Parenting Support Group in Ottawa
10-Week Group for Parents of Children Ages 3–10
Parenting is one of the most important relationships in a child’s life, and also one of the hardest to navigate. It’s common to feel unsure how to respond to a meltdown, a power struggle, or a child who seems to need something you can’t quite name. This isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong.
This 10-week, in-person group at MindSpa Mental Health Centre – Kanata is designed to help parents of children ages 3–10 build practical, relationship-based skills for responding to behaviour, strengthening connection, and supporting their child’s emotional development — without punitive approaches or one-size-fits-all advice. Rosemary (Rose) Clark, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), facilitates the sessions.
Now accepting registrations for Spring 2027. The next group runs on Mondays from April 5 to June 14, 2027. Spots are limited to 10 parents.
Program Details
• Program: Parenting Support Group
• Participants: Parents/caregivers with at least one child ages 3–10
• Facilitator: Rosemary (Rose) Clark, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)
• Location: MindSpa Mental Health Centre – Kanata, (in-person)
• Address: 320 March Rd #201, Kanata, ON K2K 2E3
• Length: 10 weekly sessions, 90 minutes each
• Dates:Mondays, April 5 – June 14, 2027 (no session May 24, Victoria Day)
• Time: 6:30pm – 8:00pm
• Group Size: 4–10 participants
• Cost: $90 per session ($900 for the full 10-week program) · $140 per couple, per session
• Payment: Pay per session or pay for the ten sessions upfront
• Included: One 30-minute individual 1:1 session, plus workbook/instructional materials
• Home practice: Approximately 30 minutes of intentional play with one child, once a week, for six consecutive weeks
• Screening/consultation: A brief conversation to confirm fit before enrolling — see “Ready to Apply?” below
What Parents Will Learn
- Practical, play-based skills for responding to your child’s behaviour
- Ways to hold consistent, calm boundaries without punitive discipline
- Tools for supporting your child’s emotional regulation
- Approaches that may help support your child’s self-esteem
- Skills for strengthening connection and communication with your child
- How to apply what you’re learning at home through structured weekly practice
Who This Group Is For
This group is open to parents and caregivers who have at least one child between approximately 3 and 10 years old. It may be a good fit if you:
- Struggle with your child’s behaviour and aren’t sure how to respond
- Find it difficult to hold consistent boundaries
- Want alternatives to punitive parenting approaches
- Want to support your child’s emotional regulation
- Are concerned about your child’s self-esteem
- Want to strengthen your relationship with your child
- Sometimes feel powerless, frustrated, or unsure how to respond
- Want practical tools you can use at home
Every family is different, and not every parent will relate to every point above — this group is meant to meet you where you are, not to suggest you’re parenting incorrectly.
Why Learn Parenting Skills in a Group?
Parenting struggles can feel isolating — especially when it seems like every other family has it figured out. Learning alongside other parents can help you:
- Hear real examples from other families navigating similar challenges
- Recognize that parenting struggles are common, not a personal failing
- Reduce shame and isolation around asking for support
- See how the same skills can apply differently across different children and situations
- Learn through group discussion and facilitator demonstration
- Access structured, small-group support rather than figuring it out alone
Every family’s experience is different, and this group isn’t built on the assumption that all children or parenting challenges look the same.
What Is Child-Parent Relationship Therapy?
This group is based on a simplified version of Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT), sometimes called filial therapy. The underlying idea is straightforward: the relationship between a parent and child can itself be one of the most important environments for a child’s emotional and behavioural development.
Rather than sending a child to therapy alone, CPRT teaches parents practical, play-therapy-informed skills they can use directly at home — learning to recognize and respond to a child’s feelings and behaviour, hold appropriate boundaries, and create regular moments of focused, connected play. Parents don’t need to become therapists — they simply learn specific, practical skills to use within the relationship they already have with their child.
Through this process, children have the opportunity to develop stronger emotional and behavioural skills, and parents often build greater confidence in handling difficult moments. Individual results will vary.
What Parents May Explore / Practice Through the Program
Throughout the 10 weeks, participants will have opportunities to explore and practice:
- Stronger parent-child relationships
- Healthier, more consistent boundaries
- Greater parental confidence in difficult moments
- A deeper understanding of children’s social and emotional needs
- Responding more intentionally to behaviour, rather than reactively
- Skills that may support children’s emotional regulation
- Skills that may support children’s developing self-esteem
- Connection and communication within the family
- A more positive and enjoyable parent-child relationship
Individual results will vary.
Meet the Facilitator
Rosemary (Rose) Clark
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), CRPO #20655
Rose works with teens, adults, couples, and families, with particular experience supporting parents through parenting-related challenges. Drawing on her counselling psychology training and background as a parenting coach, she brings a warm, collaborative approach that blends practical tools with compassionate listening.
Location
This is an in-person group held at:
MindSpa Mental Health Centre – Kanata (West End)
320 March Rd #201, Kanata, ON K2K 2E3 (613) 592-1001
The Kanata location is easily accessible for parents throughout Kanata, Ottawa’s west end, and surrounding communities.
Cost
Individual parent $90 per session · $900 for the full 10-week program
Couples / two parents of the same child or children $140 per couple, per session
Your one 30-minute individual 1:1 session and workbook/instructional materials are included in the program cost. Participants may want to bring their own binder or duotang to keep materials organized; if you miss a session, we’ll email you the materials.
Insurance: Insurance coverage varies by individual plan. If you plan to submit receipts to an insurer, please confirm your coverage directly with your insurance provider and contact MindSpa if you need information about the receipt that will be provided.
Ready to Apply?
Step 1: Initial Consultation / Screening Reach out to confirm the group is a good fit. You’ll be asked to be a parent/caregiver of at least one child ages 3–10, and to confirm you’re able to attend consistently and complete the home-practice component each week.
Step 2: Complete Pre-Group Information Before the group begins, you’ll complete a short set of pre-group measures (Week 1) — this simply helps track progress and isn’t a formal diagnostic process. You’ll complete a matching set again at Week 10.
Step 3: Confirm Registration Once we confirm your spot, you’ll receive the full program schedule and details for your first session.
Reservations for Spring 2027 are handled in the order they’re received. Group size is limited to 10 participants.