Inspired parenting - Dorka Herner

InInspired Parenting, psychologist and mother-of-five Dorka Herner shows through practical, everyday examples how we can reflect on our own parenting and see our interactions with our children through fresh eyes.

What our children do can reveal much about ourselves as parents: if a five-year-old won't go to sleep alone, who needs evening cuddles, us or him? If we are bothered when our child is bored, is it because we view ourselves as useless unless we are ticking off tasks? If we think our children are careless, is it because we are too perfectionist?

By understanding ourselves better, we can see the nuances in how we live together as families and appreciate that our relationships can be complex.By thinking deeply and honestly, we can see more clearly how to build the type of life we want for ourselves and our children, and how to genuinely enjoy the challenges and rewards of raising them. With a down-to-earth and realistic approach, the book invites us to examine the details of parenting and learn valuable lessons about ourselves in the process.

Dorka didn't expect to use her psychology degree once she got caught up in the world of media right at the beginning of her University years in Hungary. For a decade she worked in TV as an editor and a journalist and hosted her own TV programme and online video series.
After her fifth maternity leave Dorka started to work as a therapist using a novel approach called Mirrortherapy. She says, "To give real acceptance I have to deal with my own internal (mostly subconscious) barriers. I work on myself after every session. Who is most balanced is most useful - as a therapist and as a parent too."

However, first and foremost Dorka is a mother. She has five children - four boys and a girl - ranging in age from 4 to 16 years old. Dorka took three years maternity leave with each child and during this time gained a wealth of invaluable parenting experience. She has combined this with her background in psychology and coaching in Inspired Parenting.

Dorka has been inspired by her mother Dr Agnes Gerb, a well-known pioneering gynaecologist-obstetrician, independent midwife and champion women's rights in childbirth. She was sentenced to two years in prison in Hungary in 2011 for attending home births. After a lengthy unsuccessful legal appeal Agnes was granted clemency by the President of Hungary in 2018 following pressure from the international human rights community.

For more information visit Dorka's Hungarian website: https://hernerdorka.hu/

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