The idea of failing isn't something that sits well with me.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist and moving outside my comfort zone to embark on something new or challenging can make me feel things that I would rather not feel. But I'm learning that one of the best ways to grow and improve in anything, is to do something I've never done before.   

I have struggled for years combining my work as a developmental therapist in Early Intervention and my philosophy on child development and parenting.  As a therapist, I've felt pressure to conform to the norms and widely-held beliefs about how therapy should "look."  Though these norms always made me feel uncomfortable, I didn't know what else to do as a therapist until I learned about RIE and the idea of respectful parenting.  With RIE I have found that less is often more. In the conversation below, the idea of "less is more" is explained in my response to the parent of an infant receiving physical therapy who shares her struggles with the approach to therapy and her philosophy on supporting a child's development. 
*Names have been changed for confidentiality. 

The following blog was a guest post I had the honor of writing on www.janetlansbury.com.

Janet:
I’m often asked by parents of children with special needs whether respectful care practices, which are based on trust in our children as competent whole people at birth, can possibly work for them. And if so, how? Based on the feedback I have received from parents and professionals in the field, the answer is a resounding “yes!” But since my own work with families has not included many of these children, I don’t have experiences and details to share firsthand. Enter Sandra Hallman, a child development specialist and early intervention therapist who recently contacted me by email.