Helping You Build a Steadier self
Schedule a ConsultationTherapy for parents, children, and families in Charlotte, NC and across North Carolina.
Helping you feel calmer, more connected, and more in control.
I am a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) in Charlotte, NC specializing in Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy for parents, children, and adults.
I help parents who feel overwhelmed, triggered, or stuck in patterns like yelling or shutting down, and provide adoption-competent therapy for adoptive families and adult adoptees.
While much of my work focuses on parents, I also work with adults who are seeking deeper self-understanding, healing, and personal growth — even if parenting is not the primary focus.
I specialize in helping:
- Parents who feel overwhelmed, reactive, or stuck in cycles like yelling, shutting down, or feeling out of control
- Adults who are doing deeper personal work — including inner child work, parts work (IFS), and a desire to feel more grounded, clear, and connected in themselves
- Children and teens struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, or big feelings
- Adoptive parents and families navigating attachment, identity, and the emotional complexities of adoption
- Adult adoptees exploring identity, relationships, and long-standing emotional patterns
Parenting can feel overwhelming, especially when you find yourself reacting in ways you didn’t intend — raising your voice, shutting down, or feeling stuck in patterns you wish you could change.
You are not alone, and nothing about this means you are doing it wrong.
Together, we can slow things down, understand what’s underneath these reactions, and help you feel more grounded, connected, and confident in your parenting.
Are you at a loss for how to handle your child’s behaviors?
Are you at a loss for how to handle your child’s behavior?
There is nothing more important than your connection with your child, but lately that connection has felt strained. Maybe your son has had trouble putting words to his feelings and is shutting down or lashing out. Maybe your toddler’s tantrums feel out of control compared to other kids. Maybe your daughter holds it together all day at school and then comes home and is defiant or disrespectful.
Parenting can feel overwhelming, especially when you find yourself reacting in ways you didn’t expect — raising your voice, shutting down, or feeling unsure how to respond.
Before you became a parent, you may have felt confident in your ability to figure things out. But with your kids, the rules can feel different. You’ve put in a tremendous amount of effort, and still, parenting can feel incredibly hard.
In our work together, we slow things down, understand what’s underneath these reactions, and help you respond in ways that feel more calm, connected, and aligned with the parent you want to be. This is the heart of parenting therapy — helping you understand your reactions so you can respond differently.
Do you want to better understand your own reactions to your children?
You know that parenting is hard for everyone but sometimes it feels like you have no control over your kids or your emotional reactions to them. You try hard to parent calmly but sometimes it’s just too difficult. In those moments you find yourself yelling and screaming and later you are full of guilt. If these patterns make you feel ashamed I promise you are not alone and if you would like to do things differently I can help.
I specialize in helping parents understand their own emotional reactions so that they have the ability to respond with intention rather than react to their kids. As parents get better at this they begin to model exactly what they want their kids to do when they get upset. I help parents understand why they get triggered and heal the parts of themselves that long for self compassion and understanding. If you are looking for a therapist to help you strengthen your connection with your children and also with yourself, you have come to the right place.
What if my challenges aren’t related to parenting? Can Constructive Parenting still support me?
While my practice does focus on parenting, I also offer comprehensive therapy for adults. This dual approach is deeply interconnected. I am a Certified IFS therapist, and my work with adults often involves helping individuals reconnect with and reparent their inner children. By addressing past experiences and emotional needs, I will support you in fostering healthier relationships and personal growth.
MY SPECIALITIES INCLUDE:
Whether your child needs to learn coping skills or you just want to come up with a more effective parenting plan, I can help.
I’m Amanda Zaidman, a child therapist and parenting counselor in Charlotte, NC. In my work with clients I utilize approaches that allow me to focus on their strengths to facilitate healing. Those approaches include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Therapeutic Mindfulness, Somatic Experiencing, Polyvagal Theory, and Internal Family Systems. My passion is helping families create the relationships they deserve.
If your struggles are related to screen time, social media or cell phone use I have resources for that too!
It is amazing the impact too much screen time can have on your relationship with your child. I help families learn how to take a balanced approach so that they can enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to the pitfalls. Read my blog post about this issue here and get the free “Constructive Parent’s Smart Phone Contract for Kids” by clicking the image below.
CONSTRUCTIVE PARENTING, PLLC OFFERs VIRTUAL APPOINTMENTS FOR CHILD THERAPY AND PARENT COUNSELING
I offer in office and virtual appointments. If your preference is for you or your child to be seen virtually I am pleased to continue to offer regularly scheduled parenting and child therapy appointments virtually through a HIPAA compliant tele-medicine platform which can be easily used on any computer or phone. Explore How To Get My Help.