Counseling

It takes a village to raise a child
—African Proverb

Marcy Axness, Ph.D., is an early development counselor specializing in fertility, pregnancy psychology, adoption, and early parenting.

Weaving together scientific and spiritual principles, she guides clients in nurturing their children’s optimal development, while helping them realize their magnificent potential as parents.

Marcy Axness comes from a place that allows her a special kind of understanding of the psycho-social development of children. Solidly grounded in the literature, she takes a novel perspective on why we behave the way we do, why we turn out the way we do. And she is a parent. Who could want for more in a parenting counselor and educator?
—Michael Trout, M.A., Director,
Infant-Parent Institute, Champaign, Ill.

My wife and I wanted the best for our son. Marcy’s amazing command of the latest research combined with her experience of raising two children, gave us the confidence to make important decisions regarding our parenting. We wholeheartedly recommend her.
—Scott and Amy Lawder, parents

Things are going really well. I found something so profound in the guided imagery you did with us, that I feel my parenting has been transformed.
—Shannon Branham, parent

I’ve read all the books on adoption, and I’ve got a few adoptive mom acquaintances, but you are the only one who I feel is qualified. I want the adoptee’s opinion.
—Lucy Lafitte, adoptive parent

Why would I need counseling to parent my own child? My parents never had that!

It is only recently in our culture that child-rearing has become an experience isolated from daily contact with extended family, close friends, and others engaged in various stages of parenting. Within these webs of relationship and community existed potent means of initiation for young, would-be parents into the ways of family-making, on both practical and philosophical levels. It also provided built-in education about the needs of children, as well as plentiful support through the challenging endeavor of raising them. Today’s nuclear family format, along with a diminished role of spiritual and other community hubs, deprives parents of once-handy parenting resources, often leaving them feeling stranded at the level of a basic knowledge of parent-craft.

What’s QUANTUM PARENTING counseling like?

My counseling is not therapy, but closer to what is called “psychoeducation,” which focuses on information and tools. I bring to our encounters the latest scientific research, as well as basic principles from spiritual sciences, about the healthy “unfoldment” of children and parents. My lens is normalizing rather than pathologizing, through which I widen the panorama and help you see how your child’s behavior or development issue makes sense in the context of what his or her early experiences have been. The emphasis is on understanding, resources, and practical ideas to try right away, as well as support in accessing and developing your own inner knowing, confidence and joy.

Does it resemble therapy in any way?

Consistent with current findings in attachment science, I encourage and help facilitate ongoing narrative self-inquiry, because—amazingly—the latest neurobiology research suggests that the more sense parents can make of their own early life stories, the healthier their children’s attachment (and thus brain development) will be. Though the safe, empathic space I offer for the exploration of thoughts, feelings and ideas in this regard may resemble that of a psychotherapist, the central guiding question is always How does this fit into and inform the practical, here-and-now experience for you and your child(ren)?

How does the counseling work? How often, how long?

I work by phone with clients around the country, or in person in two Los Angeles locations, with a schedule that is flexible enough to accommodate virtually any counseling need. Sessions are usually 60 or 90 minutes long. Unlike therapy, in which a client can count on weekly sessions for up to a year or more, your course of QUANTUM PARENTING counseling will vary in its length and regularity from someone else’s, because of the wide spectrum of needs and goals. Some clients opt for just a few sessions early on—ideally before conception or adoption—to learn some important developmental principles and clarify their parenting philosophies, and then return from time to time as their children grow and different questions or challenges arise. Other clients discover that they want a more ongoing, regular framework through which to gradually and authentically internalize principles and understandings about children and parenting that may be completely different than those they themselves were raised with. Some simply find that an ongoing routine of knowledgeable, empathic support during their own development as parents is of extreme value—to themselves and to their children—especially if they didn’t experience the best in parenting when they were growing up.

What about the Whole Person Fertility ProgramSM?

The Whole Person Fertility ProgramSM follows a somewhat more clear-cut course, based on its series of exercises and processes and its concrete objective in time—the conception of a baby. I recommend regular weekly sessions and ask that fertility clients commit to a minimum of one season (three months) of dedicated participation in this collaborative work together. It is also highly recommended, especially in the case of a history of miscarriages, that counseling continue during pregnancy to maximize the potential for carrying full-term and to optimize very early parenting. Following the birth, then the broader parameters of Quantum Parenting counseling apply.

What can I expect to learn from QUANTUM PARENTING?

That depends on where it is that you feel a “gap” in your understanding or knowledge about the needs of the infant and young child… or in your confidence about providing that as a parent. One couple recently found that just one QUANTUM PARENTING phone session helped them tweak and clarify some of their understandings about the developmental needs of their 4-month-old son, how those needs would be changing in the coming months, and the practical steps they could take to support their son’s early development.

Moreover, it helped the father - whose own early needs for warm, consistent parenting were not met - to realize that some of his own fears of failing as a parent were misplaced memories of his own experience. This helped him to relax, see what a great job he really is doing, and enjoy parenting more!

QUANTUM PARENTING offers the support and education that allows parents to have “new eyes”… to allow them to “birth” the wise knowing that does reside in them about how to best raise their children. More things you might learn »

What is the cost?

Consultation fees are $150 per hour and $215 per one and one half hours at the Granada Hills office; $170 / $235 at the Westside office. For Whole Person Fertility counseling there is an initial session fee of $345 which includes intake assessments.

In some cases a sliding scale may be offered, based on a variety of needs and counseling goals. To inquire about this, please contact Dr. Axness.

If you are unsure whether counseling will address your questions or issues, or are wondering whether or not it is for you, please contact Dr. Axness with a brief description of your situation, your concerns, or questions.

Until online payment is optimized, clients arrange individual payment with Dr. Axness. Contact us for more information.

You are a very talented teacher, from the heart. For a time you allowed me to feel fully the emotional responses of part of my own past and thus I was healed a little more, growing ever so slightly wiser.
—Rod Holm

I love the complexity of your knowing. Most clinicians really oversimplify and just jump to the pathology diagnosis. You sure have keen senses. Right on, Marcy!
—Mary H.

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