About the Class

TransParenting® is an educational program designed to teach effective parenting during the transitions of divorce and parental separation.  This is an EDUCATIONAL program and not a counseling session.  Parents will not be expected to discuss personal issues.  This class is mandated for all parties to a case where the interests of children under the age of 18 years are involved in the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit. 

The seminar emphasizes each parent’s responsibility to provide a nurturing, non-threatening environment for the child.  Topics include:

• Feelings associated with divorce
• Ways that children of different ages react during transition
• A parenting approach that will benefit your children
• Suggested ways for talking to children about divorce
• Other adjustments children will need to make

The course is taught by professionals who have experience with children and who have been specially trained by the program creator and owner, Families First, to teach the class.  Both of our teachers have taught the class for over 10 years.

Dr. Sandra Israel has a doctorate in education from CaliforniaCoast, an education specialist degree from MercerUniversity, a master of education from BrenauCollege and a bachelor of science degree from BrenauCollege.  She has taught all subject areas in middle and high school in the public school system, drug and alcohol curriculum to adult offenders, GED classes to adults, and real estate courses to adults.  She has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children involved in foster care proceedings and worked as a guardian ad litem for children involved in divorce and custody proceedings.  Along with teaching our TransParenting® classes on the first Wednesday of each month, she serves as the Program Director for our Supervised Visitation program.

Dr. Howard Whitaker has been involved in child abuse and family trauma issues for well over two decades.  Therapist, author, educator, and a priest of the Episcopal Church, he has been a Board Certified Chaplain to psychiatry since 1994, serving in private practice, mental health, and church settings.  Throughout all his travels, he has maintained a home and small private praceict in the area since 1994, and has taught our TransParenting classes since 1997.  More information can be found at  www.howardwhitaker.net.

www.transparenting.com

This website contains a wealth of resources and advice on all topics related to divorce and parenting.

Official TransParenting website

Our 2011 TransParenting class participants completed evaluations and the results are in!!

We had 343 Participants in 2011. There were a total of 625 children belonging to these participants that were involved in a divorce, separation, or change of custody. Of the 343 participants, 341 completed evalutations.

Overall, 94% found our TransParenting class to be helpful!!

89% said they would recommend this class to other divorcing parents!!

95% said this class will help them understand their children!!

Participant Comments

"The class was very informative."

"It was a good class. I learned some things that I didn't really think about."

"I learned how important it is to keep both parents involved in the child's life despite each other's differences."

"The class helped my to see the emotional side that my children have gone through this past year."

"I enjoyed learning about the different stages that we go through during a divorce."

"I learned ways to help my child cope and become adjusted or comfortable with the divorce process and the new homes."

"It was a great class!"