Connecting Parents & Children

Parenting Workshops

Sand Story Psychology Services is pleased to offer workshops specifically for parents on a wide variety of topics. These workshops are a great addition to conferences, community service agencies, childcare programs, and educational settings.
Some of the more popular topics have included supporting parents as they seek to gain a deeper understanding of behavioural challenges, child anxiety, early parent and child attachment, and the importance of play. Some sample topics are presented below. In addition to these topics, we are able to tailor workshops to the interests of the attending parents. Please contact us for more information.

Entering the World of the Child: Understanding Attachment

This workshop is directed towards parents who want a deeper understanding of children, how they think, and what makes them feel connected and thus, content. Workshop participants will learn about the theory of attachment and it's developmental progression, why attachment is important, and how to support healthy attachments. Warning signs of a breach in the attachment relationship will be explored, as well as how to nurture a deeper and more fulfilling attachment with a child that benefits both child and caregiver. This is a pivotal piece of raising children that can help parents feel more confident and settled in their parent roles.

Beyond Time Out: Parenting through Connection

In today's parenting world it can be easy to get lost in the "age of reason." Parents find themselves endlessly trying to reason with children who are too young to care the reasons. This is a frustrating endeavour: the parent gets pulled into pulled into the power struggle of reason and experiencing non-compliance in their child. Parenting through connection brings parents back to the heart of parenting-- the love and connection, or attachment, that exits between parent and child. This workshop discusses how to hold your child close while re-directing and side stepping the power struggles; and how to parent with sensitivity to developmental age and stage. This workshop is also applicable to those in in caregiving roles.

Temper Tornadoes: Nurturing responses to behavioural challenges

This workshop is for any parent or caregiver who experience behavioural challenges with their children. From temper tantrums to aggressive behaviour, parenting or caregiving comes with many roadblocks that can be difficult to navigate. The Behaviour Storm examines where challenging behaviour comes from with a goal of increased understanding. The more a parent or caregiver understands the meaning of these behaviours, the easier it is to cope with the behaviour. This workshop will look at many types of childhood behaviour and offer nurturing solutions to each one.

What to do with Worry Worms: Recognizing Anxiety in Children

Anxiety is the most common mental health diagnosis in children with 20% of children in BC ending up diagnosed with some kind of anxiety disorder. Typically we can recognize early signs of anxiety in young children that go above and beyond shyness or temperament. However, sometimes these Worry Worms can wriggle in when you least expect it or they can suddenly grow bigger so that they begin to get in the child's way where they did not before. This workshop teaches parents and/or caregivers about anxiety: the symptoms, where it comes from and how to support children showing the early signs of anxiety.