Parenting Class in Libertyville: Practical Skills for Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids

Parenting is one of the most meaningful roles in life, but it doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Especially when it comes to communication, difficult emotions, and navigating family dynamics.

A Ray of Hope in Libertyville is offering an upcoming Parenting Class designed to help caregivers build confidence, learn modern psychology-based strategies, and foster emotionally healthy households.

This six-week course will be led by Dr. Rickspoone, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and marriage and family therapist. Dr. Rickspoone has extensive experience helping parents understand how the developing brain impacts behavior, communication, and emotional regulation — skills that many families benefit from at different stages of childhood and adolescence.

Watch Dr. Rickspoone, Psy.D., talk about this great opportunity for parents HERE 

Interested in joining the upcoming Libertyville parenting class? Show up on the day. NO RESERVATION NEEDED!

What the Class Covers

Over six sessions, parents will explore: the basics of parenting approaches; how the child and adolescent brain develops; emotional regulation strategies; attachment and bonding patterns; communication styles; discipline methods; family dynamics; and how trauma and stress shape behaviors. These topics are grounded in evidence-based psychological frameworks used in clinical family therapy settings — but taught in a practical, approachable, and grounded in real-world parenting scenarios.

This class will convene at A Ray of Hope’s Libertyville office, located at 1860 W Winchester Rd, Ste 106, and meets on January 9th, 30th, February 6th, 13th, March 6th, and 13th at 6:10 pm, with the rate being $40 per session. 

Who This Class is Designed For

Raising a child from early childhood to adolescence is never easy, and this class is here to help. It can be especially valuable for parents navigating school transitions, major life stressors, and blended-family adjustments.

Parents who are dealing with unruly or moody kids, or who need a better understanding of their child's emotional well-being, will also find this class an absolute must. Also, parents who want to iron out any communication issues with their kids will find this class can be a very good starting point.

If you're a caregiver with concerns about your child's development or have a gut feeling that something is off, our Libertyville-centered practice can offer child-centered therapy, family therapy, and psychiatric support when needed.

But this Parenting class isn't about therapy; it’s about a foundation that you can build on.

Why Parenting Classes Matter for Mental & Emotional Development

Modern psychology says that raising kids is not all about discipline and fixing their behavior, but about laying the foundations of emotional intelligence, secure attachments, and how they interact with the people around them. Well-known research shows that a warm and structured approach to parenting is particularly effective, and leads to higher emotional intelligence, better problem-solving, and stronger relationships that can last into adulthood.

Parenting classes for caregivers in the Libertyville area provide practical tools they may never have formally learned. Techniques such as learning how to validate a child's feelings without rewarding their undesired behavior, how to set boundaries that don’t lead to more conflict, and also what is behind a child’s bad behavior, whether it is fear, emotional trauma, neurodevelopmental issues, or simply a normal phase of growth.

Since the sessions are in a small-group setting, run by a licensed psychologist, they're very credible and down-to-earth. There’s plenty of space for questions, sharing experiences and ideas from other families, and applying what has been learned between sessions.

Parenting classes overview from WebMD — a helpful explainer for parents learning about the role of structured classes.
Source: https://www.webmd.com/parenting/what-to-know-about-parenting-classes

About the Instructor: Dr. Rickspoone, Psy.D

Dr. Rickspoone is a psychologist at A Ray of Hope, specializing in work with individuals, couples, and families. Coming from a background in family systems, trauma-informed care, and school psychology, she offers a holistic understanding of what drives behavior and how these patterns play out in the home, school, and social settings.

If you are a caregiver who's looking for further clinical services, such as one-on-one therapy, family therapy, or a neurodevelopmental assessment, you can book through our psychology and therapy team HERE

Where the Class Is Held

All sessions take place at our Libertyville office:

A Ray of Hope – Libertyville

1860 W Winchester Rd, Ste 106

Libertyville, IL 60048

More about our Libertyville location + directions HERE

FAQ: Common Questions We Hear From Parents

Q: Do I need to be a current patient?

A: No — this class is open to the community.

Q: Can both parents attend?

A: Yes. The class is designed to support all household caregivers.

Q: Is this therapy?

A: No. This is an educational class grounded in psychological principles. If needed, therapy can be discussed separately.

Q: What ages does this apply to?