Parenting Support Overview

If you’re a parent of an emotionally sensitive child, then you’ve likely experienced intense feelings of confusion, guilt, or anger over your child’s behavior. This program will not only help your parenting, but it will also help you manage these feelings. You’ll learn some core DBT skills that will help you improve communication, reduce stress while fostering long-term behavioral change for your child. 

Program Details: Personal Coaching

As a parent, you are not alone in navigating challenging times with your children! The years around adolescents is a time of great transition. Our children unfortunately did not come with an instruction manual, especially those children who seem to be highly emotionally sensitive and have a difficult time regulating their emotions. Research has shown that the onset of most mental health disorders often occur during adolescence. This can leave parents confused, overwhelmed, and wondering how did we get here? Therapists offer specialized parenting support through 1:1 coaching to tailor DBT skills specifically to your family.

Program Details: Parenting Skills Group

We offer a 9-week parenting class specifically for parents who seek to create a more harmonious environment within their families. Our program combines the latest research, key Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) concepts, and practical skills to empower you in creating a toolbox of strategies that will help you navigate your teens emotions and reactions. By understanding the developing teen brain, the role of your emotional reactions, fostering a validating environment, shaping behaviors, and interrupting negative dynamics, you will gain valuable insights and learn concrete techniques that will benefit both you and your teenager. The class is inclusively designed for parents who have children ages 10-25 years old and we welcome all types of families. The following concepts are the focus of the class:

Mindfulness: Embrace a strength-based approach to parenting and cultivate a non-judgemental perspective. 

Validation: Discover the power of validation and empathy in strengthening your bond while cultivating active listening skills to truly understand your teen’s perspective.

Dialectics: Practice creating a dialectical space for emotions to be expressed and processed and explore your own family dynamic. Develop strategies to encourage responsible decision making for both yourself and your teen.

Behaviorism: Explore the fascinating world of adolescent brain development and learn effective techniques for setting clear boundaries and expectations. Gain a better understanding about the importance of consistency and positive reinforcement.

Distress Tolerance: Explore various coping mechanisms for managing stress and difficult emotions while understanding the role of your own emotions in relationship to your teen.

Emotional Regulation: Learn emotional regulation techniques for managing intense emotions and promote emotional intelligence in your teen through role modeling.

Program Details: Parenting Workshop

Since this is a highly compressed workshop, the focus will be on a handful of the most commonly used DBT skills. The workshop may include parents and/or couples learning from short lectures with group exercises, role-playing, and take-home tools. Interactive exercises will be incorporated throughout the session for situational learning and adaptation of skills. Together, let us help you learn how to approach situations more effectively, foster a stronger connection with your teenagers, understand their needs, and help you create a sense of curiosity that will ultimately prepare your children with essential life skills. We will reflect on your personal development as a parent throughout the workshop and create a roadmap for your continued support and growth. 

Recommended Reading

Recommended

A card game that helps children (and their parents) practice DBT skills.