Parenting Programs

Parent Study Group

It has become more and more evident today, that many people are seeking help in understanding children and knowing how to deal with children in a positive manner. A Parent Study Group is a series of six weekly workshops for parents and single parents of children and adolescents who wish to learn and discuss new logical approaches in dealing with their family.

Rudolf Dreikurs’ book, “Children: The Challenge” is used to help develop a more co-operative and harmonious atmosphere in the home. The Parent Study Groups are individually designed around the specific needs of the parents. The group explores how family concerns can be developed into positive methods of personal interaction when understanding such topics as:

  • How a democratic atmosphere can replace the need for control and the development of power struggles and conflicts.
  • How discouragement leads to pursuing “mistaken goals” (misbehavior).
  • How misbehavior is due to discouragement.
  • How natural and logical consequences can effectively replace punishment and rewards.
  • How our children (adolescents) perceive their role in the family.
  • How parents can change their children’s (adolescent’s) behavior by changing their own responses.
  • How parents can encourage responsibility and cooperation in the home through the use of a family council.

Parenting Skills Group

This group is especially tailored to meet the needs of those parents who have completed the Parent Study Group. The Parenting Skills Group provides the opportunity of practicing and integrating the “Children the Challenge” skills learned in the Parent Study Group into the family’s everyday life. Parents will continue to learn to:

  • Change their children’s (adolescent’s or young adults) behavior by changing their responses.
  • Continue to positively motivate their children using “The Art of Encouragement.”
  • Create a democratic atmosphere by increasing responsibilities and avoiding power struggles.
  • Encourage responsibility and cooperation in the home through the use of a family council.
  • Implement the “Art of Discipline’s” natural and logical consequences.
  • Perceive their children’s role in the family in a positive way.

Guiding Good Choices

A program by Channing Bete, Guiding Good Choices is an alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention program that gives parents the skills they need to ensure the future well-being of their children. This program is geared toward parents of children in grades 4 to 8 (ages 9 to 14).

This program is administered over five two-hour sessions and teaches parents of preteens and younger adolescents the skills they need to improve family communication and family bonding

Benefits

In a four-year follow-up study, the Guiding Good Choices program was shown to:

  • Reduce current alcohol use by 40.6%
  • Significantly reduce the rates of initiation for marijuana and drunkenness.
  • Guiding Good Choices has been approved as a SAMHSA Evidence Based Model Program.

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) is an effective, seven session training curriculum that focuses on topics important to parents. STEP presents effective skills that can be used immediately. These include fostering responsibility, independence, and competence in children; improving communication between parents and children, and helping children learn from the natural and logical consequences of their own choices.

The progression of topics - behavior, motivation, discipline - helps parents gain confidence in their abilities. The STEP programs are research-proven and make a difference in families.

Preregistration is required for prevention and education programs.

Incredible Years

Reducing Challenging Behaviors in Children

Horizon Counseling and Education Center is now offering The Incredible Years programs for parents and teachers. This evidence based prevention program reduces challenging behaviors in children and increases their social and self-control skills.

Goals of the Incredible Years Prevention Program

This program promotes social competence and prevents, reduces, and treats aggression and related conduct problems in babies, toddlers, young children, and school-aged children.

  • Ages 0-12 months - The Incredible Years Parents and Babies program supports parents and their babies. The Parents & Babies program consists of a 6-part program focused on helping parents learn to observe and read their babies' cues and learning ways to provide nurturing and responsive care including physical, tactile, and visual stimulation as well as verbal communication.
  • Ages 1-3 - The Incredible Years Parents and Toddlers Program supports parents and builds optimal parenting skills. The Parents & Toddlers program consists of an 8-part program focused on strengthening positive and nurturing parenting skills. Each program builds on the previous.
  • Ages 3-6 - This training is comprised of 4 Programs. The program focuses on strengthening parenting skills and consists of components which build upon one another.
  • Ages 6-12 - This series focuses on the importance of promoting positive behaviors, interpersonal issues such as building social skills, and effective praise.