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Jennifer Kolari, MSW, RSW is our guest blogger during the week of May 25th. If you have any questions for Jennifer Kolari, add a comment to any of her posts.
Here is more information on Connected Parenting:
Read an excerpt
A groundbreaking, counterintuitive parenting approach to create deep, empathic bonds with problem children.
A child and family therapist for more than twenty years, Jennifer Kolari began her career working with children suffering from severe behavioral problems. That experience taught her an invaluable lesson-it wasn't "tough" discipline that helped these kids change their behavior and build self-esteem. It was unending compassion and empathy. Now, Kolari applies these lessons in her work with all families-even those who are exhausted, overwhelmed, and struggling with the challenges of difficult or extremely defiant children. Empathy lies at the heart of Kolari's Connected Parenting philosophy.
What sets this book apart is Kolari's proven step-by-step CALM program (Connect, Match the Affect of Your Child, Listen, and Mirror) that will support parents and help them implement true empathy in any situation-even during temper tantrums. Empathy goes beyond listening well-Kolari offers interactive behavioral and verbal techniques such as mirroring and nonverbal methods like regular play interaction that can reduce conflict dramatically and deepen the connection between a parent and child. Kolari then shows parents how to develop foolproof strategies for setting limits and changing negative behavior for good.
Powerful and inspiring, Connected Parenting includes incredible stories from families who have experienced miraculous transformations-often in just a few weeks-using Kolari's parenting approach. It is a dynamic blueprint for bringing peace and loving connections into any family for life.
About Jennifer Kolari:
Jennifer Kolari, MSW, RSW has been a Child and Family Therapist who has been working with children and families in Toronto for twenty years. In addition to coaching parents on how to develop and use connected parenting skills, she teaches children's social skills groups and parenting workshops. Known for offering useful and practical strategies delivered with warmth and humor, her speaking skills are in demand by schools, organizations, and agencies throughout Ontario and California. Before entering private practice, Jennifer was a family therapist at Integra, a children's mental health center in Toronto for ten years. She also spent several years counseling children and parents for the Toronto School District School Board and was a field supervisor for the University of Toronto faculty of Social Work. She lives in Toronto with her husband, and their three children.
Connected Parenting: Transform Your Challenging Child and Build Loving Bonds for Life
Jennifer Kolari, MSW, RSW - author
Book: Hardcover | 5.78 x 8.54in | 320 pages | ISBN 9781583333440 | 14 May 2009 | Avery | 14 - AND UP years
$25.00 - Add to Cart
Connected Parenting, 
Jennifer Kolari, 
Avery, 
Penguin Books
Methods
"Empathy goes beyond listening well-Kolari offers interactive behavioral and verbal techniques such as mirroring and nonverbal methods like regular play interaction that can reduce conflict dramatically and deepen the connection between a parent and child"--- While I find that interesting, is it possible to strengthen a relationship while using only nonverbal methods such as mirroring? I understand that it may reduce a verbal conflict with the child, but some children do not respond to this method at all. Just a thought, because every child is different and not all respond in a textbook manner.
-John
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