Welcome to Balanced Parenting

 Parenting is one of the hardest jobs you will ever have…but you don’t have to do it alone!

If you are…
Fighting meltdowns, defiance or angry attitudes...
Exhausted at the end of a day with your kids…
Feeling like you have to argue or negotiate with your kids day and night…
Worried your children are not respectful or expect too much of you…
Tearing your hair out from your baby’s sleep issues…
Wondering if you expect too little of your kids...

Then you have found the right place! We are here to help bring peace and a balance to your family.
We are Balanced Parenting.

WELCOME

Through private sessions, parenting parties, and speaking engagements, parents all over Southern California are learning about the “Balanced Parenting” methods of raising kids to become great adults. 

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Book a private session with bette

Bette is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and EMDR Certified Therapist™ who is devoted to helping individuals, couples and families be the strongest and healthiest they can be.

Interested in individual, couples, or parenting sessions?

Come to Coffee with bette

Join Bette and fellow parents to discuss your challenges, questions and kids’ quirks.

There’s no cost to attend.

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Value of the month: Hard Conversations

Hard conversations suck! It may be telling someone we don’t like what they’re doing, telling family we can’t make it for Thanksgiving, even simply telling our kids “No”. It may be related to our jobs – asking for a raise or setting a boundary with a co-worker. Talking to our kids about drugs, sex, college, mean friends, and even death. Life is filled with hard conversations.

It seems as though the hard conversations are the most important ones. They’re hard because they matter. They’re hard because they involve deep feelings. They’re hard because there is a lot on the line.

No one wants to hurt someone’s feelings nor do we want to make someone mad at us, but those are by-products of healthy communication. You may not like what I have to say, but it’s still important for me to say it. We will get through the feelings.

How does your family handle the subject of death or illness? Is it something that’s never mentioned for fear of inviting it in? Is it spoken about openly and frequently?

There is actually a concept of a “good death”. A good death not only is painless and peaceful, but it also includes having lots of hard conversations. Talking about wishes for belongings, funerals, end-of-life care, apologies and long-unexpressed feelings, etc… A big piece of what makes a death “good” or “bad” is the amount and quality of communication.

I think the same is true for any and all relationships. What makes it healthy or not is the amount and quality of the communication.

So, keep those conversations going. Don’t shy away from the hard ones. Be brave. Be persistent. 

"BETTE FOUND THE REAL ISSUES AND GAVE ME THE TOOLS AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO BE A BETTER PARENT..."

"My 5 yr. old son was throwing tantrums and creating major stress in our family. After two sessions, Bette found the real issues and gave me the tools and encouragement to be a better parent. After a few weeks, my son’s behavior improved dramatically and just keeps getting better!”
Cm, Thousand Oaks