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PRESS RELEASE

Listening Mothers™ and Reflective Parenting: Discipline from the Heart launch Mindfulparentscommunity.com
SEATTLE, Washington (August 26, 2009) – The Community of Mindful Parents officially launches www.mindfulparentscommunity.com, the online social networking extension of its already powerful community.

“Mindful Parenting” encourages parents to stay present and non judgmental with themselves and their children using intuition and empathy to guide them. The Community of Mindful Parents will draw from variety of resources, including current brain social emotion health research, parent led insightful conversation and expert panels. The website is a place to learn and grow together. It is also a place where a parent’s curiosity about the meaning of behavior is encouraged and the focus of the conversation shifts from how to fix the behavior to how to understand the communication.

Mindfulparentscommunity.com is an interactive, dynamic online community hosting open forums on various mindful parenting topics. Highlights include:

• common social networking tools, such as Twitter and Facebook, to foster communication and build awareness of mindful parenting practices
• a panel-driven question-and-answer section with experts in the field
• relevant mindfulness content written by community professionals
• calendar of parenting classes, lectures and mindful-parenting events
• Online registration and information about Listening Mothers™ and Reflective Parenting: Discipline from the Heart, two parenting class series offered in the greater Seattle area (see below)
Yaffa Maritz, co-founder/clinical director of Listening Mothers™, local Seattle mom and mindfulness educator, created the online community to enable collaboration, education and community among parents and parenting educators.
“I have been a strong advocate on behalf of babies and their families, believing that by supporting parents and creating a safe environment for them to explore emotional issues, we set the foundation for their kids’ emotional health.”

The goal of Mindfulparentscommunity.com is to bridge Listening Mothers and Reflective Parenting education with mindful parenting communities worldwide. A Sept 10 launch event (invitation only for a VIP audience) will be hosted by Kirlin Charitable Foundation, Seattle Public Schools, Stroum Jewish Community Center and The Community for Mindful Parents. Guest Speaker Daniel Siegel will deliver his keynote speech, “Education’s Newest ‘R’: Reflective Skills in the Classroom.”

Mission Statement for the Community of Mindful Parents: Our mission is to empower parents of children under 5 to become more effective parents. The research-based curriculum promotes strong family bonds and sets the foundation for long-lasting emotional health.
Listening Mothers™

Listening Mothers provides facilitated discussions about all that motherhood brings. Moms learn during eight weeks how to uniquely engage and emotionally stimulate their babies. Extensive research has shown that this process helps further a baby’s cognitive, emotional and social intelligence. The weekly meetings last an hour and a half. There are several groups throughout the Greater Seattle Area.
Reflective Parenting: Discipline from the Heart

The Reflective Parenting program is designed specifically for parents of children ages 1 1/2 to 5. Eight weekly sessions focus on a more reflective approach to parenting. Facilitators guide parents to understand not only their child’s behavior but also its meaning. By the end of this program, parents will be better able to read their child’s verbal and non-verbal cues and respond sensitively and adequately. Parents will also gain understanding of their own reactions to their child’s behavior.
For press invitations to the Sept. 10 launch event or more information, please contact Deb Grover, debg@mindfulparentscommunity.com.