Q: You work individually with many teens with misophonia. Why do you think involving
parents in treatment is important?
A: I think involving parents in treatment is important for several reasons. First, because
misophonia is such a newly described condition, I meet a lot of parents who want to learn more about it. Learning more about misophonia can help parents better understand the condition and how they can support their teen. The In Tune Parenting Group provides a clear overview of the research describing misophonia, which can help parents understand the condition better. Second, when parents participate in treatment, they can help support the work their teen is doing (if their teen is also in treatment). By understanding what their teen is learning in treatment, parents can help them use skills in daily life. On the other hand, if their teen is not in individual treatment, parents can learn ways to support their youth at home. Finally, parents can learn skills to help themselves as well. Misophonia often has an impact on the entire family. By getting involved in treatment, parents can learn skills to help validate and manage their own emotions regarding misophonia as well as reduce the impact their teen’s misophonia might be having on their family.
Q: When should families consider the In Tune Parenting Group? Should this only be if
individual treatment fails?
A: Parents should consider the In Tune Parenting Group if they want to learn more about
misophonia, learn how to support their own mental health while helping their teen, and/or
reduce the impact of misophonia on their family. This group is certainly not just indicated for
when individual treatment fails. It can be a great compliment to individual therapy and actually help individual therapy be more impactful!
Q: If my youth won’t engage in treatment, would the In Tune Parenting group still be
useful?
A: Absolutely! Parents can still benefit from learning more about misophonia and limiting its
impact on the family even if their teen is not engaged in treatment. In fact, sometimes when
parents engage in treatment their teen might become more willing to try treatment as well.