Gina Hassan, Ph.D. provides psychotherapy & support for individuals and couples in Berkeley & San Francisco.  And is now also offering parenting consultations in person and via Skype.

Contact her at 510.644.1097 or www.ginahassan.com

In addition to her New Moms’ Groups here are other groups that Gina offers and are now open for registration in Berkeley:

 2^nd-Time Moms Groups: Mindfulness Focused

Similar to the New Moms’ Group – the 2nd-Time Moms’

Group is a combination of meditation/discussion/support group geared towards mothers of babies up to 6 months of age who have one or more older children. These groups meet for 8 weeks and provide an opportunity for moms to talk about the joys and challenges of integrating your newborn into your family and balancing the care needs of your children, yourself, and your partner. We will practice mindfulness skills, build community, and discuss topics relevant to mindful mothering.

Sample topics might include: balancing the needs of two or more children, helping older child in the transition to becoming an older sister/brother, attending to your relationship, and staying “present” in the midst of the chaos, providing scaffolding for the development of a positive sibling relationship, and more.

Mindful Moms Group for Older Babes       

The practice of living meditation is not to run away or disregard the distractions but to use these distractions themselves as our focus to practice mindfulness.   Dr. Thynn Thynn

Mindful parenting is the practice of embodying wholeness, of being fully present with our children at any given moment. In order to connect with our children more deeply, we must honor both our connectedness and separateness. Parenting mindfully is hard work. It requires a kind of discipline that helps free us from our habitual reactivity, and creates the space for us to respond in a more thoughtful and conscious manner. While at times we can feel like our children are a distraction from our spiritual practice, we can also see our children as our spiritual teachers. If we allow our attention to be fully present, with our children, we can dramatically deepen our connection to them and to ourselves.

This group creates a play-space within which mothers can explore the path of mindful mothering through moment-to-moment awareness. Often the little ones in this group are mobile and the balance between being present and giving space is a constant in this group.  Mothers make a 4-week commitment and can renew for as many cycles as desire

Sunday afternoon Mindful Parenting Group

Come and connect with other parents who are interested in Mindfulness. We will sit together in meditation, share ideas and talk about themes relevant to mindful parenting. No prior experience necessary. This group is for parents without there little ones, although parents with newborns are welcome to bring their babies along. Please email for advance registration. $30/Individual $45/couple. No one will be turned away.

To register for any of these classes please call 510.644.1097 or send an email to ghassanphd@aol.com

It’s not always easy to know when to start solids, which food to introduce first, or how to safely prepare them for your infant. This class will take all of the guesswork out of giving your baby the best nutrition and a healthy relationship with food right from the start.

Ideally, you will take this class when your child is 3-6 months of age. Parents of older children are also welcome.

Class will include:
*Understanding when your child is ready for solid food and why
*Safe first foods, looking beyond rice cereal and across the globe
*Foods to avoid
*How much food to give your child
*Food texture and choking hazards
*Recommended tool kit for making first feedings fun and stress-free
*Discussion of our own relationship with food
*Conversation on family mealtime and why it’s important
*Recommended resources on healthy eating for you and your growing child
Babies are welcome!
Date/Time: Friday September 28th , 11:00-12:30
Cost: $39 for one parent, $70 for both parents

About the teacher:
Virginia Watkins completed her post-graduate studies in Nutrition Education at Bauman College in Berkeley, CA. While an undergraduate at Duke University, she studied French cooking in Montpellier, France, continuing an early fascination with food. In 1996, she began working at the American Institute of Wine & Food in San Francisco; Virginia helped create and manage projects ranging from ingredient tastings to a children’s garden project. Subsequently, she spent seven years working for Niman Ranch, the leading brand in the sustainable meat industry. As a National Retail Sales manager, she worked closely with customers such as Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. She is also the mother of a two well-fed boys, ages one and four.

In addition to working with families and individuals, Virginia has spoken to hundreds of people in community talks, coaches moms through a recurring 6-week workshop on nutrition and wellness, and teaches cooking classes to adults and pre-schoolers.

My practice is focused on helping moms feed themselves and their families great-tasting, nutritious food. I counsel women pre-conception, through their pregnancies and post-partum. I love helping families learn to shop, cook, and eat together in the most enjoyable way possible.

Virginia is also a member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, Weston A. Price Foundation, and Bay Area Family Wellness, a collective of Bay Area health care professionals dedicated to providing families with the tools and services they need to improve all aspects of their health and wellness.

Address:
Carmel Blue Pregnancy & Parenting
1418 Grant Ave
San Francisco, CA
94133

A tum e time graduate, Kelsey Lowitz, is co-leading this workshop.

Move, Grow, Know!

Cultivating Self-Compassion

Do you want to stop being so hard on yourself? Handle difficult emotions with greater ease? Motivate yourself with kindness rather than criticism?

Cultivating Self-Compassion is a 6-week workshop offering practical skills towards living a happier, more fulfilling life. Through daily-life exercises, mindfulness meditation, and group discussions we will offer strategies for cultivating self-compassion and reducing stress in yourself and others.

Self-compassion is a skill that can be learned by anyone. It involves generating feelings of kindness and care towards yourself as an imperfect human being, and learning to be present with greater ease during life’s inevitable struggles. It is an antidote to harsh self-criticism, making us feel connected to others when we suffer, rather than feeling isolated and alienated.

Dates:   6 weeks, Tuesday evenings from October 9 – November 13
Time:     7:00 – 9:00 PM
Location:  5665 College Ave. Suite #230B Oakland.  At Rockridge Bart, above Market Hall.
Cost:    $240
Registration or more info: Call (415) 692-1172 or email:  Jamie@drjamieepstein.com
*Early registration suggested as class is limited to 8 participants.