OUR MISSION STATEMENT:

Every child has strengths. Whether we’re dealing with the gifted or the challenged, it’s easy to lose sight of that as we struggle to educate, understand and discipline our kids. Our wish as educators and parents is to draw the best from every child, no matter their talent or ability. But how?

To support a child’s strengths, we must first recognize them. Our job at Empathy Associates is to give you the hands on tools and techniques that will help you with real world issues you encounter every day. We create a safe environment where people feel free enough to share what’s *really* going on in the classroom or at home and then we work together through discussion, role play and activities to craft solutions that will work.

Joy and structure are key to an optimal learning experience. We encourage teachers and parents to set high standards for children while recognizing that often it is up to them to hold a higher vision for that child until the child himself can embrace it.

WHY EMPATHY ASSOCIATES?

With over twenty-five years of experience in a wide variety of settings Janice Smestead has the ability to communicate in laymen’s terms, eliminating jargon and cutting through buzzwords to clearly convey real information. By actively listening to what’s really going on, she can connect with her audience on a gut level, often cutting through confusion and frustration to reach the core issue. Her humor and energy along with her wide experience allow her not only to offer solutions based on her own experience, but to literally midwife solutions and techniques of the participants themselves. By the end of the program, people will leave with a positive vision and concrete tools to improve their situation. Things will be better.