Circle of Security Parenting

Parents of children aged approximately 0-7 years old (but the concepts are applicable for any aged child or teen - it’s never too late!)

If your baby is very small (<4 months), I’d encourage you to focus on your newborn bubble first, but you are very welcome to join us if you feel the time is right for you.

The program involves interaction and reflection, both regarding yourself as a parent and also the way in which you were parented. This can be confronting! If you have a history of a complex family dynamic, trauma/ abuse/ neglect, or significant mental health distress - please get in touch about whether the online setting is appropriate for you, to keep you safe and held.

My aims when I take you through the COSP program are to guide you to do the following:

• Understand your child’s behaviours by learning to read their emotional needs.

• Support your child’s ability to manage emotions successfully.

• Enhance the development of your child’s self-esteem.

• Honour your innate wisdom and the desire for your child to be secure

You’ll learn about supporting your child’s need for exploration and their need to return to you as a safe haven.

You’ll learn about being with your child in their feelings and co-regulating them.

You’ll learn about your own triggers and your own feelings, as well as repairing after the inevitable ruptures in your relationship.

Final groups for 2024 - Term 4:

· Wednesdays 1pm to 2:30pm – starting on 23 October and running for 7 consecutive weeks, ending 4 December

· Wednesdays 8pm to 9:30pm - starting on 23 October and running for 7 consecutive weeks, ending 4 December

Each week, for 7-8 weeks, our group will come together via Zoom for 60-90 minutes to go through a “chapter” of Circle of Security as a team.

Each chapter of the program is a mixture of videos, discussion and exercises. After each session, we have a week to reflect, practice, digest the content and notice the Circle in action - because once you see it, you’ll see it everywhere. You can then bring your “Circle Stories” to the next session to share with the group.

The program will be facilitated and guided by me (Heather), and involves discussion and reflection from you as participants. I know this can feel vulnerable - know that you’re going to be held and safe here.

Due to the reflective group nature of the program, the sessions are live and not recorded. If you are unable to make a session, you can contact me for a makeup time prior to the next week’s session. We’ll plan to do this over 7 consecutive weeks, but there will also be a backup 8th session in case of illness or other disruption for me as a facilitator!

Spaces are strictly limited to 8-10 families, to keep the groups small and intimate.

Partners are also welcome, for an additional charge - they just need to be all in, just like you are. This program is a vulnerable one and it needs to feel safe to maintain its integrity - so we need a tight group where everyone can participate and hold one another, rather than one where partners may pop in or pop out depending on the day. They need to be as equal a participant as you are.

$375 - payment plans are available if you need them.

If your partner/ co-parent will be joining you too, there’s an additional charge of $75 for them (since it’s an extra reflective space to hold in the group).

You can do the program even if you don’t have childcare - I’m used to running all kinds of sessions with children around, and I want this to be accessible! Just pop yourself on mute if you need to, and join in when you can. You’ll get the most out of the program if you can reflect on the content, even if that means that you need to pop an AirPod in to listen during contact naps and can’t talk.

Confidentiality is important here, to keep everyone safe and held. What other parents share in the group is not to go outside the group.

Please bring an open mind and heart to these sessions - some things will be different to what you have heard before, some things may challenge you, other parents may do things differently to you. You are the experts in your children, and it’s your right to parent them in the way that aligns with your values. You’re all here because you want to grow in your relationships with your children, and you’re together in that.

If you miss a session (I get it, it happens!) I’ll get in touch with you to arrange a catch-up before the following week’s session, since each week builds on the last.

I know that sometimes things come up and you may need to cancel your space - please let me know as soon as possible about whether you need to do so, in order for me to offer your space to another family. Full refunds will be given for cancellations up to 24 hours before the first session, and a 50% refund will be given for cancellation within 24 hours of the first session. No refunds will be given after commencement of the first session.