Groups for Adults & Parents
Relational Forest Therapy Group for Parents
It is epically challenging to be a caregiver these days, especially if your child is experiencing big feelings or demonstrating disruptive behaviors. Join us for one (or several!) Relational Forest Therapy groups to access the abundant benefits nature provides to lower stress and find connection to ourselves and each other.
Inspired by the Japanese Shinrin Yoku, Relational Forest Therapy is a guided series of somatic invitations to help you access your body’s reciprocal relationship with nature, and your own strengths as a parent. Nature offers innumerable cues to our nervous systems to help us relax, but our busy lives often keep us from allowing this relationship.
Forest Therapy is simple, trauma-informed, and invitational. It’s not a hike or an educational walk. It’s more like a short, easy stroll, and a chance to get away from our discursive minds and busy schedules to set a peaceful tone for the week. I hope you’ll join us! Let’s enjoy the forest’s “magic hour” to bring connection and joy to what might be the “witching hour” in your home. Come as you are, the forest has your back.
To register email leigh@gaiacounseling.com.
Ongoing group, open enrollment
Location: Dearborn Park (5 minutes from Gaia Decatur)
Dates: Sundays, September 21 & 28, October 19 & 26, November 16 & 23
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM
Cost: $75 per person per session | Childcare is available at an additional cost
Facilitated by: Leigh Scott, Forest Therapy Guide & Gaia Therapist
Monthly matrescence circle
Becoming a mother is uniquely beautiful, challenging, and sometimes isolating. Join us for this monthly meet up where we leave the mom guilt at the door and share from the heart. You we never meant to do this alone!
The Matrescence Circle a safe and nurturing space where women with children under the age of 5 come together to share their stories and experiences. The intention of the group is to foster meaningful connection, support, and a sense of community, while honoring individual voices and journeys.
To register email rebekah@gaiacounseling.com.
Ongoing group, open enrollment
Monthly on the 2nd Sunday of the Month from 4:00-5:30 PM
Cost: $10 per session | Childcare is available at an additional cost
Facilitated by: Rebekah Baldwin, MA – Holistic Life Coach & Mama to Rowan
Join Gaia expert clinician, Tamara Hamilton, LCSW, as she shares practical, relatable insights and parenting strategies during our free virtual parent education series. Tamara Hamilton is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose career has spanned more than three decades.
We value our relationships with our families and through Gaia Guidance, parent education is accessible to all.
Email info@gaiacounseling.com to register.
Constructive Family Conflict
Sunday, September 22, 2024 | 7:00-800 pm
Conflicts in the home can be one of the most challenging issues for parents. Many times parents are left feeling guilty or confused and when unresolved conflicts persist or escalate, the relationship is strained. Tamara Hamilton will guide parents in an honest and provocative discussion about managing conflict constructively. Participants will go through the steps of a constructive conflict response.
Maintaining a Positive Relationship with my Teen
Sunday, October 20, 2024 | 7:00-800 pm
Adolescents get a bad rap! Maintaining a Positive Relationship with My Teen is an affirming and optimistic perspective on parenting. Participants will discuss common areas of power struggles and the tricks on how to diffuse them! This webinar will focus on adolescent brain development, how to handle power struggles, and restorative responses. Join Tamara Hamilton to hear how parenting an adolescent can be a joy!
Parenting with PRIDE
Sunday, December 8, 2024 | 7:00-800 pm
Join Tamara Hamilton and her adult child, Kae Spurgeon, in an open, honest discussion about parenting an LGBTQ+ child. Tamara and Kae will share their personal experience and invite participants to engage in a compassionate, candid conversation.
Join Gaia expert clinicians each month as they share insights and parenting strategies during our free virtual parent education series. We value our relationships with our families and through Gaia Guidance, parent education is accessible to all.
The Power of Presence: Elevating Parent-Child Interactions
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | 12:00-1:00 PM
In a world filled with distractions, connecting with our children can feel like a daunting task. Join us for an insightful workshop where we explore the transformative impact of being truly present in your parenting journey. Discover how even dedicating as little as 15 minutes a day of undivided attention to your child can strengthen your bond with your child and nurture a deeper, more meaningful relationship.
Themes and strategies will include:
Fostering your child's emotional development through your empathetic listening and validation.
Using play therapy techniques to help children recognize and regulate their emotions in a supportive environment.
Managing common obstacles and distractions and finding practical solutions to carve out focused time.
Building trust and safety to encourage open communication and emotional expression.
Learning mindfulness techniques for parents.
Cultivating awareness and presence in daily interactions with your child.
Email info@gaiacounseling.com to register.
Nature Connection Family Workshop
March 23, 2024 | 10:00 - 11:30 AM
Facilitated by Leah Kelley, LMSW & Rebekah Baldwin, MA
Cost is $75 per family. All ages welcome.
Looking for opportunities to bond as a family, get outside and live more in tune with the seasons? Join us on Saturday, March 23rd, to welcome the start of spring at our nature connection workshop!
Intentional outdoor time has been associated with increases in concentration, self-concept and student test scores, and decreases in symptoms of ADHD, aggressive behaviors and stress. Research has also found that feeling connected to the natural environment is strongly correlated with positive mood, autonomy, personal growth, purpose in life and self-acceptance.
Gaia Nature Connection workshops create a space for families to mindfully connect with each other and with the natural world around them. Participants will be invited to engage all of their senses through nature-based games and therapeutic activities, designed to foster connection from a place of curiosity, exploration and play. Families will leave our workshops with a new appreciation for spending time together outside!
Email info@gaiacounseling.com to register.
Join Gaia expert clinicians each month as they share insights and parenting strategies during our free virtual parent education series. We value our relationships with our families and through Gaia Guidance, parent education is accessible to all.
Living Happier: Helping Parents Find Peace and Happiness
December 3, 2023 | 7-8 PM
Email info@gaiacounseling.com to register.
All parents and children have conflicts, and there are times when we find ourselves in a loop of resistance. The good news is that with a few consistent adjustments, families coexist more peacefully and live happier. Join Tamara Hamilton, LCSW as she shares practical, relatable strategies that will foster connections and promote happiness.
Tamara Hamilton is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker whose career has spanned more than three decades. Her work has included inpatient hospital care, community based social work, trauma informed care for homeless families, child, adolescent and family therapy, substance abuse treatment for adolescents and young adults, and much more.
Over the past year, Tamara has been a member of the Gaia Clinical Team and has served on the Gaia Leadership Team. She is a client-centered clinician that is engaging, compassionate, and warm. Her presentation style is informative, warm, and relatable as she combines her training in neurolearning, clinical professional experience, and personal stories as a mother of three.