For parents of kids with ASD and other mental health or behavioral challenges.

This is an accepting, non-judgmental group dedicated to building the emotional resilience of parents caring for neurodiverse children and adolescents, or young adults (ages 0-30). Participation in this group will teach skills to help you recharge your emotional and physical reservoir, cope with stress effectively, improve your caregiving relationship and build associated skills in your child.

Course Description

Mindfulness and Compassion in Parenting is a 10-week course that combines empirically based practices from a variety of courses, including Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), along with research and interventions that supports caregiver and family wellbeing. Adapted specifically for parents & caregivers of children with neurodiverse needs, recent research conducted in collaboration with the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Lab at Simon Fraser University demonstrated significant improvements in participants’ mindfulness, self-compassion, mental health, family quality of life, parental connections with children and skills to cope with stress.

This is a skill building program that invites active engagement and participation. In order to fully benefit, participants will be asked to be free of childcare or work obligations during the 90-minute sessions and will have access to a learning lab to further their skill development. For those who devote their lives to caring for children with significant needs, this is an opportunity to dedicate some time to important self care, learning how to treat oneself with kindness, and soothe any ragged emotions during difficult times. Participants will learn self-compassion practices that can help them combat compassion fatigue and manage stress related to excessive demands of caregiving.

Attend this program where you will learn how to

• Activate your soothing system and regulate feelings of threat, worry and self-criticism.
• Recognize your stress patterns and respond more skillfully to situations involving yourself and those you care for.
• Attend to the needs of those you care for with kindness, patience, and wisdom.
• Increase the emotional strength, well being and problem-solving abilities of those you care for.
• Create healthier and more productive relationships between family members.
• Learn how to self-regulate and model adaptive responses to stress which may translate to better co-regulation with your child during difficult times.

Comments from Past Participants

• “This program has been an amazing way to connect with my kiddos. It's all around been an opportunity that allows me to feel something for me again, so I can reflect calmness and be present for my children again. I am very grateful”.
• “This course has really helped me to stop feeling guilty. I learned how important it is to look after ourselves so we can be strong and present for our children.”
• “I often compare myself and my children with others and I feel like a failure. Not in this class. I’ve learned to be aware of our own, and our kids own, unique beauty and worth.”
• “This program has been life-changing. My husband says he has been noticing how much different I am in how I can cope with daily stressors.”