Connecting Families

Connecting Families Programme on transforming conflict into connection focuses on parents and caregivers. It has an online part and monthly group meetings in person.

The course helps parents and caregivers strengthen communication, reduce conflict, and create calm at home.

In the workshops you will meet with other participants of the course; you can compare your experience and your learning. We will answer your questions, support you to adjust what you are learning to your specific situation. We will also go over some activities from the online course to make sure that you are getting the most out of it.

Everybody has conflicts, we cannot avoid them. We would like to invite you to think about your own relationship with conflict. What do you typically do — avoid it, dive into it, or something else entirely? Are you scared of it or do you see it as an opportunity for change?

The groups are a confidential space. Anything personal shared in the room stays in the room. You don't have to share any personal examples if it does not feel right for you. You can still benefit from listening to other parents and the facilitators. For some people it is easier to speak about conflicts, for others it can feel like a taboo. There is no right or wrong. Sometimes it can be supportive to see that I am not the only one who has conflicts. We can get inspired by hearing about other peoples' experience.

You are welcome as you are!

Transforming conflict to connection

Why this matters

The way we communicate as parents has a powerful effect on the whole family. Children thrive in homes where they feel safe, heard, and supported. But when conflict becomes stuck or unresolved, it can get in the way of their healthy development.

Who is it for?

This programme is for parents and caregivers in all kinds of modern families—whether you’re married, partnered, separated, divorced, single, in a blended family, or co-parenting. We warmly welcome people of every gender identity and sexual orientation.

It is for you if you are interested in learning from conflicts.

What will you learn?

Each of you will have your own reasons for choosing this course. It might be similar to how other people feel, or different. There is no one right way.

We hope, that as you progress through the course, you will:

• better understand how you respond to conflict

• learn to slow down in a conflict rather than escalate

• start to see conflicts as

  • an opportunity for change

  • an opportunity to learn something more about yourself, about your partner and about your relationship

Connecting Families helps you:

• move forward from a stuck place

• bring more calm into your home

• build trust and understanding with your co-parent and children