Here you’ll find our recommended resource list of people, professionals, and places that provide specific services for parents and families.
–PARENTING SUPPORT
–DOULAS
–PEDIATRICIANS
–SLEEP TRAINING/COUNSELING
–NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING
–BODY WORK
–LEARNING DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS
–ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN
–HELPFUL WEBSITES AND RESOURCES
Infant/Toddler & Parent Coaching:
Gail Cohen, MsEd.
424 5th St Brooklyn, NY 11215
gailcohenphotos@gmail.com, tel. 914-466-0049
Infanttoddlercoaching.com
Gail Cohen, MSEd., a developmental educator and parenting coach, has been providing services designed to support best outcomes for children birth to three and their families for over 30 years. She has a Masters degree in Special Education and specialty training and certifications in working with infants/toddlers and their families.
Private in-home sessions are individualized to parent concerns and challenges and child’s developmental needs. Gail has extensive experience working with babies and toddlers at risk for or experiencing developmental delays and specializes in therapeutic services to address social relatedness, sensory processing and communication challenges.
Gail practices in Park Slope and surrounding neighborhoods. Parent coaching and support is offered through a combination of in-home sessions and phone/email contact.
Gail is also a photographer and exhibits her work in the Hudson Valley. She lives in Brooklyn and New Paltz with her husband and has two adult children and four grandchildren.
Childbirth Education and Post-partum Support:
Brooklyn Post-Partum Depression Support Group
www.brooklynppdsupport.org
Molly Peryer
Available for information regarding the group and meeting time and location at 917.549.6012
Chris Lindsay-Abaire
Available for phone support at
917.771.6359
The Brooklyn PPD Support Group meets weekly and is a place where pregnant and postpartum women can get support if they think they are at risk for PPD, are experiencing symptoms and need further help and resources, or are in the care of a therapist and want to attend the group as part of their treatment plan. The group is free and babies are welcome to join us. Women are encouraged to attend for as many weeks as they feel the group is helpful – whether once for information or weekly for ongoing support.
Birth Day Presence
www.birthdaypresence.com
Jada Shapiro, doula coordinator: 917-407-1347, doulas@birthdaypresence.com
Birth Day Presence is a group of labor support and postpartum doulas. Other services available include childbirth education classes, birth photography and support for mothers with postpartum depression/mood disorders.
Labor Support:
Hayley Feldman-Hills
DONA Trained Birth Doula
Lamaze Trained Childbirth Educator
http://www.birthing-partners.com
haley@birthing-partners.com
tel: 347-433-6852
With a loving and sensitive touch and a profound understanding of the birth process, Hayley is committed to “mother the mother” – to soothe her and boost the mother’s confidence, gently encouraging her through the challenges of childbirth. Hayley tailors her care-giving to each individual’s requests and requirements, making it possible for the mother to tap into her own inner strength. Hayley’s goal is to enable the laboring woman – and her partner – to trust in a mother’s innate ability to give birth to her baby.
LOTUS DOULAS
www.lotusdoulas.com
Jessica Sowards
(917) 721-3973
Providing nurturing, continuous and professional labor support to
women and their families. Services include a personalized prenatal
consultation, 24-hour on-call support, extensive resource and referral
network, assistance with initial breastfeeding, and one postpartum
visit in your home. Offering constant, non-judgmental emotional,
physical and informational presence during your labor and birth.
Jessica is a certified labor doula with DONA International and a
member of the Metropolitan Doula Group of NY. Please email
jessica@lotusdoulas.com for further details.
Labor and Post-partum:
Sasha Slocombe
sasha@yogajunk.com
home 718 832 0625
cell 718 887 6290
Labor doula, pre-natal yoga teacher, mommy and me classes
Sasha has been teaching yoga since 2000. She is the proud mother of two girls, Xela age five and Tulsi age two. Sasha combines her work as a yoga teacher and doula to help her clients connect to their own inner teachers. She offers non-judgemental support to families before during and after childbirth.
Post-partum:
Chris Lindsay-Abaire
motherthemother.chris@yahoo.com
917.771.6359
Meema Spadola, PCD
917-627-9834
Meema is part of the Birth Day Presence doula group and can be reached
Meema is a DONA (Doulas of North America) certified postpartum
doula also certified in infant CPR. Her goal as a doula is to help parents feel
confident in their new roles and to work herself out of a job. Meema
is also a knitting teacher and designer and a documentary filmmaker
whose work on body image and family issues has aired on PBS, HBO,
Sundance Channel and beyond.
Tribeca Pediatrics
Tribeca: 212.226.7666
Williamsburg: 718.599.1202
Boerum Hill: 718.855.0580
www.tribecapediatrics.com
Tribeca Pediatrics opened its doors in 1994, when Dr. Michel Cohen moved his practice and growing family to the neighborhood. Dr. Michel’s accessibility and low-intervention approach to comprehensive medical care for babies and children appealed to families living in the area.
As word spread throughout the community, Dr. Michel’s practice grew. To accommodate his growing patient base, he sought other physicians and nurse practitioners who shared his “less is often more” philosophy. Today, Tribeca Pediatrics has offices in Tribeca, Boerum Hill, and Williamsburg, Park Slope, and Midtown.
All Tribeca Pediatrics offices are staffed with caring and qualified providers who are dedicated to providing an unparalleled level of personalized care with the same low-intervention philosophy. Each location has a uniquely hip, playful environment, where artwork, toys, books, and lollipops appeal to children and adults alike.
La Guardia Place Pediatrics:
Vicki Papadeas, MD
Cheryl Wu, MD
Taryn Rio, MD
505 LaGuardia Place l-3
New York, N.Y 10012
212.505.0222
www.laguardiaplacepediatrics.com
Office hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday 9-5, Tuesday and Wednesday 9-6
LaGuardia Place Pediatrics is conveniently located at the crossroads of the West Village, Nolita, Soho and the East Village. It is a pediatric and adolescent practice for every kind of family. Primary care is provided for children in a warm, intimate atmosphere that facilitates getting to know each child and family personally and individually. 45 minute well checkup visits ensure ample opportunity for questions, and a 24-hour telephone on-call service is available for after hours concerns. The pediatricians’ skills come not only from medical training, but also from their own parenting experiences. You won’t find a more accessible and personable group of doctors anywhere.
NYC Sleep Doctor
Janet K. Kennedy, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor, a psychotherapy and sleep consultation practice with offices in Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn. Dr. Kennedy provides in-home consultations for parents of babies and toddlers, developing customized sleep improvement plans tailored to each family’s needs. Dr. Kennedy also provides short-term Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia in adults as well as traditional, insight-oriented psychotherapy.
Janet K. Kennedy, PhD
Clinical Psychologist
NYC Sleep Doctor
www.nycsleepdoctor.com
info@nycsleepdoctor.com
917-834-0107
in-home consultations
offices in Midtown Manhattan and Park Slope, Brooklyn
Laura Fischer-Harbage
Holistic Nutritional Counselor
(917) 501-3411
www.matrihealth.com
Laura Fischer-Harbage of Maitri Health provides holistic nutritional counseling to moms (future, expecting, new or seasoned) and families looking to improve their health and nutrition. Through a customized one-on-one program, parents will better understand their family’s specific nutritional needs and how to meet them. Clients will learn to prepare delicious, healthy foods their whole family will enjoy, along with other tools to achieve optimal health. In addition to overall wellness, Laura specializes in fertility support, special diets and picky eaters. Laura also teaches nutrition and wellness classes as well as parent/child whole foods cooking classes at Still Hip, Get Fresh and in the New York Public Schools.
Donna Fish, LCSW: The Food Coach
Anything you ever want to know about your kids and food, but don’t know who to ask, ask Donna Fish. Donna is a highly regarded expert on eating disorders, and a Manhattan-based mother of three. She’s also known as The Food Coach, and is the author of “Take the Fight out of Food: How to Prevent and Solve Your Child’s Eating Problems” along with other articles. Donna currently writes for The Huffington Post on kids, food, and parenting, offering practical tips on how to manage food-related issues between partners, babysitters, grandparents, schools…you name it.
Like us, Donna works with families in her office and in their homes.
Check out her web-blog filled with information and advice.
www.donnafish.com, or e-mail her at donna@donnafish.com
Michele Carlson LMT
212-353-3878
270 Lafayette St. Suite 607, New York, N.Y. 10012
Michele has been a Licensed Massage Therapist for over 12 years. She is a graduate of The Swedish Institute of Massage and The Barbara Brennan School of Healing. She has also studied with the Upledger Institute. Michele educates her clients to understand their unique energy systems. Her personalized approach lends itself perfectly to work with expectant and new parents, whose energy systems can be easily thrown out of balance. Using Pre & Post Natal Therapy, Energy Healing, Massage, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Thai Massage and Reiki she is able to address issues arising from the challenges of parenting on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
Jenny Lorant, LMT / CIMI®
917.848.2730
jenny@centerherself.com
www.centerherself.com
Jenny Lorant is a licensed prenatal massage therapist and a certified infant massage instructor (CIMI®). With the belief that body, mind and spirit are inseparable, Jenny fuses Eastern and Western bodywork to help women reconnect with themselves. She is a graduate of the Swedish Institute of Massage and has trained with Ohashiatsu, Carol Osborne-Sheets and Diana Moore. Her practice is located in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn and she teaches infant massage privately and to groups around New York City.
Learning Disabilities and Special Needs:
Dinosaur Pediatric Physical Therapy:
Dinosaur Pediatric Physical Therapy is the Brooklyn-based, private practice of Rebecca Talmud, NY State Licensed Physical Therapist certified in NDT, brain gym and infant massage. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy with a clinical speciality in Pediatrics from New York University. She is committed to providing the best quality care to all her clients and works closely with children and their families to ensure success!
Offering:
-Formal/Informal Assessments
-Evaluations
-Treatment Sessions
-Family Training
-Consultations with other providers: SLPs, OTs, SEITs, orthotists
Rebecca Talmud, PT, DPT, Owner
(516)652-9911 www.dinopt.com info@dinopt.com
Kari Groff-Denis, MD
10 Plaza Street, Suite 1C
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Office 646-469-9209
Kari Groff-Denis, MD is a child and adult psychiatrist practicing in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Dr. Groff-Denis is currently clinical assistant professor at the NYU Child Study Center and is authoring a textbook on child psychiatry. She provides diagnostic evaluations and ongoing treatment for both children and adults and is happy to work with current therapists for medication management. She is very familiar with the NYC educational system and helps families to navigate the school placement process. For families with financial stress, she is able to offer a sliding scale. For patient inquiries, please contact her at her Brooklyn office.
Dr. Groff-Denis is also a violinist and children’s songwriter. Her work as a physician inspired her to create an album of songs for children that address emotional issues that kids face growing up like making new friends, how to handle a bully, dealing with feelings, overcoming obstacles, and building self-esteem. The album is called “Jumping Through Hoops; Songs of Bravery and Courage” and features the thoughtful and therapeutic artwork of Jane Archer.
www.myspace.com/jumpingthroughhoops
Ann Smith, LCSW
240 Berkeley Place
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217
718.230.4826
Ann is a child and adult psychotherapist specializing in learning disabilities. She has worked with children and families for 20 years. Ann has advanced training and expertise in the diagnostic understanding of learning disabled children and how these problems impact the lives of their families. Ann’s goal is that the families she works with feel prepared with the knowledge necessary to effectively oversee the educational and social development of their children.
Baby Fingers
A musical journey through language and learning
www.mybabyfingers.com
212-874-5978
Babies as young as one month, children in pre-school or Kindergarten, and toddlers anywhere in- between will benefit from this unique combination of American Sign Language and music, games, stories, and dramatic play. Based on considerable research, Baby Fingers is designed to promote family communication while enhancing motivation to speak, increasing IQ, improving vocabulary and literacy skills, decreasing frustration, refining motor coordination and spatial reasoning skills.
Mommy & Me Classes: Music/Sign, Drama Sign, Kindermusik
Kids and Adult ASL Classes
Music Therapy
Birthday Parties!
Baby Showers
School and Family Workshops
Brooklyn:
Gumbo
493 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11217
718.855.7808
Hours: Monday-Saturday 11-7, Sunday 11-6
Gumbo is just that, a wonderful combination of everything a family could want. Infants and Children’s Wear, Gifts, Women’s Fashions, Accessories, Jewelry, International Crafts and much more are sold in the front of Gumbo. In the rear of the store, an inviting space has been carved out for children’s music classes, as well as parenting workshops for dads and moms. Call Gumbo for a listing of current events, or stop by the store and see for yourself.
ArtsCetera:
718.643.6817
www.artscetera.com
ArtsCetera is a family-oriented arts organization serving the neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill and Park Slope in Brooklyn, New York. ArtsCetera director Nanette De Cillis introduced Music Together® to Brooklyn in 1993. As her music classes for infants and toddlers grew in popularity, and with the dream of creating a multi-use space dedicated to arts activities, ArtsCetera was born in 1998. In addition to its music and art classes for children, ArtsCetera has become distinguished as an alternative space to view contemporary art and continues to expand its roster of performances and other arts-related events.
ArtsCetera offers a variety of music and art classes for children from birth to 6 years old at its Smith Street studio, and at “satellite” locations in the area. The mainstays of ArtsCetera’s music and art classes for children are Arfie’s Music Adventures featuring Arfie and Friends and Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals, with an ever growing schedule of art, art playgroup and other classes. Many ArtsCetera families begin with a music class and move on to sample the art classes and other ArtsCetera offerings.
BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange
421 5th Ave Brooklyn, NY 11215
www.bax.org
718-832-0018
Fax 718-832-9189
BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange is known for its excellence in education since 1991. Over two hundred young people study dance, theater, and related courses year-round in a full range of youth classes for ages 5 months-18 years. Special offerings include Music and Movement for Babies and Toddlers, Boys Movement, Teen Dance and Theater Performance Workshops. In 2006, we welcome BAXco, a new teen dance company performing choreography by guest artists led by director Shannon Hummel. Students study in the context of a professional arts center, at a place where their development is part of the arts and artists in progress family. Teachers are seasoned professionals who are active performers, choreographers, actors or playwrights.
Manhattan:
Biz Kids
www.bizkidsny.com
646.336.9101
Pier 40, West Side Highway at Houston Street
Biz kids ny, inc. is a theater school dedicated to the training of young actors. Biz kids has been incorporated since 1993, although Director Peggy Lewis has been teaching for over 25 years.
The training program is Classic Conservatory-style training. Students study mime, mask, space improvisation, speech, dance/movement, interpretation of scripts from Classics to Contemporary for film, television and theater. Range in age is from 6 to 18, and there are adult classes as well. Biz kids uses guest teachers in movement, musical theater, stage combat, clown and image consultation. They also offer courses in makeup, wardrobe, on-camera and audition techniques and a business course, which parents are encouraged to attend.
HELPFUL RESOURCES AND WEBSITES
www.achildgrowsinbrooklyn.com
A Child Grows in Brooklyn: a road map to parenting in Brooklyn. As a new mother, Karen joined a neighborhood parents group. That inspired her to start this website: It’s a parents group for ALL the neighborhoods of Brooklyn. You can find resources and services, read parent recommendations and learn what is going on anywhere in the borough. Check it out and hopefully, you will benefit from what she have started and help grow it even bigger.
www.brooklyn.babybites.net
Brooklyn Baby Bites is a social and educational program for moms and moms-to-be (and dads too!). Their mission is to provide advice and support to Brooklyn parents through events and online resources. Events include luncheons for new moms and 2nd-time moms, parenting seminars for parents of babies 0-3 years of age, events for expectant parents, sample classes and much more. Their online community offers moms a place to exchange ideas, receive expert guidance, discuss hot parenting topics, and share mom experiences.
GoCityKids
www.gocitykids.com
Winner of the 2006 Webby Award for “Best Family/Parenting website,” GoCityKids gives parents the inside track on places to go, things to do, and resources in cities around the US (and soon, around the world).
Household Organization
The Spacialist:
www.TheSpacialist.com
Disorganized? Too much clutter? Don’t know where to start? Toys everywhere?
Face it, all those out-of-control closets, filing cabinets and stuffed animal piles are taking over more than just your space… they’re muddling your mind. While keeping your family needs a priority, The Spacialist custom creates organizing systems that reflect your individual personality and habits. Organize with The Spacialist and you’ll get it done much faster than you ever would if you were doing it alone.
Call 212-924-4383 and see how The Spacialist can help you.