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Making the world’s toughest job easier
It’s often been said that parenting is the hardest job in the world.
Amy Karr, LSCSW, RPT, couldn’t agree more. She has a genuine passion for helping parents feel more confident in their abilities while also having a healthy relationship with their children.
“Before I was a therapist, I was a social worker in child welfare for almost 20 years,” she explained. “The biggest thing those parents were told is, ‘You have to attend a parenting class.’ That can be difficult because they’re hard to find, and most of the time, they cost money. Now, being on the flip side, I want to be the one to offer that hard-to-find service.”
That enthusiasm motivated her to develop a new series of evidence-based, practical parenting trainings that are available to anyone in the community for free. Trainings are held regularly and are offered at no charge to anyone in the community. As many as 25 people can register, but the typical group size is 10-15, allowing for plenty of interaction among the participants.
Karr said parent training is crucial to facilitating sustainable, positive change in a child’s behavior and mental health.
“This is so important. It’s my ‘why.’ A therapist can cultivate small changes working with the child alone, but for change to be sustained, the family unit has to work together.”
Compassion is also critically important because a number of parents bring their own childhood issues to the group. Karr said that’s only natural.
“A lot of times when things get difficult, we (parents) don’t know what to do. So, we revert back to what our parents did with us,” she explained. “We want everyone to know that we’re here as a partner. We’re not here to tell them what they’re doing is wrong. We listen and talk through stuff. The hope is that they feel like they can say, ‘Maybe it’s okay to listen to someone else’s perspective and then try it.’”
So far, the response to the new slate of parent trainings has been very positive but there are always a few butterflies in participants’ stomachs.
“At the beginning, parents tells us they’re both excited and nervous to be there,” Karr said, “but by the end of the first night, we see some smiles. Parents are still a little nervous, but they’re also hopeful. I think they’re starting to feel that they’re in a safe place where they can share openly and learn.”
She said there has been a change in the population of parents who are attended FSGC parent trainings.
“It used to be a lot of people signing up were court-mandated people. Now, people are signing up and attending because they just want some support and new ways of thinking about parenting. I’ve had people in class say, ‘I just need more tools for my toolbox.’ That’s what we try to offer,” Karr said.
Parent training schedule for 2025 (all trainings are held at FSGC)
CARE (Child-Adult Relationship Enhancement) Training: A free class that will help parents communicate better with children, improve their behavior and make them more likely to do what they ask.
- August 7, 5-8 p.m.
- September 4, 5-8 p.m.
- October 2, 5-8 p.m.
- November 6, 5-8 p.m.
The Whole-Brain Child: Learn positive ways to support your child’s developing, changing brain, survive everyday meltdowns and build a stronger, more connected family.
- Meets every Monday from August 12-September 30, 5:30-7 p.m.
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teen-Age Brain: Learn how your teen’s brain works and turn what may be one of the toughest stages of growing up into a manageable, productive time for both of you.
- Meets every Monday from October 27-December 15, 5:30-7 p.m.
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