Reflections on Experiences in a Community-Based Parent Support Group: Parent Whisperers

Abstract

The authors of this chapter introduce The Talk, Touch, and Listen While Combing Hair model, a community-based parent support group. The culturally appropriate curriculum centers the everyday task of hair combing to address issues around parent–child relationships. Hair combing interaction involves specific behaviors involving verbal interaction (talk), touch, and reading and responding appropriately to cues given by the child (listen) that can be used to strengthen parent-child attachment. This is particularly beneficial for low-income African-American mothers and young children who are disproportionately impacted by racial disparaties in community mental health services. Modeled on principles of The World Cafe, the topics of the parent group include emotion regulation, relationship-based interaction, and processing childhood traumatic memories of the legacies from the historical trauma of slavery related to hair type and skin color. Peer coaches called “parent whisperers,” model active listening, provide positive feedback, and support parents in recognizing their strengths of their parenting skills during hair combing interaction. One of the Parent Whispers shares personal reflections about the importance of the training, as an Asian-American woman.