Parent Training

For more information, contact Dr. Nancy C Osborn at [email protected]

Parent Trainings

Each of the following trainings lasts one hour. 
Asterisk indicates the same topic is offered separately for staff and parents.
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• Emotional Regulation 101 for Parents
  • So many parents live very busy lives and are pulled in multiple directions leading to feelings of being overwhelmed. Time will be spent talking about what happens in the brain when people are overwhelmed, the variety of sources of our emotional reactions, thought distortions and emotional regulations skills. Emotional regulation strategies will also be discussed.
• Healthy Parenting for Parents
  • A variety of parenting/caretaking styles will be described and the particular impact that each of these styles have on children. There will be a discussion of why parents parent the way they do—we are influenced by many factors. Finally, there will be a discussion of the importance of reflecting on your (each attendee's) history in order to assist you in becoming the parent you want to be. Be assured, this is a personal journey that will need to be done after the class. 
• Mindfulness for Parents
  • Parents will be provided a description of how the brain can change with a regular mindfulness practice and why these changes can assist us in being more compassionate and trauma responsive. Parents will be provided at least one mindfulness practice. Parents are encouraged to attend the Putting on a New Pair of Lenses training prior to attending this one.
• How Can We Foster Resilience*
  • Parents will be provided general information about resilience and in particular the importance of fostering resilience in children. Ginsburg’s 7 Cs of resilience will also be provided and parents will be asked to reflect on how they can use these concepts in their home to foster resilience for themselves and their children.
• How to Teach Emotional Regulation to Infants/Toddlers*
  • Topics included what is emotional regulation, self-soothing, co-regulation, how to help young children identify their emotions, and a variety of emotional regulation strategies. Parents will hopefully leave with a better understanding of how important emotional regulation is for their child’s social/emotional development.
• Mindfulness for Young Children*
  • Speaking of emotional regulation, this training will focus on ways parents can teach mindfulness to their children. There will also be discussions the numerous benefits of mindfulness and the ways parents can incorporate mindfulness into their child’s and the family’s daily activities.
• Challenging Behaviors: Why It Happens and How Parents Can Assist
  • ​Knowing what to do when a child is exhibiting challenging behavior can be overwhelming to most of us. Over time, psychologists have evolved in their understanding of why we may be exhibiting this behavior. Using Polyvagal Theory and the Windows of Tolerance, parents will learn that frequently the reason a child is exhibiting this behavior is a result of them not feeling safe—actually, this is true for most of us exhibiting challenging behavior. Creating a safe relational environment is the answer. Time will be spent discussing ways parents/adults can create this safety.
• Thank You for Trusting Me: A Parent's Guide on What to Do When Children Disclose Abuse
  • 1 in 5 children suffer from abuse. As a parent, we want to do everything in our power to avoid having our children be one of these statistics. This trauma-informed training can help all caregivers to feel more confident in preventing abuse as well as identifying the signs and symptoms. Additionally, we will cover reporting and discussing abuse in a helpful and developmentally friendly way. 
• Get On Up! Physical Movement Practices for Regulation*
  • We've all taken note of how wiggly our young children can be, but what does that have to do with their stress-response? It's been proven that children need even more sensory input than adults to stay calm and regulated. This training will use brain science to explain why.Using a foundational understanding of the mind-body connection, we will also provide some hands-on strategies for incorporating movement at home for healthier, more regulated kids and parents.
• Mindful Self Compassion for Parent
  • ​We’ve all heard it by now: taking care of ourselves allows us to show up as the best parents we can be. But how do we make time for self-care without escaping the guilt and negative self-talk that comes along with it? This training, based on the work of Dr. Kristin Neff, helps parents to approach themselves with compassion and care, allowing them the space they need to see the world in a more mindful way.
• Putting on a New Pair of Lenses: Trauma Informed Care Training for Parents
  Parent training is also being offered to the parents of children in the six early childhood centers. Again, the focus is on trauma informed care.  We offer training in English and Spanish with flexible scheduling to meet families' needs. 
  • Trauma informed care explained
  • Attachment
  • Emotional/social development
  • Trauma defined
  • Impact of trauma
  • ACES
  • Protective factors
  • Common reactions to traumatic events
  • How parents can help their child
  • Importance of self-care
  • Four pillars of self-care-mental, physical, social and spiritual