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About Secure
Beginnings Hello, my name is Mika Gustavson. I'm a mom, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and the founder and Director of Secure Beginnings. My professional background includes over 10 years of counseling and teaching parenting skills, early childhood teaching and music teaching. I have a degree in music from Stanford University, and have led classes and workshops for parents, teachers and mental health professionals for over 10 years. In the years before becoming a mother, I spent a lot of time helping young children get over a bad start in the early years. I came to believe that what we do in our children's earliest lives beginning before birth through school-age has an enormous impact on both their ability to reach their full potential, and on parents abilities to help them get there. I founded Secure Beginnings hoping to reach parents of very young children, and help them develop tools, skills and resources to connect with their children in an optimal way. That connection, I believe, is the key to successful, joyful parenting. Secure Beginnings, based in the Silicon Valley, offers a variety of classes and services to assist families. For the parents of children "on the way," Bradley® childbirth education prepares mothers physically and emotionally, and more importantly, helps parents assume the responsibility of caring for their children even before they are born. Natural childbirth is the best way to start out your relationship with your child, but if that is not possible, there are all kinds of ways to support and enhance that beginning. The Bradley method addresses all of these issues. I used it myself with my own child, and found it a wonderful, empowering experience. For the parents of children ages 6-18 months, Signing Together classes offer new ways of communicating with your child. Signing enhances your child's self-esteem, by letting her tell you what she needs. It makes you a keen observer of your child's signals to you, so that you can respond readily to those needs. It gives you a window into your child's world, so you can know what she thinks, what he wonders about. Signing can be another tool in giving your child the best start possible. Secure Beginnings also offers parenting consultations and coaching. I will meet with you, in your home if necessary, to help you develop strategies for more effective, more connected parenting, in a way that fits your family and your personality. This can be on a one-time, intermittent or regular basis, depending on your needs. Secure Beginnings is a developing organization. Future plans include support groups for parents, and parenting classes. I am always looking for new ways to help parents set the stage for the optimal development of their children. I invite you to browse my website, and send me any comments or questions you may have. If I can help you in any way towards being the best parent possible for your child, I would be honored to do so. Parenting may be the most challenging thing we do, but it should be the most rewarding and joyful thing, as well. I wish you success in your parenting journey!
phone: 408-626-8444 |
