The Living Planner Advisory Perspective Series presents questions to professionals each month. We provide our readers with this information to help them prepare for meetings with professionals they may consider using to help them plan and prepare for life.
This month, it is my pleasure to introduce Shawna Rose, the Founder of Destination Sleep in Montreal, QC. Working with Shawna during our “corporate days” revealed a woman of substance with a keen mind and a desire to make a positive impact.
Considering important transitions in life, we would be remiss by not taking into consideration the important transition of having children! This transition includes adjustment to sleeping patterns for the children (and parents!) If you know any new parents who may benefit from this information – pass it on!
Aside from being a mother of two incredible kids and her husband’s number one fan, Shawna also left her corporate job in project management after her second baby to become certified as a pediatric sleep consultant with the renowned Family Sleep Institute (FSI). As an FSI graduate, she obtained extensive training on a number of sleep training methods and other pediatric sleep-related topics, which allows her to work with a broad range of parenting styles. Shawna also has the privilege of being connected to an amazing community of international consultants and industry experts, which allows her to stay at the forefront of the field. Welcome Shawna!
Question 1. What do you enjoy about working with your clients?
What I love most about working with my clients is: listening to their stories, building lasting relationships, and most of all, sharing in their success. Prolonged sleep deprivation can often times take a emotional toll on families, so there’s nothing more rewarding in my job than celebrating with a family when one of the goals of their child’s sleep plan has been achieved – no matter how big or small!
Question 2. How would you suggest a potential new client prepare for a 1st meeting?
It’s important for families to take the time prior to our first meeting to fully document a number of factors that can influence a child’s sleep habits. These include things like: the child’s medical history, sleep history, sleep environment, day schedule, night schedule, as well as the family’s parenting philosophy. When going about this process, it’s first important that parents be as precise as possible, as there truly does exist a science to sleep, and in many cases, it’s the nuances that can make all of the difference. It’s also critical that parents be as honest as possible about their situation, as it doesn’t serve anyone, especially the child, to sugar coat things. As parents, we all do our best, and sometimes we make mistakes – which is normal! There’s no shame in underlining possible slip ups along the way, as what really count are the steps taken to make things better.
Question 3. When someone agrees to become a client, what can they expect immediately? Over time?
When a family opts to proceed with my services, first and foremost, they can immediately expect that I will be dedicated to helping them to achieve their goals. I take on very few clients simultaneously, as the most important part of my job is coaching parents through the implementation of their plan. For parents whom are more comfortable and autonomous, sometimes a quick daily check-in or even every other day will suffice. On the other hand, some families may need to communicate upwards of ten times per day with me, in which case I want to be sure that I’m present for them.
The process of becoming a client is simple. We usually start by speaking for a few minutes so I can get a better understanding of their situation, as well as to make sure we’re a fit. When parents confirm that they’re ready to move forward, we immediately sign the contract and process payment, and then get to work. Parents must complete a detailed client in-take form that I analyze prior to our consultation, and we then meet to go over the assessment, set goals, and come up with a plan of action. We complete the process by tracking their implementation and remain in contact to ensure that the child’s sleep goals are achieved.
Over time, I offer clients the opportunity to follow-up by means of a 30-minute call should questions or issues arise. I also offer preferential rates to existing clients for additional services, as my goal when working with a family is to continually support them as their child’s sleep evolves.
Question 4. What is your service philosophy?
My service philosophy is to offer families non-judgemental support, and find the best path that works for them. I do so by listening closely to the needs of my clients, and offer advice that is always respectful of their comfort level, parenting style, and above all, needs and temperament of their child.
I recognize that this process can at times be stressful for some parents, and that some children’s sleep goals may simply take longer to achieve than others. I therefore try to offer as much flexibility as possible with the families I work with, and am happy to take the time that’s needed to support each family to reach their goals.
Question 5. What resources do you provide to assist “laypeople” with understanding what is being discussed?
There’s so much out there that’s been written about sleep, and unfortunately much of it very conflicting! So, whether it be by sharing an article, referencing a new study, or posting a video via Facebook or my website, I do my best to share as much as possible with members of my community literature that I feel is helpful to better understand pediatric sleep. I also offer a variety of sleep seminars, where I break things down and give participants easy to follow steps to implement thereafter.
Bonus Question! If you were to relay one piece of advice to anyone reading this, what would it be?
Much like food, water, shelter (and even sex!), sleep is a biological need for us all. There are a number of cognitive and physical benefits to sleep, which is why it’s so important to set a healthy foundation for sleep early in life! By doing so, many parents can in fact avoid sleep training all together, and a child’s sleep habits will naturally fall into place.
Shawna works with parents globally. She is fluent in English has professional working proficiency in Spanish and full professional working proficiency in French. For additional information, Shawna’s website (in English) is: Destination Sleep
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