Parenting Groups and
Self-development Workshops
Teach kids to behave well, be well, and keep their spirit. Teach them to know right from wrong — and how to get along.
Come and learn the skills you need to make life at home cooperative, warm, and fun. You’ll transform your relationship with your children, yourself, and even other adults in your life. The skills we learn work with children of any age, from any culture: hundreds of parents — and grandparents — from over 50 nationalities have learnt how to strengthen their relationships. You can, too!
We will meet in-person as a group once a week for six weeks to help you develop the skills to strengthen your communication and relationships.
Why I did a parenting course:
Even with a PhD in Psychology, I was not prepared for the emotions you experience when you’re a parent.
Love, of course. But also resentment.
Joy. But also desperation.
In fact, my ‘real’ training in psychology started when I had 4 kids under 4, including twins. Things were not going well. I remember one afternoon yanking my children away from the playground, angry at them for crossing a line - don’t remember what - stuffing them in the car, driving off, and then having to pull over because I was so upset I couldn’t see. I felt trapped. I knew I couldn’t get out of having 4 little children, but I didn’t know what to do to make things better. I hated the way I was with them, and I often found myself not liking them much, either. In tears I called my serene sister-in-law (she’d also had 4 children) and sobbed that I couldn’t do it! Too many of them and only 1 of me! Plus they never listen!
What did she say? She did not say, ‘Poor you’.
No. She said, ‘Take a parenting course’.
So, I did. And that was the start of a much happier life for me and my family. Since then, I‘ve based my work on sharing the practical skills that I found so useful in my own life. It’s real psychology - really useful right now - with compound benefits for the future. You’ll be raising children who are confident, calm, considerate - and excellent problem-solvers.
These skills are not just practical, they’re also universal, perhaps because they’re based on fundamental principles, respecting dignity and differences and feeding the basic human need for connection. I have returned to the UK after 20 years living and working around the world, from Southeast Asia to North Africa, Eastern Europe to the United States. I learned that families and teachers the world over ask similar questions. Why do some kids not follow the rules? Why does punishment seem to backfire? How can we build strong relationships with kids to help them through life? In my practice, I teach parents to look beneath behaviour to see the underlying feelings and needs children are expressing. It’s a practical approach that brings positive results.
See the workshops below.
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Course 1 : Connecting with kids
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Course 2 : Helping kids get along
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Course 3 : How to talk to yourself
Parents Say:
I have attended two courses and am going back for more! Now I’m ready to do the one where I can figure out and change my own behaviour patterns. Jenn offers alternative ways to the usual controlling/shouting rut one can get into when problems arise... Highly recommend these friendly group sessions :-)
Frank, father of 3 school-aged children
Jenn’s courses made a big difference in our house! Developed some lasting friendships with others also. Highly recommended. The approaches also helped me handle things with my husband and at work!
Emily, mother of 8-year-old twin girls
I have only positive things to say about Jenn’s parenting course and the effect doing it has had on my family and me.
The most significant changes have been around the use of punishment/reward, the stopping of which has had a huge effect on the stress levels and arguments - when over half term I strayed back into the territory of punishment/rewards my 10 year old son stopped me in my tracks, reminding me that we were no longer doing it!
I have found the general approach of less is more, ie listening and hearing with full attention (such a simple thing but one that I feel I have been failing to do) has also had huge benefits. My 16 year old son has thanked me for listening. I have realised that I have been talking far too much, overriding their opportunity to communicate their thoughts and feelings.
The observation and description of my 10 year old’s anger, frustration at things again has helped so much in de-escalating situations. His reaction to this, rather than my instinctive response of getting angry too, or just ignoring him, has helped. I am joining him in his frustration, not judging, just observing. He then rationalises it.
Finally I have so enjoyed the meetings themselves, endless supplies of delicious treats (fruit and nuts a particular bonus), coffee, tea, milk of two varieties, plus a feeling of warmth, support, humour and friendship which comes both from the other participants and Jenn herself.
I am so glad I did the course, and can’t wait to start the next one!
Miranda
Jenn is an excellent facilitator: kind, patient, insightful, encouraging and fun. I attended her Communicating with Kids workshops and found them to be so useful that I signed up to attend the next series - Helping Kids to Get Along. The workshops were incredibly interesting and helped me to reflect upon how I was parented; my own parenting style; and how to better empathise with my child. It's early days of applying all that I have learned but I already feel calmer, more confident and better equipped to cope with challenges as they arise. I hope that by continuing to practise these skills at home, I will be able to nurture a happy, confident, communicative and independent child - and to have a flourishing relationship with her.
Mother of an 8 year old girl
Sessions are interesting and insightful. Lots of laughs, some tears, and unquestioning support. I can’t recommend it enough.
Osnur, mother of 2 boys
I attended two of Jenn's parenting workshops. I thoroughly enjoyed both courses and found them to be incredibly useful. I was highly impressed with the way Jenn ran the courses and the insights she was able to bring to the group and I am, in fact hoping to be able to attend a third course. I recommended Jenn's courses to friends, a number of whom have attended. I know they have been as impressed as I was.
Jenn obviously has a very thorough training in and understanding of her field.
Justine, Mother of 2
"Tell me & I forget, teach me & I may remember, involve me & I learn" - Benjamin Franklin
If you are a parent I cannot recommend this course highly enough. I have three sons, my relationship with each one is very different, each personal & special but realistically all very challenging at times. My children are different ages, with their own unique characters, their own trigger points, sensitivities, varying needs & expectations of me. I thought however overall I was doing a pretty good job of parenting.
I enrolled on the course to evaluate where I could improve the effectiveness of my communication, particularly in relation to one of my three sons, who seemed especially sensitive, lacking in confidence, negative & low in self esteem.
Thanks to Dr Mahon my eyes were truly opened. I was made aware of just how destructive, dismissive, evasive & critical my actions & communications could be interpreted, in particularly with my more sensitive child. I was shown how remarks parents commonly say to children can be easily misinterpreted by the child as judgemental, disapproving, lacking in concern, aloof or uncaring. This awareness helped me enormously to pinpoint & understand exactly why I received hostile reactions when I thought I was being supportive. My ineffective communication techniques, my inability to actually actively listen & fully comprehend what my child needs were, unbeknown to me, actually often alienating, suppressing or fuelling resentment.
I truly do thank Dr Mahon for this brilliantly insightful course. It has completely transformed the way I speak & connect with my children. With Jenn's expert guidance, the supportive videos & books I was able to highlight common patterns where I made repetitively disconcerting remarks. My continued ignorance of this could potentially of had colossal consequences on my future relationship with my children. I have witnessed the self esteem, self worth, confidence & respect be restored dramatically in my more sensitive child. In fact, as a direct result of this course, all the links with my children are much stronger. They are more open as I am more approachable, they are more physical as they sense my greater understanding , they divulge more information as they know I am actively listening without judgement.
It is so difficult to get parenting right. Even if you think you have a great relationship with your child I urge you to take this course. It will improve your family interactions beyond measure & take your connection to a whole new level. I learnt the relationship I establish now with my children will help mould their future, their self worth & independence. Ineffective communication can be misconstrued, harmful & even damaging to a child's sense of value & importance.
I cannot get these parenting years back in the future. I have only one opportunity to get it right. This course has provided me with the tools to help set me & my family on the right path. And be prepared for lot more cuddles from your children as a result of it! With the greatest of thanks.
Emma
I loved this workshop and the real support and friendship it started among us students. Jenn is warm, kind, compassionate, discrete and tactful which means she is able to get people to willingly open up.
Her communication skills are excellent and she is passionate about her profession and helping people. From my personal experience I would highly recommend her as a therapist or councilor for both adults and children.
Karen, Mother of 3