Providential Counseling & Consulting Services, PLLC

07/19/2025

This week on the Raising Sons podcast, I sat down with my son to talk about his upcoming transition into high school.

Spoiler alert: He’s nervous.
And so am I.

But we’re talking about it. Openly. Honestly. And together.

In this episode, we share:
💬 His fears and hopes as he enters this new chapter
💬 My quiet worries as a mom doing her best to support him
💬 Why it’s okay to feel all the feelings and not rush through them

If you’ve ever wondered how to get your son to open up…
Or you’re navigating your own emotions while helping him with his…

This one’s for you. 💛

🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.
🎙️ Raising Sons with Dr. Richelle Whittaker
Link: https://www.richellewhittaker.com/podcast/episode/1f91c2cb/how-to-navigate-change-with-your-son-a-mother-son-talk-on-starting-high-school

If you’d like to start the conversation or keep the one you’re having with your son about his upcoming transition, grab your ticket today to the Raising Sons: Back to School Experience (https://bit.ly/raisingsonsexperience)

07/16/2025

Both of my sons are transitioning this year… and honestly, I’m nervous.

One is starting middle school.
The other is heading into high school.
And while they’re growing, stretching, and stepping into new seasons, so am I.

Will they make friends?
Will they make good choices?
Will they be seen, supported, and understood?

All of these questions swirl in my mind, sometimes at 2 a.m.

So I do what I know how to do:
I pray for them.
I pray for myself.
I pray for this transition.

And I lean into community. That’s why I created the Back to School Experience for Moms & Sons because I knew I couldn’t be the only one holding all these feelings.

This experience is about more than just school supplies and schedules.
It’s about connection, courage, and confidence for both of you.

Real conversations
Tools to navigate this new season
A space where both moms and sons feel seen

We’re doing it again and this time, the boys are coming too.
🎟️ Get your ticket early and save.
Let’s walk through this transition together.
🔗 in Bio

Here at Providential Counseling & Consulting, we provide individualized assessments and independent educational evaluations (IEEs). We also provide behavioral management, social-emotional programs, and trainings to schools, agencies, and organizations. Our goal is to empower parents and transform th...

07/09/2025

We’re doing it again… but this time, we’re bringing the boys!

Last time, it was all about empowering moms.
This time, we’re making it a full-circle moment.

Raising Sons: The Back-to-School Experience now includes a powerful session just for your son, led by a licensed male therapist, Michael Dangerfield!

Because he’s growing and so are you.

Let’s prepare for the new school year with intention, connection, and confidence.

Don’t miss it. Space is limited- only 12 mother/son pairs. * Exception if you have more than one son.

Let’s raise confident, emotionally whole boys and do it in community.

Tag a mom who needs to be in the room with us.

Grab your ticket: 🔗 in Bio

Here at Providential Counseling & Consulting, we provide individualized assessments and independent educational evaluations (IEEs). We also provide behavioral management, social-emotional programs, and trainings to schools, agencies, and organizations. Our goal is to empower parents and transform th...

06/04/2025

My son graduated from 8th grade this week, and he won several awards. I’m so proud of him! 🎓✨

But honestly, the greatest reward came in a quiet moment—when one of his teachers said to me, “He’s a breath of fresh air. I look forward to seeing him in class every day. If I have a son one day, I hope he’s just like yours.”

My eyes misted, and I willed the tears not to fall. Because let’s be real—middle school has been a mix of joy and challenges. I don’t always know if I’m telling him the right thing, if I’m pushing too much or not enough.

But that teacher’s comment reminded me: something is going right. 💙

This is what I talk about in my book, Strong Men Start Here—how our steady love and presence, even in the messy middle, shapes our sons. We don’t have to be perfect. We just have to keep showing up.

If you’re raising a son and want to learn more about building him up, check out my book Strong Men Start Here (https://bit.ly/strongmenstarthere). Let’s raise them strong, together!

05/21/2025

From Misbehavior to Misunderstood.
That’s the shift we need—and the heart of the presentation I gave this week to the Spring Health & Mental Health Advisory Committee.

We unpacked how boys are often labeled as “difficult” or “disruptive” before they’re ever truly understood. And how that mislabeling can follow them for years.

One participant said, “This information needs to be shared everywhere—because the educational system as it is… is not set up for boys.”

She’s absolutely right.

Too often, we punish the symptom without addressing the need.
We silence the behavior without listening to the story behind it.

But when we rethink how we see boys—when we trade control for curiosity and create space for emotional expression—we give them more than an education. We give them a chance to become who they were created to be.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Our boys are worth it.

05/02/2025

Before he ever steps up to the plate, there’s preparation you don’t see—
⚾ adjusting his stance
⚾ steadying his breath
⚾ silencing the nerves

Just like in life, our boys are doing more than we realize to hold it together.

Anxiety and depression don’t always look like sadness.
Sometimes they look like perfectionism.
Like anger.
Like “he’s just being dramatic.”

In this week’s episode of the Raising Sons podcast, I’m diving into:
🎧 How to Recognize and Address Anxiety and Depression in Boys
because mental health isn’t just for crisis moments. It’s for everyday parenting.

📘 Strong Men Start Here (https://bit.ly/strongmenstarthere) gives you the tools to raise emotionally whole boys with intention.
Let’s raise them strong and supported.

🎧 Listen to the episode here: https://www.richellewhittaker.com/podcast/episode/35e855a1/how-to-recognize-and-address-anxiety-and-depression-in-boys

04/23/2025

Even as a psychologist, author, and advisor to countless parents—I’m still growing in my most important role: being a mom to my sons.

This quote isn’t just a reflection—it’s a reminder. That no matter how much we know professionally, parenting requires a different kind of listening. One rooted in love, humility, and presence.

In Strong Men Start Here (https://bit.ly/strongmenstarthere), I share stories, strategies, and hard-earned wisdom from my journey of raising emotionally whole and confident boys. And truthfully? I’m still learning every day.

If you’re a mom on this journey too, know this: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to keep showing up, listening, and loving with intention.

Let’s raise strong men—together.

04/04/2025

Grab your copy ➡️ link in bio

03/28/2025

This past Saturday, I had the honor of training a group of passionate professionals on supporting children with special needs—and I left the room inspired.

What struck me most?

✨ Many of these children, especially boys,are misunderstood, labeled, or underestimated.
✨ But when we change the approach, we often unlock gifts no one saw coming.

As a mom and psychologist, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when a boy with special needs is:
✔ Heard
✔ Valued
✔ Supported in a way that fits him

Let’s keep doing the work of seeing our sons fully—not just for who they are today, but for who they’re becoming.

03/25/2025

Get your copy today: https://bit.ly/strongmenstarthere

03/03/2025

Last week, at my son’s competition, I had an unexpected moment—one that felt like a full-circle moment in my journey. I met Priscilla Shirer.

For years, I’ve admired the way she teaches the Word—how she breaks it down so practically, so powerfully, yet so accessibly. As a mom raising sons, a speaker, and someone committed to equipping parents to raise strong, confident young men, her work has deeply influenced mine.

It reminded me that so much of what we do—our work, our calling, our obedience—ripples out in ways we may never fully see.

That’s exactly why I created my first devotional on YouVersion: From Seed to Strength: A 5-Day Devotional for Raising Sons with Purpose.

Because moms raising sons need encouragement. They need wisdom. They need a roadmap.

Just like Priscilla’s teachings have guided me, I pray this devotional speaks to another mom’s heart—reminding her that she’s not just raising a boy. She’s raising a future man.

📖 If you’re a mom raising sons (or know one who is), you can find the devotional on the YouVersion Bible app. Let me know if it blesses you! 💙

02/26/2025

This weekend, my son took his first steps into a legacy of leadership, discipline, and service—he officially became a Boy Scout in **Troop 242**, the troop that produces the most African American Eagle Scouts in the nation!

As a mom raising sons, this moment is especially meaningful. In a world where our boys need strong mentors, structured guidance, and a brotherhood that encourages them to rise, scouting provides an environment that nurtures character, responsibility, and resilience.

It’s exactly the kind of support I talk about in my book, Strong Men Start Here: A Mom’s Roadmap to Raising Emotionally Whole and Confident Sons. (https://bit.ly/strongmenstarthere) We can’t do this journey alone—our sons thrive when they have intentional mentorship and a community that believes in their greatness.

I also dive into this on the Raising Sons podcast, where I share insights on how we, as moms, can ensure our boys have the tools they need to grow into strong, purpose-driven young men.

This journey with my son is just beginning, but I’m beyond grateful that he’s stepping into a space that will shape him into a leader. To all the moms out there—how are you finding ways to surround your sons with positive male role models? Let’s share and encourage each other!