What Is PTC?

Parenting Through Change (PTC)

When life transitions and hardships happen, families need support. The PTC group sessions will strengthen existing skills and teach new skills.

The goal of PTC is to build skills, give hope and to enhance parenting tools.

This is an engaging, hands-on group for parents and other caregivers who have children with difficult behavior.

PTC is an evidence-based program based on years of research and development of proven skills that help families and children during challenging transitions. The world tugs at parents and children in so many ways. Providing parents with tools to help their children enhances the relationship.

PTC can be applied to families with multiple problems:

Parents with mental health challenges (depression, anxiety, antisocial)
Adverse contextual problems (poverty, poor neighborhoods, health problems)
Family transitions (divorce, re-parenting, moves, new births, deaths)
Marital conflict

PTC Intervention Model

In PTC, parents learn new skills to increase effective parenting, that can be used on the child in the home. Through participation in a 10-week group, parents practice skills learned in group and can be utilized in the home.

PTC is tailored for serious behavior problems for youth from preschool through adolescence.

Overt antisocial behavior (noncompliance, aggression, defiance, hyperactivity, fighting)
Covert antisocial behavior (lying, stealing, truancy, fire setting)
Internalizing problems (depressed mood, peer problems, deviant peer association)
Delinquency
Substance Abuse
School Failure

Session Outline

PTC Sessions (10 week group format)

Working Through Change The Change process begins by strengthening hope, identifying strengths and building on a better tomorrow.
Encouraging Cooperation We will demonstrate how to increase your children’s cooperation and help them follow your directions.
Teaching Positive Behavior You will learn how to break goals into small, achievable steps. Learning through encouragement sets children up for success.
Observing and Regulating Emotions We will explore the power of emotions and how they relate to family life as well as how to recognize our own emotions.
Active Communication You will learn techniques that will work for you to regulate emotions.
Setting Limits We will help you find the correct balance of encouragement, discipline and setting limits on children’s behavior to keep them safe.
Following Through We will review and practice the Time Away procedure before you try it out. You will practice how to explain this effective strategy to children.
Problem Solving Relationships are nourished with good communication. We will demonstrate the use of active listening to engage in communication.
Managing Conflict and Encouraging Routines: Incentive Charts All families have problems. We will introduce a tool to help families plan activities, manage conflicts and negotiate agreements.
Putting It All Together We will show how to deal with differences in opinion. A life goal is to make sure you have a balance of work and play.

What Parents Are Saying

“I understand more about how to structure my parenting and my child’s behavior.”

“I feel that the PTC training has been very empowering.”

“My biggest take away is confidence. It’s a relief when you and your child know who’s in charge.”

“It has taught me to stay calm and control my emotions which helps my son do the same.”

“My husband and I were headed for divorce but we are not even close to it now. Thanks to this model our house is calmer and we are working together as a team.”