Circle of Security® Parenting™
Next program commencing in April!
Do you have this really clear vision in your mind of the kind of mother you want to be? Gentle, kind, compassionate. Sound right?
But then your child displays behaviour that’s probably very normal and age appropriate and you turn into the opposite kind of mum.
You yell. You scream. You cry. You might grab your child and handle him or her physically in a way that’s a bit too rough. You might even smack.
Your child is screaming. You are furious. You are crying, and you might have sunk down onto the floor in exhaustion from the whole mental battle.
The guilt sets in. You don’t want to parent this way. You feel so incredibly bad for the words you said, for the way you yelled, and the way you ‘man-handled’ your precious child.
You are exhausted and at your wits end. How are you supposed to do this mothering gig in the ‘gentle, kind, attachment parenting’ way?
You worry that you are damaging your child for life.
It can leave you feeling like a failure as a mum. Sound familiar?
It can be hard to get past your child's behaviour, especially when it's pushing all your buttons and triggering a range of emotions in you.
Behaviours in young children - like tantrums, not listening and being physically aggressive - are common. We know that children show their emotions through their behaviour, and their brains are not yet developed for them to regulate their own emotions. They need our help.
Do people tell you that you will make a rod for your own back if you don’t follow through with punishing your child for their behaviour? Generational parenting saw the use of punishment to get children to obey. Research now tells us that this form of parenting doesn’t help children develop emotional security.
For many parents, using punishments like time outs, smacking and grounding means that the connection between the parent and child gets broken. It means the child doesn’t always feel secure. How do you possibly help the child feel secure in those moments when the child’s behaviour makes you feel ALL.THE.EMOTIONS?
Would you like to learn how to look past the behaviour? Would you like a DIFFERENT way to respond?
At the Circle of Security® Parenting™ program I will help you reflect on the way you were parented and build that bridge between your own childhood experiences and how you are parenting now. The program gives you insight into WHY your child behaves in a negative way, and then helps you learn how to respond. Most importantly, it helps build a really secure attachment between you and your child so that they have the ability to form positive relationships as they enter adolescence and adulthood.
Regardless of their age, children thrive when they feel safe, seen, soothed and secure. They grow into their best selves when they are closely connected to the adults around them, when they feel heard, and when they feel understood.
Imagine if your child is acting out and you didn’t see him or her as the problem any longer? What if you confidently knew how to manage the situation to calm your child and move forward? Imagine the relief and gratitude your child will respond with when you can ‘be with’ them in their needs. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
What is Circle of Security® Parenting™?
The internationally acclaimed Circle of Security® Parenting™ program is an evidenced based attachment program which reflects over 50 years of research on the long-term impact of the parent/child relationship in the early years and attachment theory and takes the guess work out of parenting. It is now delivered worldwide to parents of children aged 4 months to 6 years.
You will receive essential training through DVD clips and reflective questioning, based on the Circle of Security graphic and intervention model.
After the workshop, you will be able to:
- Identify the lifelong benefits of a secure relationship with your child
- Recognise and understand your child's emotional needs
- Respond to difficult behaviours in ways that create resilience
- Cease the battles of 'will'
- Identify your child's emotional needs
- Support your child's independence
- Support your child's need for closeness and intimacy
- Promote the development of empathy in your child
- Understand why sometimes your child's behaviours cause strong reactions in you
- Discover a new way to handle your child's emotional 'meltdowns'
- Discover a new approach to take when your child 'acts' out'
Who is the presenter?
Karen O'Mara
Karen is an accredited social worker with more than 25 years experience working with families and is a member of the Australian Association of Social Workers. Karen has worked extensively with families in child protection, as well as in social work positions in maternity and children's hospitals where she worked in intensive care, emergency departments and wards to support families and children impacted by grief, loss, trauma, crisis and bereavement. Karen has also volunteered for almost ten years as a qualified breastfeeding counsellor providing individual and group counselling for mothers. Karen is a registered Circle of Security® Parenting™ Facilitator, a mum of two, and is passionate about providing evidenced based information to mothers and helping them build their village of support in her business Making Mama.
2022 Program details
Bookings now open!
The Circle of Security® Parenting™ Program will be held over 8 sessions on the following dates in 2022.
Term 1, 2022
Mondays Face to Face
7th February to 28th March
9am-11am
Term 2, 2022
Tuesdays Face to Face
26th April to 14th June
9am-11am
Mondays online
9th May to 27th June
12pm-2pm
Term 3, 2022
Tuesdays Face to Face
19th July to 6th September
9am-11am
Mondays online
18th July to 5th September
12pm-2pm
Term 4, 2022
Mondays Face to Face
10th October - 28th November
9am-11am
Tuesdays online
4th October to 22nd November
12pm-2pm
I keep the Circle of Security Parenting programs small - only a maximum of 8 people will be present to help ensure a relaxed and interactive environment. Places are strictly limited.
We will warm up slowly - we will spend time in the first session getting to know one another so that you can learn to feel comfortable. You will never be asked to share information if you don’t want to.
If you choose to share personal information, I will hold you in your space. I will ensure that the discussions are gentle, kind, and supportive. The sessions are held in a non-judgmental environment. Judgemental comments are not supportive and I will ensure that discussions are guided to ensure the emotional safety of those present.
The sessions are confidential. None of the experiences you share will be published without your permission.
Imagine your baby or older child is able to develop healthy relationships with others!
Imagine being able to strengthen your relationship with your baby or child as he or she grows, knowing you are building a really secure relationship!
What if I told you that if you invest in yourself for the Circle of Security Parenting program it will have lasting, long term effects for not only you, but your child/ren? Your kids will develop strong emotional security so that they can form healthy relationships with everyone they come into contact with as they grow into adulthood. You will be a more relaxed mother, able to meet all of your child’s emotional needs. How much is that worth?
The investment for the program is $399 per person and includes:
8 x 2 hour sessions
Workbook and handouts
Certificate of completion (must attend all sessions to receive this)
Payments are upfront at the time of booking. However, payment plans may be available on application, so please contact me if you would like to be considered for this.
Early bird special
An early bird special is available each Term and is $320. Don't miss out!
The program will be held in Coorparoo.
Covid-19
As an allied health service, I am required by law to be fully vaccinated and ALL individuals who attend the Making Mama Village services also are required to be fully vaccinated. The safety of all mothers, children and your extended families is of utmost importance to me. Therefore, I will require you to show your vaccination record at the first session.
The following measures will be put in place to ensure the safety of all parents and their children while present:
- all parents in attendance will be required to be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination at their first session
- all parents will be required to wear masks while in attendance while this remains a government mandate (except when eating or drinking)
- as we meet in a large hall, social distancing is able to be adequately achieved with the spacing of chairs in the circle. I ask those in attendance who choose to sit on the floor with their baby to be mindful of social distancing
- hand sanitiser will be available at the entrance to the hall and at all times during sessions