Details
Have you and your family been struggling with any of the following:
• You need to rock, bottle or breast feed to sleep and back to sleep and it seems to be taking longer and your child is waking more than ever.
• It takes hours to get your child to sleep and back to sleep and he/she wakes before 6:00am.
• You dread nap and bedtime.
• You feel like you spend the entire day trying to get your baby to sleep.
• Your toddler is getting out of bed multiple times at night.
• Your toddler stopped napping but still seems exhausted during the day or throwing tantrums.
• You are exhausted and are fighting with your spouse or partner.
• Your own lack of sleep is affecting your job, your ability to parent well and your outlook on life in general.
• You have tried cry it out or other methods that just didn't work.
• You feel desperate and don’t know where to turn.
• You are an intelligent, loving parent and you don't have the time or energy to weed through a lot of science and theory to get to a sleep solution for your family
• You are unclear on how to handle sleep disruption caused by illnesses, travel, and developmental changes cause.
If you can relate to any of these then I can help you.
Background
I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified Gentle Sleep Coach. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Washington State University and Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University.
I live in Bellevue, Washington with my husband and three boys. I was just starting my own private practice when my oldest son was 15 months, and I found out I was pregnant with twins! So that was put on hold, and four and a half years later I become a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach, trained by Kim West, LCSW-C (aka “The Sleep Lady®”).
I graduated from the Gentle Sleep Coaching Program (GSC) in June 2011. I am one of the "First 50" graduates of the GSC Program, which is currently the most extensive & professional sleep certification program available. The program involves over 80 hours of training with a faculty panel that includes 2 medical doctors, a psychologist, an attorney, lactation counselor, postpartum doulas and a family therapist. Each coach must pass an exam and participate in case supervision with Kim West, LCSW-C (a.k.a. “the Sleep Lady”) who has been helping tired parents for over 20 years. Clinical supervision and ongoing advanced training are required to maintain certification as a Gentle Sleep Coach.
Some of my GSC training topics included:
• Basic counseling and child development
• Sleep science and behavioral modification techniques to help parents of children age 0 to 6 years old.
• Secure attachment theory
• Support for the breastfeeding mother
The training also consisted of lectures from top specialists, including:
• Postpartum Depression from Dr. Shoshana Bennett, author and leading specialist on Postpartum Depression
• Medical Conditions and Sleep Apnea in Children led by Dr. Lewis Kass, Director of Children’s Sleep Center
• Sensory Processing Disorders and Sleep by Jodi Jennings, OTLR
• Temperament and Sleep by Helen Neville, BS, RN
And much more!
The GSC Program also includes an exclusive advanced training specifically focused on how to gently work with babies 0-5 months of age.
Some of the curriculum training topics include:
• In-depth knowledge of the importance of attachment and infant mental health
• The sleep science behind the first six months of life
• What special considerations need to be taken when working with and supporting families during this delicate period.
• Specialized instruction on how to evaluate families in the first six months
• Guidance on how to assess when the baby is ready for sleep coaching based on current research and evidence-based strategies
• Review of gentle sleep solutions and strategies that are developmentally appropriate, breastfeeding and attachment friendly and promote a solid foundation for sleep learning and long-term healthy sleep patterns.
This specialty training is designed to give Gentle Sleep Coaches the knowledge, education and all the tools and resources they need to successfully work with families of newborns through 5 months of age in a safe, healthy and developmentally appropriate manner.
As part of my Mental Health License I must take continuing education courses. Some of the courses I have taken include:
• Attachment & Attuned Parenting
• Assessment in Early Childhood
• Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Recognizing & Treating the Emerging Epidemic
• Anxiety Treatment Techniques that Really Work
• Comprehensive Child Therapy: Practical Approaches, Treatments and Interventions
• The Healing Power of Sleep
Outside of my coaching business I enjoy hangout out with my family, hiking, spinning, and yoga. We also enjoy family RV trips during the summer months.
Services
I offer individual consultations as well as individual follow up phone calls.
Consultations
If you feel your family’s situation is unique or complex (or you are just plain too tired to see a clear way out) and you wish me to review your history and create an individualized plan with you then an individual coaching call is the right solution! Each Individual Gentle Sleep Consultation will be tailored to your family’s needs and will include:
• Review of your client history form.
• A customized, step-by-step sleep plan and sleep schedule that matches your child and family’s needs and parenting values. There are no “one size fits all” solutions.
• How to gently teach your child to go to sleep and back to sleep independently during the night.
• How to gently teach your child to take long, restorative naps.
• How to successfully handle future routine busters such as travel and illness…
I do not ever advise parents to let their child “cry-it-out”. I will always recommend a gentle, more loving approach.
Ideally I would like both parents at the consultation so you can create a united front and support each other in moving forward with the sleep coaching.
Individual Coaching Phone Follow ups
During these approximately 30min phone calls I will guide you through a review of your sleep log, recommend possible changes to the initial plan, answer questions that you have and provide additional support that you may need since our last discussion. Typically, these follow ups are completed within a two to three weeks of starting your initial sleep plan which is when parents need the most support. If needed, an additional set of follow ups can be purchased.
Contact me to schedule a consultation or to find out more about my services. New clients can request a free 15 minute consultation.
Website: http://www.JulieKennedyConsulting.com
