Christina's class has been THE most supportive thing I've done for myself and baby boy. We joined…read moreher playgroup class when he was only 4 months old (over a year ago) and he's thrived so much because of it. Our weekly play group-classes have provided invaluable social skills, bodily coordination development/learning, and parent education; my now one and a half yr. old is thriving, confident, secure & super coordinated! Christina holds a 1.5 hour class, almost all free play, with simple age appropriate objects/toys in a light-filled play space (at Then Comes Baby in Oakland). The RIE principles that she teaches has supported my son's natural development; like letting him roll, crawl, walk, etc, at his own natural pace as opposed to propping him up or helping him in ways that might by-pass his own learning & discovering. It's been such good practice to learn to let them figure things out on their own and resist the temptation to "help" or interrupt their natural curiosity and frustration as they learn new skills and limits. Of course we also get plenty of practice of setting boundaries for and with our children as well. This group has really helped my partner & I have a healthy and balanced parenting style and reduced our stress as new parents. The community of babies and parents has also been super sweet; you don't have to do this alone! Christina is experienced, knowledgable, and very encouraging. I highly recommend working with her!

From the owner: Respectful Caregiving: Balanced Families, Secure Babies…read more Respectful Caregiving is dedicated to supporting families with babies and toddlers throughout the Bay Area. My work is inspired by Magda Gerber's Educaring® Approach (RIE®). This Approach encourages trust in the infant for knowing how and when to develop. We caregivers do not consider it our responsibility to "teach" children how to move, play, or learn. Instead, it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment conducive to self-initiated play and discovery. The Approach places emphasis on the quality of the nurturing relationship between caregiver and child, and has many specific suggestions for how to make that relationship as respectful and cooperative as possible. Parents using the Educaring® Approach report significant a decrease in the perceived burden of parenthood, and a corresponding increases in their confidence and enjoyment as parents. Children raised with this Approach are emotionally aware, confident, graceful, creative, independent, and secure in their sense of selves. I offer RIE® certified classes such as Before Baby™ and Nurturing Nanny. I also offer sleep consulting, parent coaching, nursery design/babyproofing, workshops, and individualized nanny training.

I took a Parenting by Connection Course from Angela and it was truly transformative…read more She is fantastic and I highly recommend her as a teacher. She is great as a one on one parenting coach as well.

We started working with Angela more than 5 years ago when we were struggling with some parenting…read morechallenges. She is an amazing teacher, listener and counselor who has truly changed our lives with her insights about parenting/relating and her wise, compassionate and encouraging presence. We feel blessed to know her and to have the opportunity to continue to work with her.

Note: This review is about the Anger Management course. I…read morehave nothing but great things to say about this place! It is a very welcoming and friendly place. If you are like me, Introverted and afraid to share your personal details to complete strangers, don't be. Both the Tuesday Evening 6:30- 7 :30 p.m. Proctor Sabrina and the Wednesday Afternoon 4 p.m- 5 p.m Proctor Roxanne were very attentive, non judge mental and supportive. (Note: Roxannes classes were last on Hold due to Covid.) Your class or group members are also very supportive and friendly. We are all trying to accomplish similar goals. Due to Covid, since April, classes are currently held through zoom. The instruction is just as great as in the in-person meetings. The classes are structured. You will be using a workbook, however there is a lot of group interaction. Your name will be called in every class and you will be expected to give input about a specific topic discussed. What is so great about this class is that what you learn goes beyond just anger related knowledge. You learn a lot of life skills that apply to any age. No matter what your background is you will learn a lot of helpful strategies on how to deal with stress , frustration, anger and how to react positively to challenges that come our way. I must give a shout out to Ellen, who deals with the administrative side of things. She is super warm and friendly. She is also very responsive if you have any questions or needs related to the course you are taking. She's very organized and on top of things. I know the opposite is a complaint of many businesses or programs. You won't find disorganization here. Lastly, if you are hesitant for any reasons to attend, don't be. There are people joining for all sorts of reasons. Some come for court mandate and some just want to improve themselves. It is a very welcoming environment. It was a very positive experience. I believe most people who take this course will be very glad they did.

My experience with this organization has been extremely disappointing and, in my opinion, reflects…read morea system that prioritizes billing over meaningful support for families. I was ordered by the court to participate in co-parenting counseling through COPE, which effectively left me with no practical alternative provider. Prior to beginning services, I was informed by Megan that the cost would be approximately $45 per session. I was later surprised to discover that I was being charged approximately $160 per session instead. When I raised this concern, Megan Van Carpels advised me that she would investigate the discrepancy and recommended that I request reimbursement. Despite multiple communications, I never received a follow-up or resolution. I was ultimately directed to contact Headway on my own, leaving me to navigate the issue without any meaningful assistance from the organization. I was equally disappointed with the quality of the counseling services provided. My sessions with Isabel often lacked structure, guidance, and actionable feedback. Rather than facilitating productive communication, identifying areas for improvement, or helping develop effective co-parenting strategies, many sessions consisted primarily of passive observation. As a result, I found myself questioning the value being provided relative to the substantial fees being charged. For a service that is frequently court-ordered and intended to support families during challenging circumstances, I expected greater transparency, accountability, professionalism, and therapeutic value. Instead, I was left frustrated by the billing practices, lack of follow-through, and overall quality of the services received. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this organization.

We loved having Leticia as our night nanny. She was very professional and knowledgeable. Leticia…read morehelped us diagnose and address any issues as we are first time parents. It felt like having a nurse supporting us through those early weeks. She communicated clearly and consistently, which gave us a lot of peace of mind. We recommend her to all of our friends to have some sanity during the newborn stage! Totally worth the investment.

Having Letícia by my side on the day I gave birth meant so much to me. Right after my baby was…read moreborn, when I was overwhelmed with emotions and still trying to process everything, she was there with me. She truly cared for me. She guided me through those first moments, explained things calmly, and helped me feel more secure during such a sensitive time. The way she spoke to me, the way she looked at me, and how she respected my pace made all the difference. Letícia was incredibly kind to me. She brought me peace when I needed it most. She was more than just a professional. I felt like I had a friend there, someone who genuinely cared about me and my experience. I'm so grateful she was part of that moment in my life, and I wholeheartedly recommend her. Having Letícia there made my birth and those first moments as a mom feel so much lighter.

The first several months of your baby's life, especially for first time parents, can be filled with…read morestress, anxiety, lack of sleep, self neglect, worry, and the list goes on. Fortunately for my wife and I, we were blessed to have one of the best Doula's working with Carte Blanche stay with us for the first three months after my wife delivered our son. However, her services started far before the birth of our son. Prior to the delivery she provided us with several consultations to help us prepare for the arrival of our baby. This included things expect, measures and responses we could make as a team in the event of emergencies, what issues and emergencies to watch out for, how to prepare the home and the nursery for the baby, what supplies/toys/equipment to purchase, emotional support, and most importantly- lots of hand holding and reassurance. Our Doula explained the Carte Blanche philosophy of recognizing the major needs of all newborns, how to anticipate those needs, and how to preemptively address those needs before the baby becomes stressed and reacts to lacking those needs. One of the most amazing and unique value of Carte Blanche is that their Doula's will live with you for 3 months after your baby is delivered. This allowed our Doula to help us develop a consistent structure and regimen which allowed for a much smoother developmental course for our baby. Although our Doula took the role of the primary caretaker for our son, she was never intrusive, nor dismissive of our wishes, preferences, or lifestyle; however, it was also very obvious that her primary concern was our baby and that would never be compromised. Our Doula created an hourly schedule for every aspect of our baby's life days in advance. This not only helped us coordinate our schedules and lives, but also helped to minimize the random unpredictable events which made these first few months so much less stressful. At our request, our Doula also slept in the baby's nursery and took care of all the night time feedings, diaper, changes, and any other needs our baby may have throughout the night. At first we were apprehensive and felt a bit guilty leaving our baby to the care of someone else during the night. However, this allowed us to be well rested to have better engagement and quality time with our baby throughout the day. If what I have just described hasn't sold you on Carte Blanche, perhaps this may be one of their most compelling value propositions. The Carte Blanche method is to facilitate all newborn babies to sleep through the night (at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep) by the end of the 12th week. This almost sounded too good to be true but was a huge selling point for my wife and I. In our case, the first night we had our baby overnight without the Doula, he slept 13 hours straight through. Our baby is now just over 8 months old and has continued to sleep 8-12 hours every night since our Doula has left. In addition, our baby has been an incredibly easy tempered baby who rarely cries, and is always smiling and laughing. Some may call that luck of the draw, but I believe the Carte Blanche method of setting up a predictable structure, minimizing stress within the household, and anticipating and preempting our baby's needs is what helped him develop and grow with as little stress as possible. Lastly, I don't want to fail to mention what I found to be the most valuable and priceless part of having a Doula with us for those crucial early months. Our Doula fell in love with Hudson as we fell in love with him. She instantly felt like family and became family. She not only had the knowledge, expertise, and experience we needed to help two totally clueless first time parents; but more importantly, she loved our baby boy to such a great degree, that we could trust her in every capacity to love him, to protect him, and always have his best interest at heart (even above her own). And to this day, even though she is no longer living with us, we still consider her a part of our family, we speak regularly, we see each other regularly, and she is always invited to holiday gatherings and family functions. There is no substitute, comparative, or alternative service that I would ever recommend for such an important and critical time in your child's life. I'd give them 100 star rating if that existed

I never knew a 24 hour a day live in doula existed until I met Carte Blanche Parent Services. They…read morewere able to set me up with the most fantastic Doula. If you are looking for a very well experienced Doula I would recommend you reach out to them they can even travel with your family to care for your child.

Joanna was our night doula from the night we took our baby home until she was about 2 months old…read more She was such a lifesaver for us as first time parents who had no idea what we were doing! Here's why we loved her: * Family-focused, not just baby-focused - she was the only person we interviewed who asked my husband how he was doing! * Helped me figure out best positions for nursing, how to swaddle, burping, and all hectic things about feeding a newborn * Brought so much positive energy and warmth, clearly feels huge responsibility and optimism about the next generation we're all raising * Flexible and generous with her time, always made sure the baby was fully asleep in our room even if it meant she stayed a few min overtime * Responsive and well read on all things baby-related, often shared articles or documentaries about raising babies * Strong network of postpartum supporters, e.g., helped us find our lactation consultant and another doula for when she was out of town Joanna was a joy to work with and such a reassuring presence during those first few weeks home from the hospital. Highly recommend reaching out to her!

I highly recommend scheduling a visit because it's an experience you will look forward to every…read moretime. I was thankfully introduced to Joanna by a friend and I loved the 1st experience so much I'm integrating sound healing sessions as part an investment in my health and well being. Joanna is a true professional very knowledgeable, great communicator and listener, friendly, centered, calm, and empowering. I've become a believer and so will you ;) cheers