Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.)

Dr. Thomas Gordon’s, Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) class is the pioneering program that has helped millions of parents around the world since 1962.

Whether you are the parent of a toddler or a teenager, you know that parenting can be challenging–even overwhelming at times. Unfortunately, children do not come with an instruction manual. And being a parent does not always mean that you automatically or instinctively know what to do. Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) offers proven communication skills that really work. When they use these skills, parents are amazed with the dramatic improvement both in their families and in all their relationships. This program was created by award-winning psychologist and three-time Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, Dr. Thomas Gordon in 1962.

You, too, can learn these communication and conflict resolution skills through Dr. Gordon’s P.E.T. program, taught by a certified P.E.T. Instructor. After participation in the P.E.T. course, it is expected that parents will have the ability to:

• Understand the Behavior Window.
• Distinguish between Acceptable and Unacceptable Behavior.
• Determine who “owns the problem” in a given situation.
• Recognise when their child needs their help as a skilled listener.
• Identify the 12 Roadblocks to Communication.
• Avoid the Roadblocks that cause most helping attempts to fail.
• Use silence, acknowledgments and door-openers to help their child with a problem.
• Active Listen to hear their child’s feelings.
• Active Listen to clarify information.
• Acknowledge others’ efforts with Appreciative I-Messages.
• Prevent problems and conflicts using Preventive I-Messages.
• Modify the environment to prevent problems and conflicts.
• Determine what to do when a child’s behavior is interfering with the parent’s meeting their needs.
• Develop a three-part Confrontive I-Message.
• Confront their child’s unacceptable behavior with an I-Message.
• Shift gears between I-Messages and Active Listening when appropriate.
• Recognise conflict situations.
• Avoid the use of Method I and Method II.
• Set the stage for Method III Conflict Resolution.
• Use Method III to resolve a conflict between the parent and child.
• Use Method III to mediate a conflict between others.
• Distinguish between Conflicts-of-Needs and Values Collisions.
• Handle Values Collisions.
• Be able to use the Behavior Window to identify problem ownership and the appropriate skill/s needs to solve the problem.

• Your children will feel free to discuss their problems and concerns with you instead of withdrawing.
• They will learn self-discipline, self-control and an inner sense of personal responsibility.
• You will learn how to work with each other instead of against each other.
• You will experience fewer angry outbursts and more problem-solving.
• Everyone can participate in rule-setting so all will feel motivated to comply with the rules.
• Fewer power struggles–less tension, less resentment, more fun, more peace, more love.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• How to talk to your children so that they will listen to you.
• How to listen to your children so they feel genuinely understood.
• How to resolve conflicts and problems in your family so that no one loses and problems stay solved.
• A method for troubleshooting family problems and knowing which skills to use to solve them.

This intensive, proven program is only taught by instructors certified by Gordon Training International. The P.E.T. class consists of brief lectures, demonstrations, workbook exercises, role-playing, lots and lots of coaching, some homework and a small group discussion.
Each class participant will receive a P.E.T. Workbook, a Participant Certificate, a copy of Dr. Gordon’s Credo
This program is 24 hours total and the schedule depends on the individual P.E.T. Instructor.