Our family recently got a puppy for the first time. Over and over again, people told me that the best thing I could do as a new dog owner was to sign up for an in-person dog training class. I followed their advice, knowing I needed help. And as I signed up for a class I thought to myself, “Why did no one tell me to do this when I had kids???”
Because when I did find my way to a class for parents of children (not puppies), it changed my life.
I’m a therapist and have worked with adults, children, and adolescents for twenty years. I’ve always especially loved working with parents. During COVID, I was overwhelmed with calls from parents desperate to help their children. I wondered if I might reach more children in the long run by supporting their parents. I decided to enroll in a professional training with Hand in Hand to bolster my parent guidance skills.
It was very humbling to realize that I, a professional listener in my day job, rarely listened well to my children. I had embarked on this Hand in Hand journey to help others but realized quickly that I very much needed the help myself!
It is impossible to overstate how much Hand in Hand improved ALL the aspects of my experience as a parent. I began to feel competent and proud of myself in ways I never had. I helped my kids break out of longstanding emotional and behavioral struggles. I became (and continue to be) less isolated in the ongoing, incredibly demanding work of parenting. My kids and I are having more fun together, and the general happiness quotient in our household is much higher than it used to be. When we hit rough spots, I know what to do to get myself some support. I have tools I can fall back on and adapt endlessly as my kids grow older and we encounter new challenges.
I am so grateful to have learned Hand in Hand’s openhearted, practical, playful, parent-affirming approach. I am equally grateful for the opportunity to share it with others.
I teach parenting classes and offer parenting consultations and packages (both online and in-person in Northampton, Massachusetts). I also often work with parents in individual therapy.
You can reach out to inquire about any of these at [email protected] and can learn more about my work at www.listenplaylove.com