will I have the tools and support needed to ensure my child has a great life?
How can I cope effectively with the different stages of my child's growth and development?
How can I prevent intimacy issues from impacting my relationship and family post-partum?
As a father, Adam, our Clinic Director, realized first-hand the ups and downs that can come from being a new father. Armed with the excitment and growth of a newborn in his hands, Adam also shared he saw the fear and uncertainty around being a "good" dad, and raising his son in a way that was authentic and accepting of the highs and lows.
It is important to note that new fathers can also have post-partum anxiety or depression, with physical and psychological symptoms that appear similar and different than those of women. Some include:
Decreased sleep or poorer sleep patterns
Decreased social activity
Challenges related to emotional regulation
Increased anger and frustration
Difficulty focusing/concentrating on activities, including work and home
Decreased testosterone production/levels
Increased questioning of self-worth over being a "good father/partner"
Increased isolation and lack of social connections
Some new fathers may also develop certain disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, with an increased focus on the baby's health or increased thoughts of inadvertently hurting one's child. Generalized Anxiety Disorder is also a potential risk for new fathers.
Strategies and Tips for New Dads
Prioritize Self-Care – Taking care of your own mental and physical well-being helps you show up as the best version of yourself for your family.
Communicate Openly with Your Partner – Keep an open dialogue about parenting, expectations, and emotional needs to foster a supportive environment.
Educate Yourself – Read books, take parenting classes, and seek guidance from experienced parents to gain confidence in your role.
Create a Support System – Connect with other new fathers, join parenting groups, and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.
Engage in Bonding Activities – Spend one-on-one time with your baby through activities like skin-to-skin contact, talking, singing, and playing.
Manage Work-Life Balance – Set boundaries at work and carve out quality time to be present with your child and partner.
Recognize and Address Mental Health Challenges – If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, seeking therapy can be a vital step in maintaining your well-being.
Be Patient and Flexible – Parenting is a learning process, and every child is different. Adjust your expectations and give yourself grace as you navigate fatherhood.
Therapy, both individual and group, can be a helpful tool in addressing the current and underlying issues that impact one's ability to raise and care for their children and family. Understanding and exploring some of the root causes and working on a tailored treatment plan can help new fathers become better parents and lead more productive and healthy lives with their families. If you are looking for new father-focused therapy in Toronto, Ottawa, or Oshawa, consider seeking professional support to ensure you are equipped with the right tools to thrive as a parent.
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We offer virtual counselling sessions to men struggling with being a new father across Ontario including Toronto, Brampton, North Bay, Windsor, London, Barrie, Kingston, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catherines, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville, Pickering, Sudbury, Bowmanville, and Mississauga.