This is Melissa Cook, Licensed Professional Counselor, friend and colleague signing her newly published book, The Power of Validation. Karyn Hall, Ph.D. is the coauthor. The book provides an overview of how to raise an emotionally stable, confident and self-reliant children.
Melissa describes validation as the “recognition and acceptance that your child has feelings and thoughts that are true and real to them regardless of logic or whether it makes sense to anyone else.”
Why not check out the book to find ways to develop your personal awareness of your validating and invalidating communication style in your family?
In particular, The Power of Validation gives you wonderful tips on being a validating parent. In Chapter 5, Melissa describes 6 different levels of validation. These are great tips to provide guidelines on derived from Marsha Linehan (1997) which demonstrate the different types of validation. You will get a real feel of being a “mindful” parent offering opportunities for harmony and competence as a parent. The book is chock full of ideas, exercises and opportunities to fine tune your parenting skills.
