Betty and Amelia are relational health consultants working with parents, teachers, and therapists to help set children up for their best lives.
They help children, parents, and child/family service providers integrate healing responses to toxic stress through Children's Embodiment Coaching, Parent Coaching, Speaking, Training, and Reflective Consultation.
Betty Peralta, MIT, MS-MHC,
IMH - E (Mentor-Clinical)
Betty started out her career as a single mother of a son with autism who could not regulate without constant attention or screentime, which kept him anxious and wound up throughout the day. By the time her son was four, Betty learned how to stop his copious tantrums through slowing down his world and helping him feel connected, competent, and autonomous.
Inspired to help children like her son, Betty became a special education teacher. She felt terrible for the kids who sat in classrooms feeling bad about themselves for wanting to do just about anything else. In fact, she was one of those kids herself. As a child, she too struggled to feel understood and accepted by her teachers and peers, and that tended to get in the way of her feeling happy at school.
After 14 years of teaching, six in urban Seattle and six overseas in Tanzania, Kuwait, and the Dominican Republic, she switch careers and became a therapist in the field of infant and early childhood mental health. This is where she found the NeuroRelatioinal Framework (NRF), a model that prioritizes relationships and the developmental needs of the brain. The NRF moves us away from the compliance model of behavioral science, replacing it with the safety-challenge-threat lens of neuroscience. This model seeks to first establish relational safety, then challenge children without putting them into a threat response that would contribute to toxic stress.
Betty now trains, consults, and coaches adults on how to use relationships to rewire brains, helping both adults and children become calmer, more joyful, and cooperative human beings.
Betty's work is influenced by the following schools of thought:
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The intersection between child-rearing practices of indigenous cultures and neuroscience as described by Michaleen Doucleff in her book, Hunt, Gather, Parent
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Connie Lillas’ NeuroRelational Framework, a neuro-science-based approach to reducing and eliminating toxic stress and building resilience
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Bruce Perry's Neurosequential Model, which meets a child where they are in their brain development and proceeds from there
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Stanley Greenspan's DIR/Floortime, which emphasizes development (D), individual differences (I), and relationships (R) for rewiring brains to regulate energy, connect with others, and tolerate sensory stimuli
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Daniel Siegel's Interpersonal Neurobiology Movement, which studies brain science and the effects of interpersonal relationships for child development
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Alfred Adler's theory, the bedrock of Positive Discipline, which explains how the source of behavior is discouragement or encouragement
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Patty Wipfler's Hand in Hand Parenting approach, which uses listening techniques that promotes deep healing in children as opposed to surface behavioral strategies
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Circle of Security, which teaches that difficult behaviors are communication of unmet needs and describes how to meet those needs based on building a strong relationship pattern
Current Affiliations
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NeuroRelational Framework Institute Faculty Advisor and Certification Co-Trainer
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Broadview Emergency Shelter Parent Coach & Staff Trainer
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Washington State Office of Public Defense Coach for parents reuniting with their children after foster care
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Reflective Consultant for
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Washington Association for Infant Mental Health (WA-AIMH), Now Center for Early Relational Health
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Cooper House's BI-POC Communities of Practice
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ChildStrive Home Visitors and Supervisors
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WA Office of Public Defense Lawyers and Social Workers
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Cooper House Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN) Trainer
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Families of Color Seattle (FOCS) Parent Educator
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Washington Association for Infant Mental Health (WA-IMH) Reflective Supervision Trainer
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WA-AIMH Endorsed Member at Mentor-Clinical Level
Degrees
Rev. Amelia Bolyard
Amelia has worked with families and kids with disabilities, wide-ranging neurodiversity, as well as those experiencing trauma and grief for over 25 years. Early in her experiences engaging with what she likes to call "outstanding children" (amazing children who stand out!), she discovered she had a gift for responding to the extraordinary needs of families experiencing particularly difficult challenges. She was acknowledged for her exceptional work with the families, and became busy with word-of-mouth recommendations. As the years went by, she continued to observe and learn through her intentional work to support children and their caregivers.
Amelia's interest proved to be more than a passion– she recognized it as a vocation; a calling. It was only when she came to better know Betty Peralta around 2020, that she realized how far she could follow her calling, making of it a gratifying, inspiring, joyful career.
Amelia is honored to be invited into the lives and homes of families to give respect and support to all. Today, in her professional practice, she supports and guides care providers and parents as they develop patience, release judgments, and apply new methods with increased capacity and loving presence, to meet the needs and tend the wellbeing of their children and themselves. Yes!
The needs of the adults are a priority too!
Of course caregivers both need and deserve to have a sense of wellbeing, while being the best providers they can be in each moment. That “best” is naturally variable. Adults sometimes question their choices and can experience being at a loss for ideas to help kids. The intention of Amelia's work with caregivers is to help strengthen their confidence and trust in their ability to make centered, emotionally sober observations, resulting in more empowering choices and solutions to meet challenges.
Amelia is passionate about the work of Children in Bloom and delighted to help facilitate its mission of providing support and cultivating joy within children and their families. She continues to delight in learning and expanding alongside Betty Peralta.
Experience
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25 years working intimately with the care providers and parents of outstanding children with exceptional needs. 15 years working with the schools, organizations and communities that serve those families.
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Community School of West Seattle Consultant
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Office of Public Defense - Consultation, coaching and advocacy for reunification cases
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Unhoused and displaced families healing from trauma - Coach and advocate
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Freehold Theater Prison Outreach Program at Washington Corrections Center for Women
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Theater/Movement/Music Program Co-facilitator and Instructor
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Childhaven - Creative/Therapeutic Movement - Instructor to ages five and under
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Boys & Girls Club, Rainier Vista - Creator and Facilitator of Big/Little Sisterhood mentorship program
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Madrona Middle School, South Shore PK-8, and Seattle Alternative Schools, Summit K-12 and AS1 - Artist in Residence New Holly Tutoring Program - Volunteer tutor K- 8
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Joy of Dance Experience (JODE): A holistic self-care movement class focusing on breath, emotional and physical safety, and respect for the wisdom of the body - Founder
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Masters In Teaching, Seattle University
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Masters in Science - Mental Health Counseling, UMass
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Bachelors of Arts, The Evergreen State College
Organizations We've Worked With
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Associated Recreation Council (Seattle Parks After School Programs)
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Best Starts for Kids, King County
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Broadview Emergency Shelter
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Child Care Aware's ELEVATE Conference for Early Learning Educators and Coaches
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Children's Home Society
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Cooperative Preschool Parent Educators in Shoreline and Seattle Programs
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Crisis Connections
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Early Learning Programs, including El Centro de la Raza, Community School of West Seattle, Epiphany Early Learning Preschool, Hilltop Children's Center, Sandhurst Cooperative, Tiny Trees, Wellspring Family Services, and Woodland Park Cooperative Preschools
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Educational Service Districts (ESD's) North Central, 123 and OESD 114 Early Learning Educators
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Elementary and Middle Schools, including Bailey Gatzart Elementary, KapKa Cooperative Elementary, Our Lady of the Lake, Thornton Creek Elementary, and Washington Middle School
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Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers, including Boyer, ChildStrive, Kindering, Encompass, and NW Center
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Vashon Youth and Family Services (VYFS)
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Families of Color Seattle (FOCS)
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Global Perinatal Service and Open Arms Perinatal Services
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Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center
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Sandpoint Transitional Housing
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Schools Out Washington
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South King County Discipline Coalition Consultant, Trainer (Betty is Author of South King County Discipline Coalition Parents' Guide to the OSPI Discipline Menu of Best Practices)United Indians of All Tribes' Unca Makah Home Visitor Program
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Parent Advisory Councils including Seattle and Shoreline Community College Parent Advisory Councils, and Seattle and Vashon Special Education Parent Advisory Councils
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Vashon Wilderness Program
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Washington Association for the Education of Young Children (WAEC)
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Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) Early Supports for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) Providers, Mental Health Consultants, and Home Visitor Programs
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Washington Office of Public Defense
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...and many more!
"Amelia has changed all of our lives for the better. She is a light that shines so bright, and we’re grateful to have encountered her."
" Betty is a great listener. She is thoughtful, sincere, friendly, empathetic, incredibly knowledgeable, and really works with parents to help them come up with solutions and alternate approaches."
"Our son is very sensitive and non-neurotypical, he has challenges with impulse control, and typically won't accept care from anyone but immediate family. Amelia has turned out to be a wonderful exception to this precedent--not only does he trust her to spend time with him, he also looks forward to and really enjoys their time together."
"Betty is incredible at creating a safe space for clients to be heard in a nonjudgmental and calming environment. What a wonderful healer!"
"Amelia's holistic approach to working with our son has helped us and him. It has allowed all of us to experience healing and learn how to regulate ourselves as well as our child.
"Betty does her work quietly and without judgment; she is patient with us imperfect parents as we work to incorporate her evidence-based suggestions. I have so enjoyed learning from her; she has helped me to become a better parent!"
"It is a true gift for us to know that when we are experiencing inter-family hardship or one of us isn’t available, [Our child] can depend on Amelia to offer additional support. She is always regulated and has given our son words for his feelings and tools to express his big emotions. She supports and honors his vitality, and can listen in a way that myself or my partner are sometimes unable to."
"It is not hyperbole to describe Amelia as a miracle worker or angel--she is! Most importantly, she is always present and focused on the goal of families working with and loving each other to the fullest extent possible."