Siblings of Individuals with Special Needs
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Being a sibling of an individual with a developmental disability brings unique challenges, along with potential strengths. Because siblings often experience guilt over having any negative feelings about their brother or sister with a disability, it can be difficult to acknowledge their own needs for self-expression and support. I provide a non-judgmental space for siblings to explore the full range of their thoughts and feelings about their personal experience. I work with siblings of all ages.
 
Some common difficulties that adult siblings experience include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Putting the needs of others before one’s own needs
• Difficulty identifying one’s own needs
• Survivor guilt
• Difficulty setting boundaries
• Perfectionism
• Difficulty expressing anger
• Grief
• Internalizing feelings
• Fear of abandonment
• Excessive caretaking role in relationships
• Resentment
• Concerns about having one’s own children
• Trauma resulting from a sibling’s unpredictable or dangerous behaviors
• Stress related to becoming the primary caretaker or guardian of a sibling with disability

 
Some common difficulties that child and teen siblings experience include:

• Fears about their sibling’s disability
• Jealousy about the amount of parental attention their sibling with a disability receives
• Feeling isolated or different from peers
• Perfectionism
• Parentification; significant responsibilities for care of sibling
• Withdrawal
• Acting out
• Guilt
• Embarrassment about their sibling
• Difficulties forming friendships
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fear or trauma resulting from a sibling's unpredictable or dangerous behaviors
• Difficulty expressing anger
• Feeling that life is unfair

 
Contact me at 646 753-0754 or elaine@elaineoswald.com to learn more about how I help siblings.