What Babies Say Before They Can Talk

Successful parenting begins with successful communication.  Unfortunately babies don’t arrive in our lives with a fully developed capacity to tell us what they think and feel.  Even parents often struggle to do that!  So how do we begin this communication journey?  It is clear from research in the biology of emotion that babies are born with innate communication mechanisms called “affects.”  These affects will play a powerful role in their experience throughout life, and how we respond to them will shape that experience.  With a thorough understanding of the Affect System, parents can come to a much deeper awareness of what the child is experiencing and how best to respond.  In our seminar, parents will learn about the nine affects, what is important in your own responses, how discipline shapes behavior and what form of discipline works best, how to manage sibling rivalry, what to do with an upset child, and how to create a home experience that will foster the healthiest development for your child.  The seminar is offered on Tuesday evenings in April and September.  Child care is available.  $25 per couple covers books and resources.  Led by Charles Gaby, MA, LPC.  For more information, contact Marianne Wilson at 817/339-5071. 

Healthy Parenting of Teens

Parenting teens is often a topic that elicits a great deal of angst from anyone who has ever been a teenager.  We all know about how difficult these years can be for young people, including the challenge of shifting from dependency to independence, the critical adolescent culture, sexual discovery and important life decisions.  It can be an exciting time of life for the whole family but it can also bring increased challenges to communication, stability and discipline.  Take this seminar before problems emerge and you will find increased capacity to not only understand but manage the changes that come for every adolescent.  Though every teen is different, there are some dynamics that deeply affect all of them.  In this seminar you will learn about communication and conflict resolution tools that are more helpful than anything you are currently doing.  You will practice using these.  Learn why punitive and permissive approaches fail with adolescents and how an alternative approach can help you and your teen make these years a time of discovery and promise.  The seminar is offered on the first Sunday afternoon of October and February.  This seminar is offered at no charge and is open to the public.  Register with Marianne Wilson at 817-339-5071.