Testimonials
"Studying with Deborah transformed my relationship with my child"
"It’s amazing how I feel more confident, more peaceful and more hopeful. I got a real paradigm shift, a real mindset shift, a real change of vision of what respectful parenting could be. I know what it sounds like, what it feels like, what it looks like and I have a clearer understanding and vision of what it can be. I truly owe it to Deborah to parent in this way."
—Brittany L., New York
"Deborah's course was consistently engaging from start to finish"
"Your class was so powerful for me—first and foremost, you are a fantastic teacher with so much wisdom. Your teaching style emulates much of what you are advocating—awareness of pace, tone of voice, observation and firm but respectful guidance. Thank you for that.”
—Natalie G., New York
"I am more patient, I assume less and listen more"
"I feel I am better equipped now to interact with the toddlers in my class. I allow them more time to just be themselves. It has shifted my perspective in the sense that I respect them more for being children in a specific phase of their development. I guess I was trying to develop their independence without seeing sometimes that independence is a by-product of the way we educate them. We cannot force children to be or do something they do not want to do or they are not ready for. Even the relationship with my teenage children has changed. I trust that they have the capability to solve their own problems. They express themselves, we discuss and they find a solution when a problem arises."
—E. Triquet, Shanghai, China
"We truly appreciate how beautifully Deborah conveys the message of self-respect and establishing confidence in the RIE tenets to the parents of our students”
"Here at the Children’s Center, we believe strongly in the principles of RIE® and incorporate them into our practice in the Infant and Toddler classrooms. These principles of respectful caregiving and image of the child as capable and competent tie in strongly with our own tenets of Sense of Security, Sense of Belonging, Socialization and Guidance, and Learning through Play."
—Ani Shabazian, Ph.D. / Director of the LMU Children’s Center and Associate Professor, LMU Department of Education, Los Angeles
"I now have tools and know how to respond"
"I took the Peaceful Toddler™ course because my child was biting, and I didn’t know what to do to make her stop. This course helped me to understand why she was biting, what I could do to prevent it, and what to do when it happened."
—Rebecca L-O., Maine
"We feel so blessed"
"You have forever impacted our relationship with our children, and we are incredibly grateful to you!"
—Katherine K., California
"Inviting Deborah to share RIE® with the Early Head Start Home Visitors was the best decision to start off the program year"
"The Home Visitors walked away inspired with ideas for how to share what they learned with parents and more importantly, the confidence to implement strategies right away. Hearing the Home Visitors reflect on what they learned and how it would impact their work with parents and families was truly exciting. I know they are prepared and have gained essential skills and knowledge to improve their practice."
—L. Capello, Senior Director of QUALITYstarsNY
"I am so grateful for this course"
"Throughout the course, I felt shifts in my thinking and understanding of caregiving that opened me to a deeper understanding of how to connect with my child respectfully and lovingly. Deborah’s guidance and knowledge are truly inspiring to anyone who might want to connect more with their role as a caregiver. She shares her struggles and celebrations as a mother and RIE facilitator through her stories. If you have even a slight call to do the RIE Foundations course, please follow that feeling. Do it for you and, most importantly, for your children."
—Melissa A., Shanghai, China
"I walked away feeling inspired, refreshed, and eager to learn more"
"As a professional nanny, I’m well versed in the demanding needs of infants and toddlers alike. The RIE® Foundations™ course afforded me an opportunity to meet with a likeminded but very diverse group to discuss principles as they applied directly to our lives with children. Deborah made the content accessible and facilitated discussions in ways that engaged participation from everyone in the room."
—Ruta M., New York
"Deborah's patience, grace, and tangible reverence for infants were truly inspirational"
"Everything about Deborah, from her calm tone of voice to her smooth and elegant mannerisms, personifies Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach. She imbued our class with an atmosphere of respect, indulged each and every one of our questions and concerns, and encouraged meaningful discussions on all aspects of Educaring. Deborah helped me internalize Magda’s teachings in a way that just reading could never accomplish.”
—Elisa R., Florida
"Deborah’s course exceeded my expectations on all counts"
"After learning as much as I could about RIE® on my own, I knew I wanted to go deeper. Signing up for the RIE® Foundations™ course felt like a leap of faith, but Deborah’s course exceeded my expectations on all counts. Deborah is a thoughtful and conscientious communicator. She easily wove theory, practice and real life scenarios into her discussions in a way that made Magda Gerber’s Educaring® Approach feel practical, enjoyable and even profound. What’s more, Deborah cultivated a warm and engaging discussion group. I appreciated that the course stayed true to Magda Gerber’s original approach, but was balanced by openness to new research and modern realities. I came away from the course with more introspection and purpose, eager to apply what I learned in my family and in my work."
—Amber W., London, UK
"Deborah has transformed our lives"
"There’s a lot of information out there right now. Deborah distills it into a very powerful approach in her Peaceful Toddler™ course. You will have a toolkit of how to respond to the meltdowns — the big stuff to the little stuff — and how to navigate challenges with your child. If you’re even considering it, I’d say absolutely jump in. Taking Deborah’s course, I can’t think of a better investment. It’s a very reassuring, empowering forum where you don’t feel alone."
—Fielding E., Los Angeles, CA
"What I learned from Deborah profoundly impacted my parenting"
"The course went far beyond all my expectations. I gained an immeasurable amount learning from Deborah's vast breadth of knowledge, immense experience, and thoughtful insights."
—Ilanit G., Tel Aviv, Israel
"Deborah has provided me with reassuring guidance"
"I have taken three workshops with Deborah and each has been a nurturing and enriching learning process. Deborah's workshops have been a safe place to deal with the uncertainty and exciting challenge of being a parent."
—Alejandro V., London, UK
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