pay each session only if you feel it was of value
Parents
This purpose of this website section is only to create awareness of something I have experienced as good value to parents and children. The series is a short parenting program available in many countries worldwide. I’ve paid a few years ago to learn this series myself as a parent. I do not facilitate the training myself, but feel it was of value to me. There are many good facilitators available.
Parents and grandparents and anyone helping care for children from newborn to teenage years, whether you think you’re a great parent/grandparent, uncle, etc………. I recommend reading through this. Also feel free to forward on to friends, colleagues, family etc.
With my counselling and psychology background, I can confidently say this program is based on solid research. It teaches a few key points which may be obvious to you, though good to highlight even if you have thought of them before. It can develop a better genuine connection with your kids, and that builds their wellness now and in their long-term future. It may also proactively encourage positive behaviour indirectly and more deeply than strict behaviour based programs. We all need emotional validation during our childhood and adulthood – this is natural, as we want to know we can contribute and are an accepted part of our immediate family, friends, and community. This is probably evolutionary – without people, we just wouldn’t survive for very long, because we’re literally built to interact and survive in groups. It is beneficial for adults to provide this same sense for their kids.
We need our primary caregivers, usually our parents, to be our "rock" at times when we need to refill our emotional tank, celebrate something cool, or just feel heard. Having our emotional tank filled when we need allows us to go "out" on the circle and explore things more independently, but knowing our "rock" is there most of the time when needed. When our "rock" is not emotionally available often enough, our exploration is hindered and we feel bad. Our parents may not have validated us or shown us examples of certain things, making us uncomfortable with particular expressions like sadness, anger, hurt, fear, etc. When we are aware of opportunities to enh our ability to express or work with certain emotions, we can then start to develop essential connection with our kids, giving them an opportunity to develop a full range of helpful ways to express themselves – ways to “be” in our challenging world. This can enhance our enjoyment of the relationship with our kids, and their present and future lives – something every one of us deserves!
Total time commitment: Depends on who your facilitator is. Sometimes about 4 x 2.5 hours (once a week) or 2 x 5 hours (once a week), with options by other providers stretching to 9 x 1 hour sessions and other combinations.
Facilitators for Brisbane and worldwide:
The person I took the program with was Chris Chicoteau chrischicoteau@gmail.com and 0438762444. His style worked for me.
Another option is Better Life Centre http://betterlifecentre.com.au/.
There are many others. Some are subsidised (for example here’s one in some North Queensland areas subsidised by Queensland Health for people with Medicare cards →
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0025/150586/cpps_eis.pdf). You may have to wait a while sometimes if looking for a subsidised service. If you don’t mind paying about $280 to $350 per person, there are also many readily available paid services which can link you to other
great quality facilitators. You can get more info as well as register yourselves……. Simply look up a facilitator at the link on this page.
In Queensland, parents with Medicare cards may get the service also fully subsidised (free) by getting it through https://www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/parent-group-programs.pdf
www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au
All the best for you and your children and grandchildren!