Sonia Khost
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Circle of Security Parenting™

Learn how to be your childs's safe space, while being kind to yourself. Replace the "perfect parent" narrative with "I can be a good enough parent for my child"! Learn about their needs and the actions that you can take to make childhood a fun place to explore the world!

April 25th - June 13th

Online

Cost: sliding scale (see below)

Deadline: April 20

Reserve your spot here

​Circle of Security Parenting™ (COSP) 

Circle of Security Parenting™ (COSP) is the place where we come together: caretakers, parents and educators of the children we love and respect, and for whom we want to learn how to connect more deeply. It is a space where we explore how to better understand attachment theory within our own relationships and how to create an emotionally safe environment for them and for the whole family.

​Circle of Security is an investment we make in ourselves. Eight weeks of reflecting, analyzing, and sharing. Eight weeks in which, with vulnerability, we look at our own childhood experiences and at the way we express care for the children we love and raise.
A Community for Self-Directed Education Families

While this program is open to all caregivers, I especially invite parents and educators who have chosen self-directed education paths for their children.
This includes families engaged in homeschooling, unschooling, democratic education, agile learning environments, Sudbury-inspired schools, or schools inspired by Summerhill School, as well as other learner-centered or alternative education communities.
The structure of the Circle of Security program remains the same. What shapes the depth of the experience, however, is the group itself: the conversations, the shared questions, the subtle recognitions when someone else speaks your language around autonomy, trust, limits, and emotional safety.

Families outside of self-directed education are warmly welcomed. The principles of secure attachment are universal. At the same time, my intention is to create a space where those walking the path of self-directed education can find resonance, community, and the relief of not having to explain their foundational choices.

This is not about exclusivity; it is about shared context, shared courage, and shared reflection.

The Circle of Security - The Visual Map of Attachment

Secure attachment means knowing that someone supports you, and knowing that someone consistently supports you opens up an entire universe of possibilities.

Feeling safe in the presence of someone who offers protection, love, and reliability is like having a second layer of skin that shields us during times of stress.

We speak about secure attachment between parent and child when the adult can:
  • Help the child feel safe when they are frightened or uncomfortable
  • Help the child feel secure enough to explore the world - an essential part of growth and development
  • Help the child accept and manage their emotional experiences

When children feel safe and supported, learning happens naturally. Children need access to their innate desire to learn. Those raised in stressful environments, where comfort and other essential needs are not consistently met, become so focused on preparing for danger that they struggle to concentrate on anything else. Without connection, children do not seem to learn as well. Secure attachment is the child’s first social bond that supports learning.

Within secure attachment, the parent serves as a secure base from which the child can venture out to explore.

The good news is that Circle of Security offers parents a map to navigate the many experiences of parenting. It is a map that illustrates a child’s essential needs and helps parents understand which needs may not be met when things are not going well.
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The program teaches us how to understand what children communicate through their behavior and how to respond to their needs for exploration, safety, and comfort.
How It Works

We meet 8 times, in weekly sessions of 2 hours each. The meetings take place on the same day of the week and cannot be scheduled more frequently or delivered in an intensive format. The time between sessions is an essential part of the learning process - it becomes a space for observation, reflection, questions, and personal stories.

The fourth session focuses on the Circle of Security for infants. Although it is optional for those with children older than one year, I strongly recommend attending, as it brings significant clarity and beautifully complements the overall learning journey.
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During our sessions, we connect with one another, watch video materials together (recordings that serve as case studies, where we observe moments from children’s and parents’ lives), discuss what we see and how it resonates with each of us, reflect deeply, and imagine various real-life situations.
Why Participate in the Program?

After more than 60 years of research, we know that the safer a child feels, the more they are able to:
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  • Enjoy more happy moments with their parents
  • Feel less anger toward their parents
  • Ask their parents for help when facing difficulties
  • Solve problems on their own
  • Get along better with friends
  • Build lasting friendships
  • Resolve conflicts in peer relationships
  • Have a better relationship with siblings
  • Develop greater self-confidence
  • Believe that most problems have a solution
  • Remain optimistic
  • Trust the people who care about them
  • Know how to be kind to others


© 2018 Circle of Security International, Inc.
Learning Objectives of the Program:

•    Understand your child’s emotional world by learning to read the emotional needs
•    Support your child’s ability to successfully manage emotions 
•    Enhance the development of your child's self esteem
•    Honor your innate wisdom and desire for your child to be secure
ADMIN INFO

Program Duration & Dates
Sessions take place from 8:00–10:00 AM Pacific Time (PT), 11:00 AM–1:00 PM Eastern Time (ET), 4:00–6:00 PM UK time (BST), and 6:00–8:00 PM Cluj time (EEST) on the following dates:
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  • April 25, 2026
  • May 2, 2026
  • May 9, 2026
  • May 16, 2026
  • May 23, 2026
  • May 30, 2026
  • June 6, 2026
  • June 13, 2026

Program Investment & Sliding Scale
This program is offered on a trust-based sliding scale.
  • $350 – Community Rate - For families who would benefit from a reduced fee.
  • $450 – Standard Rate The true cost of this event 
  • $550 – Supporter Rate - For those who are able to contribute more and help sustain community-rate spots.
A limited number of reduced-fee spaces are available. Please choose the rate that aligns with your financial reality, so this work can remain accessible and sustainable. 
​In addition, two Accessible Spots are available at 20% of the standard rate ($90 total).
These are reserved for caregivers experiencing significant financial hardship. If this applies to you, please reach out directly.

Mention:


  • The fee includes a printed participant manual, which will be sent via (snail) mail before the first session.
  • All the founds will be directed to my Research Project.

Cancellation & Refund Policy
  • A full refund of the participation fee will be granted if the request is made at least 14 days before the course start date (by April 11, 2026, inclusive).
  • For cancellations made between April 12 – April 22, 2026, a cancellation fee of 34 $ per family will be charged, and the remaining balance will be refunded.
  • No refunds will be granted for cancellations made less than 48 hours before the course start date.
  • Transfer Policy: for cancellations made less than 48 hours before the start date, registration may be transferred to a future edition of the course (within 12 months), subject to availability.


Reserve your spot now
Emotional Safety & Confidentiality Policy
  • The program is open to any parent, guardian, caregiver, and any type of family with a child aged 0–6 years.
  • Babies are welcome in arms. However, if your child is already mobile, please consider arranging for support, as you will need privacy to explore your own actions, thoughts, and memories. Sessions may generate deep insights that require mental space.
  • Everything discussed during the sessions is protected by a confidentiality agreement that all participants and facilitators commit to in order to be part of this closed group.
  • When attending via Zoom, no one outside the course should be present in the room. If this is not possible, headphones are required. No one outside the group should be able to hear what is shared during sessions—in order to preserve vulnerability, honesty, trust, and emotional safety.
  • Your contribution belongs entirely to you—authentic to your experiences—and will not be judged or evaluated, but valued as part of our shared understanding.
  • If both parents participate via Zoom, separate devices are required (so each can have their own experience).
  • Each participant will need a (free) Zoom account.
  • A confidentiality agreement will be discussed and agreed upon during our first meeting.

Inclusivity Statement
  • This program is a welcoming and affirming space for all caregivers of children.
  • We honor and respect all family structures and identities. Whether you are a single parent, part of a blended family, a bonus parent, adoptive or foster parent, grandparent, guardian, or co-parent — you belong here.
  • We warmly welcome families of all genders, sexual orientations, identities, and cultural backgrounds. Single mothers, single fathers, two moms, two dads, transgender and non-binary parents, heterosexual couples — all are equally valued and respected in this space.
  • What matters most is your commitment to showing up for a child with care, reflection, and love. This is a space grounded in dignity, emotional safety, and mutual respect.
  • This is a space rooted in dignity, safety, and mutual respect. Every participant has the right to feel seen, heard, and safe.


Attendance Policy
  • Attendance is required for the full duration of the program (with the exception of unforeseen urgent situations; maximum 2 absences).
  • In case of urgent situations, we will seek possible solutions where feasible; outcomes depend on each individual case.
  • Cameras are expected to remain on throughout the sessions, except during specific exercises or moments announced by the facilitator (for example, during screen sharing).

Facilitator
​

Sonia Khost - Accredited Circle of Security Facilitator (Certificate Code: 52815; profile available in the official facilitators’ registry).
Sonia is a practitioner and researcher in Educational Sciences, holding a PhD obtained in 2013. She specializes in nature-based education, self-directed education, nonformal education, and Education for Sustainable Development.
She is trained in Psychodrama psychotherapy (assistant level and currently in training for independent practitioner level) and is a certified facilitator of the Bringing Baby Home program through the Gottman Institute.
She is a teacher trainer for almost 2 decades, working with children daily in the last 10 years and with parents in dedicated moments.
Find out MORE.

Reserve your spot now

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​Thank you for your interest in my work. We can stay connected through email or social media:

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​https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8164-4005

  • Home
  • About
  • Research
    • Psychological Safety
    • Research Mailing Circle
    • School Well-being
    • Participă la Starea de bine în școală
  • Writing
  • Training
    • Bringing Baby Home
    • Cercul Siguranței
    • Circle of Security
  • Contact