Parent Consulting

Parenting Challenges

Parenting can be a roller coaster. It is sometimes joyful, sometimes worrisome. Sometimes it’s a source of enormous satisfaction, and other times incredible doubt and frustration. Though children grow older, maturation is not inevitable. We have all encountered evidence of this. We want the best for our children. As parents, we have enormous responsibility, and incredible competition for our children’s attention. We love them dearly, and they can bring out our very best.  Parenting sometimes provokes our very worst. Children don’t come with an instruction manual, and what is “common” may or may not be the best for our children. As parents, we often find ourselves unsure where to turn. Well-meaning friends, school personnel and family sometimes provide conflicting advice, or suggestions that we vowed we would never resort to. Parent Consulting provides expertise and a personal response to important questions.

Applying Developmental Science to Parenting  

The good news is that understanding how to foster children’s emotional health and wellbeing has been the interest of scholars for hundreds of years. Though multiple theories competed for the authoritative voice in interpreting children’s behaviour, the last 20+ years of brain science has brought some clear answers. The ability to see the living brain at work has confirmed what many have believed all along – children’s emotional health is the key to maturation and unlocking their full potential. Even the potential to think and reason, it turns out, relies on maturing emotionally. And emotional health occurs within an environment where the child has at least one healthy attachment with a caring adult. As with many things in life, the answer is simple. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but understanding what’s missing or what a child needs can point us in the right direction.   

Michele has worked with children, youth and families for 30+ years. When consulting with parents, she brings her experience, specialised education in couple and family therapy, and most recently, a two-year internship with Dr. Gordon Neufeld. Dr. Neufeld is an internationally recognized, foremost authority on child development.  Michele is well-placed to support parents to make sense of and foster emotional growth for the children in their care. Parents know their own children best. Paired with Michele’s understanding of children, development, emotions, and relationships, together we can identify and make progress toward natural resolutions to the most complex parenting concerns. 

Understanding and Caring For Children  

PARENT CONSULTING:  

When your child seems troubled, their hurt is your hurt. Understandably, parents have usually tried a number of things before calling a parent consultant. The concerns may feel time-sensitive as the trouble has sometimes been going on for some time. Different from typical counselling, parent consulting is just that; a consultation. Most current approaches encourage parents to hand over their children to experts who are unfamiliar with the child, and no one is as invested in your child’s well-being as you; their parents. Parents are the rightful leaders, decision-makers and experts in their child’s life. A parent consultant assesses multiple factors, shares insight, and supports the parents to identify and resolve any blocks to the child’s continued development of their potential. Parents ARE the answer to their children’s deepest needs. Parent Consulting seeks to restore the “right relationship” between parent and child. 

Michele has consulted with parents since 1987, and continues to study the insights from the field of neuroscience and its application through Dr. Neufeld’s relationship-based developmental approach. As a Neufeld Institute Parent Consultant, Michele provides one-on-one personalised consultation with parents for a wide range of parenting concerns.

Of all your options, Parent Consulting provides the most specific, timely and tailored response to parents’ questions and concerns. Parent Consulting is available in person or by web-based private meetings.

COURSES: 

Michele is a certified facilitator, parent consultant and member of faculty with the non-profit Neufeld Institute, where parents, caregivers, and professionals may access over 20 courses developed by Dr. Gordon Neufeld. 

Sometimes parents’ concerns are not urgent, and parents are really looking at gaining insight that will answer many of their parenting questions over time. In this case, taking a course or two might be a great way to take in these insights about children. Many parents find the foundational courses, “The Vital Connection” followed by “Helping Children Grow Up” is exactly what they’re looking for. This flagship series offers a broad overview with specific strategies for a range of parenting issues, and many parents enjoy taking this series as a couple. Having a common language and approach can be a great investment for co-parenting, and benefits everyone in your family. 

Sometimes parents have a specific, and moderately concerning situation that a single course could shed just the insight they need. These single and smaller courses meet the needs of many parents, such as “Making Sense of Anxiety” or “Making Sense of Preschoolers”.

All courses are available online, several in multiple languages. A number of courses are offered in Langley, facilitated by Michele. Online courses offer the widest choice of topics, the convenience of studying at home, at your pace. Online courses offer access to a facilitated discussion forum, and “live” online courses include interactive discussion for questions. Live online courses are generally offered throughout the school year through the Neufeld Institute. Self-paced courses are offered anytime, and if parents would like, Michele will personally support your integration of any course while working with you on your parenting questions and concerns. 

In-person courses in Langley offer a more interactive experience, with opportunities to ask questions live. If a course is not currently scheduled in Langley, and a group of people are interested, Michele is happy to schedule an in-person or web-based course for your group/school/parent association. Michele is certified to facilitate several courses, and is familiar with all courses. Please feel free to ask which courses might be most relevant to your family.

Courses offered by the Neufeld Institute give excellent insights and practical solutions, all taught by Dr. Neufeld. Courses range in length from 4-hours up to 20-hours. Courses may be taken as a stand-alone option or as a complement to parent consulting. The combination is your best “bang for your buck”. 

DVD’S:

Most courses through the Neufeld Institute are available on DVD. This option is affordable, flexible, and allows you to purchase the DVD to study at home. DVD courses do not offer the benefit of a facilitator for asking questions, but can be an excellent add-on to Parent Consulting.

Call, text (604-367-3060) or book online

BOOKS:

If parents are interested in reading more about the best of science on development, emotions, and relationships, Michele has copies of Dr. Neufeld’s bestselling book “Hold On to Your Kids” as well as the book by Neufeld Faculty, Dr. Deborah MacNamara, “Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers or Anyone Who Acts Like One” available for purchase. Parents and educators may also be interested in the latest book by Neufeld Facilitator, Hannah Beach and Neufeld Faculty, Tamara Neufeld Strijack, “Reclaiming Our Students: Why Children are More Anxious, Aggressive and Shut Down Than Ever”. Books are very affordable, and offer in-depth information. Michele has study guides for these books to enrich your reading. Reading one of these books can also be a great add-on to Parent Consulting. Michele also keeps a collection of children’s stories you may browse when you’re in the office.