After having two incredibly positive experiences in his Expecting Parents and Newborn PEPS Groups, Seattle parent Mark Ellis initially wanted to be a PEPS Group Leader to bring his transformative and supportive experience to other parents.
“We didn’t know what to expect when we joined [our groups], and we were blown away by how supportive that environment was,” he said. “I thought being a Group Leader was a good way to make myself useful to the people around me. I had the time, and it was a good way to spend that time.”
Mark, who went on to lead a Baby Peppers group for parents of babies 5-12 months last winter, also took on the task as a way to stretch outside of his comfort zone. As someone who considered himself “not big into public speaking,” he thought facilitating these group discussions would be a good way to conquer his fears.
While it was, Mark said leading a PEPS Group also had an unexpected benefit, as well: It helped him grow in his career.
“I had to put myself in a situation where I had to lead a group and get better at drawing people out in a group discussion and be a better host of meetings,” said Mark, a software engineer. “And that skill translates to everything.”
He’s already used what he’s learned in his job, he shared.
“I was learning a lot of skills that professionals use about listening effectively and making sure people are contributing equally to a discussion and managing time in a fixed time block so you get through everyone and you get through all the topics you need to get through. Being a PEPS Leader was a good way to learn and exercise those skills.”
Unlike Mark, Jessica Koppy was working directly with children and families as a social worker in a healthcare setting when she decided to become a Group Leader. After having two kids of her own and participating in a PEPS Group with her first, she was ready to be on the other side. She loved her day job but quickly found a different kind of fulfillment in facilitating her PEPS Group, and has since led three Newborn Groups over the past few years.
“For me, it was a chance to see what it felt like to facilitate a group of new parents,” she said. “We weren’t in a clinic, we weren’t in a hospital. I got to interact with people occupying a slightly different space, and I think that can be really refreshing, especially when we work in systems that box us in a lot. It was often the most rewarding two hours of my week.”
Connecting families and helping them build a community of support inspired her to seek similar fulfillment in her career and shift roles – she now works as a perinatal therapist, working with both individuals and groups.
Having experience working with parents when she started, Jessica felt comfortable facilitating her first PEPS Group. Mark, however, was a little nervous going in. Group Leader Training offered through PEPS -- which includes online training modules, a virtual or in-person training with PEPS staff, facilitation practice with peers, and support throughout the 12 weeks via access to PEPS staff, PEPS curriculum and a Leader Portal chalk full of resources – helped put Mark at ease.
“I feel like people pay good money to be taught some of the things that PEPS is teaching us [in those trainings],” Mark said. “Facilitating PEPS is a great way to build emotional intelligence because you’re interacting with people in a very vulnerable situation and you’re hearing about their most intimate problems and you have to make sure you handle that with care. When you’re dealing with people at work – or in life, or anywhere really – you can use that skill.”
Mark, whose PEPS baby is now 2, said even after leading his first Baby Peppers group, he felt a bit apprehensive. He was a dad in a group of all moms, and wondered if they felt uncomfortable being their authentic selves.
“One of the pieces of feedback from my group was that they appreciated having a 'dad' perspective in the group,” he said. “I’m a more empathetic communicator because of it.”
Although he’s still working as a software engineer, he said this experience has helped him consider other angles in his role.
“Mentorship, coaching, interview prep ... is something I’ve enjoyed doing with my colleagues or friends who are prepping for interviews or having difficulty at work,” he said. “This can be about building careers, expanding opportunities at work. I would encourage anyone to do PEPS facilitation, especially dads. It’s very rewarding feeling like you’re helping people connect with each other.”
Interested in leading a PEPS Group? Learn more.