We recently had the chance to connect with Julie Gettings & Jennifer Jackson-Rice and have shared our conversation below.
Julie & Jennifer, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Working with children means there’s often funny moments and things that make us feel proud. Recently a family shared the following words: I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the treatment you provided…I know it sounds corny but our home abounds with joy. I finally feel like we are giving our kids the childhood they deserve and that we as parents have made the family we had imagined” Hearing how PCIT changes lives in this way is so rewarding and fills our team with pride.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
KC PCIT specializes in evidence-based treatments to improve daily functioning of children, adolescents and their families. We are experts in treating a wide variety of diagnoses and challenges including anxiety, OCD, selective mutism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders, adjustment disorders, post-traumatic stress and family conflict. All of our therapists are trained and certified in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) which is an exceptionally effective treatment backed by over 50 years of research. PCIT is a short-term specialized behavior management program designed for children ages 2-7 experiencing behavioral and/or emotional difficulties and their families. PCIT has been adapted for older children ages 7-10, selective mutism and childhood anxiety.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Our team have all worked under the umbrella of Children’s Mercy Hospital at some point in our careers. Because Children’s Mercy is a teaching hospital we all learned the importance of evidence-based treatments to best serve our families. We want to know we’re providing services that have been proven effective in managing the challenges our children and families present with. Children’s Mercy instilled the value of providing a high level of care and this has carried over into our practice.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
Opening a business certainly brought up fears about the many unknowns of running one. With our careers and backgrounds rooted solely in Social Work, we had limited knowledge of how to start and manage a business. It took time—and a lot of courage—to finally take the leap and face those fears head-on.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
Parenting advice is constantly shifting, and social media often fuels short-lived fads. For many families, it can feel overwhelming to know what’s worth paying attention to. PCIT research, both past and present, reminds us that the core of effective parenting hasn’t changed: building strong parent–child relationships and finding that “sweet spot” of warmth paired with appropriate limits and boundaries will always be the foundation of relationship-based parenting.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
Parents often feel overwhelmed with the busyness of life and all the things coming at them…the competing demands of work, kids sports and activities, school demands…all of these things can overwhelm parents. But often it’s the simple things kids want the most. Just spending 5-10 minutes with a child to join their world and play provides all the connection they need in that moment. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy…just simple one-on-one time with their parent.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kcpcit.com
- Instagram: @kcpcit
- Facebook: KC PCIT
