MARIETTA - A nationally known speaker is bringing his advice on parenting to Washington County for a free workshop.
Norman Shub, clinical director of Columbus-based Gestalt Associates, will present a workshop on effective parenting from 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 30, in the auditorium of Marietta High School.
"It's open to all of Washington County and beyond," said Mollie Hahn, elementary guidance counselor for Marietta City Schools. "We're welcoming whoever wants to come."
The workshop is being presented at no cost to those in attendance or the district after Hahn signed the district up for a chance to play host to Shub during last fall's All-Ohio Counselors Conference. Otherwise, the district could probably only afford to bring in such a program with the use of grant funding, she said.
Hahn described Shub as "a dynamic presenter" who does more than merely talk to an audience.
"He's not just telling you; he's working with you to help you understand," she said.
Fact Box
If You Go
What: Free parenting workshop, featuring Norman Shub, clinical director of Gestalt Associates of Central Ohio.
When: 7 to 8:30 p.m. April 30.
Where: Marietta High School auditorium.
Who: Open to parents and guardians of children, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, in Washington County and beyond. Child care will be provided.
Cost: Free.
Hahn said the program will cover topics that parents of children from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade can use.
"What he's going to cover for us is how to set age-appropriate limits, how to focus on your child's needs and not just the situation, the importance of avoiding shame, blame and fear; helping your child learn through struggling," she said. "And the last one is how to stay flexible when your child pushes your buttons."
Shub is an author, teacher and psychotherapist who has been clinical director of Gestalt Associates and the Gestalt Institute of Central Ohio for more than 35 years. According to the company's website, www.gestaltassoc.com, Gestalt Associates offers counseling and psychotherapy services to individuals, couples and families, along with case management, parenting work, group and case management consultations.
The Gestalt Institute offers post-graduate training for mental health professionals focusing on gestalt theory and applying gestalt principles to individual, marital, family, child and group therapy as well as to organizational and business consulting development, the site says. It describes gestalt therapy as "a present-centered, relationship-oriented treatment approach that focuses on awareness and encourages participation in lifelong growth."
Therapists work from the perspective that individuals and the systems in which they operate can adapt and grow, then work to identify impediments to that growth and develop creative solutions to those obstacles.
