Understanding Ourselves as Parents

Understanding Ourselves as Parents

[Covington, S. (2026). Center for Gender & Justice]

Understanding Ourselves as Parents is an eight-session, trauma-informed program designed to help women, men, and gender-diverse people explore how their own family experiences have shaped them as parents and caregivers. Rather than focusing solely on parenting techniques, the program invites participants to look at their past, understand patterns that may influence their parenting today, and make intentional choices about the kind of parent or caregiver they want to become.

Participants explore their families of origin, the messages they received about parenting and stress, and connect with their children. The program emphasizes understanding rather than blame, helping participants recognize both the strengths they want to carry forward and the patterns they may want to change.

Through discussion, reflection, experiential activities, and skill practice, participants learn about nurturing children, emotional and physical safety, discipline versus punishment, communication, self-care, and responding to difficult parenting situations. They also explore ways to strengthen their connection with children through trust, respect, affection, encouragement, appropriate boundaries, and healthy emotional expression.

A central focus of the program is helping participants create a nurturing legacy—identifying what they want to give the children in their lives and how they want to be as parents and caregivers. Participants practice new responses to challenging situations and consider how to maintain healthy relationships with co-parents, grandparents, extended family, foster families, caseworkers, and others involved in their children’s care.

The program recognizes that parenting circumstances vary widely. Participants may have full or shared custody; have children living with relatives or in foster care; be parenting or nurturing children from a distance; or have experienced separation or loss. The material is presented within a supportive, nonjudgmental, and trauma-informed framework.

Understanding Ourselves as Parents consists of eight one-hour group sessions and includes a Facilitator’s Guide and a Participant’s Workbook.

• Parenting Facilitator Guide - $60.00 each
• Parenting Workbook - $17.95 each

Standard shipping is 10-14 days. For other expedited shipment options, or to use PayPal to purchase your materials, or for international shipments please contact kim@stephaniecovington.com.

For full shipping information, please see our Book Ordering Information page.

Understanding Ourselves as Parents