Circle of Security parenting group (online): with clinical psychologist, Kara Choi

👋Hello everyone in the Shapes and Sounds community!

My name is Kara Choi, and I am a Clinical Psychologist currently working in my own private practice, Alongside Psychology, in Putney (Sydney, Australia). I am Korean-Australian (born in Australia to migrant parents from South Korea), married to my wonderful husband of 9 years, and a mother of two young children.

Whilst this stage of life with young children can only be described as chaotic, exhausting, and relentless for the most part, it is also full of joy in the smallest (and often seemingly mundane) moments.

There is also a felt sense of camaraderie – both with my husband as we face this stage of life together as a parenting team, but also in a larger part, knowing that we as parents are all going through the same variety of emotions and frustrations, and likely similar desires to ensure our children feel loved and secure.

In saying this, I remember that in those early days as a new parent I felt an internal struggle – on one hand feeling such a desire to make sure my children felt supported, loved, and nurtured, but also at times feeling unsure or overwhelmed with all the information coming from all directions – the internet, family and friends, well-meaning people.

As someone who had done research on attachment and emotion regulation, I knew that behavioural programs were not going to cut it – I was searching for evidence-based parenting education that was going to support my child’s development and my confidence as a parent.

It was then that I came across the Circle of Security Parenting, and gosh – what a wonderful program it is.

The Circle of Security Parenting program is a group program that is based in more than 50 years of attachment research.

It is a program that supports parents to understand how to support their young baby or child’s emotional needs. It is a respectful program that understands that we are all individuals with our own backgrounds and histories of being parented ourselves, and gently supports parents to understand what comes up for them when they might be parenting.

As I was completing the training as a facilitator, I remember wishing all my loved ones, family and friends and new parents would be exposed to this wonderful information.

As a part of my clinical work, I run online Circle of Security parenting groups in the hopes that other parents might benefit from the confidence that comes from knowing how to meet your child’s emotional needs, what is “good enough”, and how to repair when you inevitably make mistakes as a parent (we all do, we are human!).

Additionally, I work with many individuals, new parents, and couples who are looking to understand their own history and how it might be affecting them today (in their thinking, feeling, behaviours, and relationships).

It is an absolute privilege being able to walk alongside my wonderful clients and group attendees who bring such breadth of experience and life, and I feel so honoured to be let in to their world where I can also learn so much about the range of human experience.

If you are wanting to also grow in parenting confidence and set up firm foundations for your growing family, I invite you to join us for the upcoming group in May-June 2024.

I will be running this group online for 8 consecutive Fridays from 10:30-12pm. You can find more information here:

https://www.alongsidepsychology.com.au/groups

I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Kara x