P.E.T. - Parent Effectiveness Training

P.E.T. offers the skills you need for relationships that last a lifetime.

Parent Effectiveness Training is an eight-week course for parents to practice specific communication and conflict resolution skills that are effective with children of all ages, from infants to teenagers (and adults!)

This essential training for parents and carers offers training in skills that apply to all human relationships. Gordon training can improve outcomes in every sphere of life — at work, with partners, and in friendships too!

P.E.T. first began in 1962, and it was developed by psychologist and three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Thomas Gordon.

This online course is fun and interactive. Each of the eight three-hour sessions includes a mixture of group discussion, workbook exercises, and roleplaying activities in a supportive group environment.

What you'll learn:

* How to talk to children and adults so that they'll listen to you
* How to listen to children and adults so they feel genuinely understood
* How to solve conflicts and problems in your relationships so that no one loses and problems stay solved
* ...and you'll learn a step-by-step method for resolving problems and knowing which skills to use to solve them.

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"I find this course really empowering in that it doesn't require me to assume a different persona when I am parenting — I can remain authentic and true to myself and have permission to be 'in charge' without being authoritarian."

— Louise B.

Key skills:

How to avoid communication Roadblocks – Common pitfalls (e.g., ordering, lecturing, blaming) that prevent effective listening and problem-solving.

Active Listening – Reflecting back what your child shares (both content and feelings) to truly understand and empathize with them.

I‑Messages – Expressing how your child’s behavior affects you, without blaming them, so that you have the best chance of influencing their behavior and getting your own needs met.

The Behavior Window – A tool to determine “who owns the problem” (parent, child, both, or neither) to guide your choice of response in any situation.

No‑Lose Conflict Resolution (Method III) – A step-by-step, creative problem-solving method to find solutions that meet the needs of both parent and child.

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"My confidence in parenting has been restored thanks to the skills I've learned. While other sources instructed to 'be empathetic' none taught me how to be... Active Listening IS the answer I needed and Method III has helped me problem-solve when I could not do so before."

— M. Lepe

P.E.T. is an eight-week class held on Saturdays
from 8 am – 11 am Mountain Standard Time

This online, small-group class is lead by a Certified Instructor. The textbook and workbook support our in-class practice, and you'll receive them in the mail before the class begins.

The next upcoming class will be December 5th - January 23rd, 2027.

There are five participant spots available.

The P.E.T. skills are effective with children of all ages and abilities, including infants, toddlers, teens, and grown children!

Click here to register for the next online class!

Class Instructor:
Whitney Allen

Hi everyone! I read Parent Effectiveness Training and took a P.E.T. class in 2013, right before I became a young stepmom to two awesome kids. I knew I wasn't their biological parent – and that I was objectively lacking parenting skills – and I wanted to create a relationship with them that felt mutually respectful.

P.E.T. changed a lot in my life. When I realized, for the first time, that my needs, feelings, and experiences had value; it positively impacted my career in tech and entertainment. I became more self-disclosing, and my professional relationships began to change.

I circled back around to the program in 2022, when I wanted to change careers and become a teacher. I read Teacher Effectiveness Training and thought, man, these skills are what I'd really like to share with others. They have the power to impact so many people's lives.

In 2025, I became a Certified Instructor with Gordon Training International. I love the material and the creativity that it unlocks within human relationship.

Questions

How much does the course cost?

The eight-week course fee is $295, which includes a $50 materials fee for the textbook and workbook. It's possible to pay in installments; if you'd like to do so, just contact me directly to set that up.

Can you tell me more about the program?

Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) uses the Gordon Model of communication to help parents build democratic, respectful relationships with their children — without resorting to power struggles, punishments, or permissive leniency where parents say something is okay when it really isn't. It's about helping both parent and child meet their needs in a no‑lose way that builds mutual respect, a sense of inner responsibility, and a lifelong relationship with each other. The Gordon Model applies to all human relationships — not just parents and children — and P.E.T. has been taught in over 53 countries!

There are now over 50,000 different parenting programs, but P.E.T. was the first. You can read a comparison of P.E.T. with other parenting programs here.

Does P.E.T. work with children who have special needs?

Yes! The P.E.T. skills apply to all relationships, and the model is effective with children of all ages and abilities.

If you have other questions, you can contact me here!