Tampa Bay Child Therapist, Parent Training, Parenting Classes

Brenna is re-opening her practice after her extended maternity leave. Brenna is EXCLUSIVELY taking on new clients for her Parent Training course

Child Parent Relationship Training is a Play Therapy based program designed to focus on increasing communication and building a stronger and healthier relationship with your child. This 10 week course is designed to give you one skill at a time, based directly on play therapy principles, and allows you to practice every week with your child to master them. You also receive feedback from me every week so that you can improve and build your skills.

Brenna has a limited number of appointment slots available, so don’t wait! If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, call right now at (813) 421-KIDS for a FREE consultation to see if this parent training system is a good fit for you. Again, that’s (813) 421-KIDS for a FREE consultation and to reserve your spot in Brenna’s Parenting Classes that will forever change the way you parent your children.

The Kid Counselor Blog

One of the major principles of play therapy is that you focus on the relationship, the child, and the existent positives rather than the problematic behaviors or issues you wish to change. The reason for that is that adults tend to over-exaggerate the negative and neglect to acknowledge the positive, and children rarely are given the opportunity to demonstrate how responsible, kind, compassionate and well-behaved they can be. (more…)

So, my dear husband has heard play therapy stories, principles and techniques ad nauseum at this point. He truly has worked very hard to integrate the skills into his everyday parenting. He claims that he is a one trick pony, and gets stuck saying the same thing over and over. While this is somewhat true, he has recently experienced insight into how to use Choice Giving and the results that it produced in our son. (more…)

I have always been a big advocate of setting clear expectations with kids and setting them up for success in any situation. I have written about only setting limits when necessary and discussed the importance of brevity and clarity with children. Along the same lines, I think another major technique in stopping behavioral issues and assuring compliance is to make sure your child is fully aware of what needs to happen in a very simple way. I find this reinforced in every episode of Dora the Explorer, and wanted to share it with you. (more…)

I was browsing through a website for Moms the other day, and saw this posted by someone. It was such a great reminder of how much the little things matter. These are things that may be easily pushed aside in the hectic busyness of our lives, but oh how I hope to be this kind of parent! (more…)

Children love the lights, music, gifts and wonder of Christmas. What can be more challenging is getting them to appreciate all-day family gatherings, boring work parties, and obligatory holiday functions that are not necessarily kid friendly. Here are some tips that can help you prepare them for success as they learn their holiday social skills early! (more…)

One of the most difficult parenting tasks, according to parents who are willing to share, is knowing how to handle teenagers. They are still children, needing guidance and boundaries, yet are yearning for more freedom and independence. It is a delicate balance for parents and teens, and a potentially rewarding relationship if handled effectively. (more…)

I spent four days in Sacramento last week at the International Association for Play Therapy Conference. It was so encouraging to be surrounded by hundreds of people who believe in the power or play and the ability children possess to heal themselves. As exciting and informative as it was, it was my first time away from my son (who just turned two) for more than eight hours. So, in an effort to make the trip easier for both of us, my husband and I worked diligently to prepare him and educate him about the process. Here are my suggestions: (more…)

In the current economic situation, everyone seems to be more conscious of spending and saving. In a previous post, I wrote about how to help kids understand the economy. In this one, I would like to give you ten tips for enlarging the lessons and encouraging kids to adopt your values about money management. (more…)

In an age where video games, cell phones and computers are paramount, it can be challenging to find ways to connect as a family, relax and get in touch with our slower-paced and more personal roots. One of the assignments that parents are required to do in the Child-Parent Relationship Training that I offer is write their children three letters in three weeks. I thought that I would share my perceived benefits of doing so, and offer some ideas on how to make it fun.

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There are many forms of discipline that are implemented with children, though none more effective than Play Therapy Limit Setting, in my opinion. Here are some of the benefits, as I see them: (more…)