We first met Clarice when our daughter was just six weeks old through a class that she led called The Connection Group. In this class, Clarice taught us so much about how to be an “active” parent, how to interact with children in a way that they would both understand and respond to, and how to provide children wwith the tools, resources, and love needed to succeed and grow into independent, capable people. Through play, songs, stories and discussion, Clarice engaged us and our children, and provided us with a community of like-minded parents – many of whom we are still in close contact with.

          We also had the absolute pleasure of working with Clarice in one-on-one sessions through company, Autumnlife. I don’t think I could ever put into words what an absolute blessing it was to have her come into our home and sit with us. Her gentle guidance helped us recognize the small changes we could make to the way we interacted with our daughter that would have a huge impact on the dynamic shared between us. What we thought were mild behavioral issues with our daughter turned out to be a mismanagement of communication and a lack of understanding. With Clarice’s help, we were able to develop the skills to both recognize our daughter’s needs more accurately and communicate with her in a way that was developmentally appropriate. Through managing our expectations, slowing down, and taking the time to recognize what our daughter was trying to communicate with us, we’ve really been able to enjoy our time with her so much more.

          Since that first day in class, almost two years later, Clarice has become so much more to me than just a group leader or “expert”. In my darkest days, she has provided me with comfort, kindness and a shoulder to (literally) cry on. On my best days she has provided me with the resources I need to be strong, capable, nurturing mother to my daughter. She has inspired me to be better, to work harder, to understand my limits and emotions. She has taught me how to be more emotionally available to my daughter, how to provide her with the tools she needs to express herself and advocate for herself, and how to be present in a world that is filled with distractions. Through Clarice I have learned that it’s okay to feel overwhelmed sometimes, but that one of the most important things in parenting is to be present and aware of your children, to really listen to them, and to provide the opportunity to grow and learn in their own time. I am so grateful for our time with Clarice and I know that anyone who gets the opportunity to work with her will be, too!

-Samantha and Matt Benson, Parents