Groups for Parents and Siblings

Circle of Security

Strengthen the intimate, meaningful relationships with your children.

We are honored to be one of the very few national sites to conduct a highly regarded parent group known in Spokane, Washington as Circle of Security. Thanks to United Way of the Columbia Willamette funding, we will be able to offer six interested families the complete series of twenty sessions of this highly effective parenting program for a modest fee of $20 per session.

If your child is aged 18 months to 4 years, and you are interested in a powerful new way to strengthen the bond with your child and develop your skills in:

• Knowing what your child really needs from you when you both are struggling
• Creating a strong bond with your child now to minimize risks during the teen years
• Developing your capacity for steady, loving parenting over the long haul
• Understanding what underlies all those extreme emotions or "wild" or "defiant" behavior
• How to reduce and respond to "whining" or "demanding" young children
• Reducing feelings of emotional uncertainty in your relationship with your children
• Breaking the cycle of harmful parenting that might be in your past
• Creating more harmony in all of your family's relationships

....then you should consider joining us for this for this extraordinary experience!!

For information and registration, please call Mike Chewning, PNP as space is limited: 503-802-5275.

Strengthen Your "Play Muscle" (For Parents Only)

Childhood was a long way off for many adults, and the ability to "get down on the floor, in an animated, child like fashion" can be a challenge. This educational-play based group will make use of drama therapy and improvisation, while teaching DIR floor-time strategies to help parents increase their capacity to build an intimate relationship with their children while playing. The group is being sponsored by a generous grant from the Standard Insurance Co. A small overhead fee of $10 per session will be charged, but will be waved for anyone demonstrating financial need. The group will run once a week for 10 weeks, March through May 2007. Days and times TBD. If interested please call: Charla Cunningham, Child & Family Therapist, Hearing & Speech Institute: 503-802-5302

"Time for Me" Sibling Drama Groups (For Siblings Only)

Being a sibling of a child with special needs often carries special responsibilities and emotional challenges. This group reaches out to the typically developing siblings of children with special needs, and gives them an opportunity to be celebrated. Drama and creative arts will be used to promote self expression, self esteem, emotional release, and play skills for the siblings of children with special needs. Groups will be determined based on age. This group is being sponsored by a generous grant from the Standard Insurance Co. A small overhead fee of $10 per session will be charged, but will be waved for any family demonstrating financial need. The group will run once a week for 10 weeks, March through May 2007. Days and times TBD. If interested please call: Charla Cunningham, Child & Family Therapist, Hearing & Speech Institute: 503-802-5302.