What's that? It's A LOT! What do we need to know as parents?

Hear from our panel of experts:
Dr. Betsy Gard, Licensed PhD Psychologist
Sophia Rose, High School Senior and Author
Cari Newman, Certified Parent Coach

Moderated by Miranda Barzey, Noar Student Care Coordinator

This program is designed for parents of school-aged children in partnership with the Nefesh Committee.

Please write in any questions/topics you’d like the panel to cover. All questions to the panel are anonymous. You may ask as many questions as you like. We may not get to every question but will do our best! Here are some thoughts to consider.

• Think about the times you feel most frustrated or unsure while parenting. What questions come up that you would like help with?
• Are there any upcoming changes for your child that you would like advice on? This could be school changes (transitioning to pre/elementary/middle/high school/college), family changes (new sibling, moving, divorce, death/illness in family), or social changes (new camp/activity, cliques, making friends). 
• Are there any mental health specific questions you have? This could be about how to find a mental health professional, balancing mental health needs of multiple family members (including you!), or resources for a specific concern. 

Dr. Betsy Gard is an adjunct professor in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Gard has responded to disasters and trauma situations in the United States and in countries around the world. She is a licensed Ph.D. psychologist and has a private practice specializing in trauma, anxiety and depression with children, youth, adults, couples and families.  She is Chair of the Nefesh Committee and a frequent speaker at national conferences.

Cari Newman is a Certified Parent Coach, a Certified Life Coach, and worked as a classroom teacher for 26 years. She supports parents and caregivers as they learn to understand their children, break through frustration and burnout, and sustain a positive, proactive approach to parenting. She supports parents of children with emotion regulation challenges, mental health issues, and social/emotional difficulties; children who don’t listen, don’t get along with others, and don’t follow rules; and children exploring their gender and sexual orientation.

Sophia Rose is a senior at North Atlanta High School with a passion for supporting her community, particularly children and teenagers. For the past four years, she has served as a madricha at Temple Sinai and recently led a mental health-focused class for middle schoolers as part of her work as a BeWell Teen Mental Health Liaison. In 2024, she authored A Guide to Butterflies (In Your Stomach), a children's book on mental health that she has shared widely across the Atlanta community.

Miranda Barzey (she/they) serves as the Student Care Coordinator at NOAR, providing mental health support to students, staff, and parents. Miranda is a licensed counselor and play therapist working with children, families, and young adults navigating LGBTQ+ identities, ADHD, Autism, and childhood trauma.