Meet Jo

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Category: The Heart Of Parenting Site
Published on Saturday, 04 June 2011 04:45
Written by Jo Field
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Meet Jo

 

Life BC (yes, before children) I enjoyed being a teacher. I was both State trained and a Waldorf/Steiner Kindergarten teacher.

 

 

I then became a mother and felt lost and confused in the sea of information for new parents.  This led me on a path of exploration and discovery.

 

 

The work of Carl Rogers was my inspiration and supported the way I knew I wanted to parent which was where love was not conditional.  This was opposed to the popular practice where children received what they needed only when they ‘deserved’ it.

 

 

"Getting positive regard ‘on condition’ is very powerful and children bend themselves into shapes determined not by their natural actualizing tendency but by a society that may not have their best interests at heart.  A good little boy or girl may not be a happy/healthy boy or girl.   Children begin to like themselves only if they meet up with the standards others have applied.  If they are unable to meet these standards they are unable to maintain self esteem"

Carl Rogers

 

Since 1999 I have facilitated parenting workshops that promote this relational approach to the parent-child relationship i.e. where we are interested in the need behind the behaviour that the child is trying to meet, as opposed to behaviour management i.e. the use of rewards and punishment to stop a certain behaviour.

 

‘The Heart of Parenting' workshops are based on ‘Compassionate Communication’ also known as ‘Nonviolent Communication’ developed by Marshall Rosenberg.


My passion is to empower and support parents to truly enjoy their children and the journey of parenting.


For me, the path of parenting using the consciousness NVC offers, has led me back to my authentic self.  It has helped me break generational patterns of unattended responses and in turn I am able to be more present to my daughter and what is truly “alive” in both of us.

 

And it is in my relationship as a parent that I have gained my most valuable learning and insights.


The courses are appropriate for parenting toddlers through to teenagers.


They are offered in a variety of community settings: women’s health centres, multicultural centres, for day carers and foster carers, schools and pre-schools, and for the general community.