Lisa R. Savage, LCSW

Ivy League trained mental health professional

Trained in PCIT-Parent Child Interaction Therapist

Specializes in mental health disorders among children and adolescents. She has a special interest in neuroscience and brain flexibility.

Over 20 years experience

• S. Robin Gillis, MSMHC, brings a diverse professional background and years of broad-based experience in the Human Services/Mental Health field, along with a strong neuroscience-based training in child. Robin is a certified parent educator and childcare provider facilitator/trainer, specializing in child development (pre-natal through age 18 encompassing neuroscience with the four domains of development).

Parent-Child Interaction

Improve your relationship with your child, learn skills to manage difficult behaviors

Familiar Scenarios

• 2 year old Johnny has temper tantrums. He has a difficult time when his parents tell him, ‘no’. He has been put out of two day care centers. He has great difficulty listening.

• 7 year old Sally has always had aggressive behaviors at home and school. She is disrespectful to most adults and does not listen. Her parents experience a high level of stress in trying to manage her challenging behaviors.

The Challenge

• Most parents want to do their best and give their children what they need to be successful.

• Every child is born with a different temperament—some are easy going, yet others present challenges and typical parenting skills just don’t work.

• Parents might find that what works with one child does not work with another child. They may experience frustration, stress and hopelessness, because nothing seems to work.

Why this type of parent coaching works

• It is scientifically supported with proven techniques that give special attention to the relationship between parent and child and will improve the challenging behaviors.

• It involves teaching and coaching parents to use specific skills to improve behavior, empower parents, and make parenting more enjoyable.

Who is a good candidate for parent coaching?• Families with children ages 2-8 years old

• Children who act out at home and school as well as other settings

• Physically and/or verbally aggressive behavior.

• Defiant behavior

• Difficulty following directions

• temper tantrums

• Swearing

• Oppositional behaviors

• Currently living with one or both of their parents (the program is also suited for foster and adoptive parents)

Improved Relationships

• Parents are taught and coached on how to decrease negative interactions with their child.

• Parents learn consistent, positive and supportive communication to use with their child.

• Parents will be taught specialized play skills to practice at home with their child.

Improve listening and obeying

• Parents are taught and coached to understand the elements of discipline and difficult behavior management

• They learn how to manage challenging behaviors at home and in other settings.

Other Positive changes to expect

• Increase in appropriate behavior

• Decrease in behaviors such as, lying, hitting, biting

• Child will feel more secure and positive about self.

• Parents will learn consistent and predictable ways of responding to inappropriate behaviors.

• Less stress in the family

How the process works—Assessment Phase

• There are three specific phases in this training.

• In the initial phase, parents will complete a behavior rating scale. This will help to assess how severe the problem is. The behavior scale will be administered at different intervals in the coaching to make sure progress is being made.

Next, the parent coach will observe the parent and child engage in three (5) minute play exercises. While they are playing, the therapist will be taking notes to share with the parent.

• Next, the coach will meet with the parent to discuss the findings, as well as begin teaching the specific skills.

• Parents will need to commit to spending time playing with their child five minutes every night using the skills.

Phase 1-Child Directed Interaction

• Parent and child will play while coach observes their interactions.

• Coach will guide parent to using specific skills during the play time.

• Coach will be recording how parent uses skills

• Parents will learn to master skills with the guidance of the coach.

• Once mastery has been met, participants will be moved to the second phase

Phase 2-Parent Directed interaction

• The discipline phase—parents will learn skills to improve compliance with their child.

• Learn how to give effective commands that your child will obey.

• What to do when your child doesn’t listen.

• Learn and practice specialized time out

• Parent coach will guide you through this process until you’ve mastered all of the steps.

Ending Phase

• Parent will have mastered the skills in the two stages

• Feel comfortable to use skills without the parent coach

• There will be a significant decrease in the behavior scale