Parenting Pointers: Major Family Services

Major Family Services was founded by Jayne A. Major, Ph.D, author of the book Breakthrough Parenting and original creator of the Breakthrough Parenting class curriculum. Major Family Services offers parenting classes, consulting, books and educational materials that address a broad range of unique parenting situations and can benefit all types of parents, including those facing issues of divorce, custody and parental alienation.

I had the opportunity to interview the new CEO, Plinio Garcia, about family dysfunction and where you can go for help.

1) What impact can family dysfunction have on kids?

Family dysfunction can affect children for their entire lives. Let me give you a few examples.  

Parental Alienation issues. If you have situation of difficult and contentious divorce, where one parent prevents the other parent from seeing the children, you immediately have issues of abandonment, trust, views on the opposite sex, opinions about gender role models and the ability to trust.

Co-dependency issues.  If a child grows up in a household that has an alcoholic  parent or a drug-addicted parent, that child could easily grow up to look for and even need a partner or spouse who is an alcoholic or drug-user or some other form of addicted personality.  Why? that is the personality that the child grew up with. That is the child's comfort level.

2) What inspired your involvement with Major Family Services?

My immediate involvement came because the founder of Major Family Services, Dr.Jayne Major, at the time, hired me as a consultant to help her leave a legacy of her work because she had cancer and did not want her life's work to be for naught.  What led me to Dr.Major to begin with, was that I had experienced a very difficult separation that involved a very contentious child custody battle between my ex and me and I was prevented from seeing my children because of false allegations.  Dr.Major helped me tremendously to address the issues and be able to help my children overcome any trauma that they may have suffered.   While engaged with Dr.Major I learned how my own child-hood had led me to my relationship with my ex and I realized how important it is for parents to raise their children with unconditional love, non-violent discipline and honesty.

3) What makes Breakthrough Parenting such a breakthrough?

The fact that even though Dr.Major wrote it 30 years ago, the work is still relevant today and the fact that each new parent I consult with, tells me that what I teach them is so effective.

4) What types of family struggles does Major Family Services help with?

Lying. Raising a normal child, is the most common struggle.  In addition to that: Custody issues; How to teach children financial responsibility; How to use technology to discipline children; When one parent abandons a child;  Adoption; Foster Care;  Addressing sensitive subjects;  Religious preferences; Teen-agers;  Sexual preferences; Addictions; Dealing with Stress; Jail; Adoption. 

5) What tips do you have for families in crisis?

Communicate openly and honestly!  The first thing that any family should do is to talk to each other openly and honestly.  Unfortunately, we have been raised since childhood that "our little secret" and "white lies" are fine.  THEY ARE NOT! PARENTS SHOULD NEVER LIE TO A CHILD. They don't have to explain everything in detail, but they should NEVER lie to a child.

6) Where can people who aren't in your geographic area go for help?

First, people can always come to our website, email or call us.  We have a toll-free number and I receive notifications of all email questions we receive.  We have clients in Canada, Brazil, Russia, Maine, Florida, Texas, etc.,etc.. I conduct sessions via Skype and face time and text and email.

Second, people can send us an email or leave a voice mail asking for a referral near them if they feel the need to see someone personally and they cannot visit us.