Online Parenting Classes & Family Therapy in Concordia, KS

North-central Kansas families know what it means to manage without much outside support—they have been doing it for generations. New Connections Mental Health built its entire practice around that reality, offering parenting classes in Concordia, Kansas through a fully virtual format that reaches families wherever they are without asking them to rearrange a workday or make a long drive. What families here find when they reach out is not something generic built for a larger city. It is a structured, evidence-based program designed to fit the actual shape of a rural Kansas family's life.


Cloud County sits in the northern tier of Kansas along the Republican River, and Concordia has anchored it for generations as a community shaped by agricultural roots and a genuine civic culture. The Brown Grand Theatre—a restored Edwardian opera house that still hosts performances—stands as a reminder that small communities have always made room for beauty alongside work. Cloud County Community College brings students and energy from across the region, and families spread across Concordia and out toward Beloit, Mankato, and Clyde share the particular quality of a community that has learned to take care of its own. New Connections serves this region through virtual sessions available statewide, with in-person appointments at 2810 Plaza Avenue in Hays.


Concordia families carry their challenges quietly, which is not a weakness—it reflects a deep sense of resilience and community loyalty. What sometimes gets in the way is the assumption that needing support means something has gone wrong. Most families who complete parenting classes in Concordia, Kansas describe the opposite experience: they came in feeling stuck and left feeling capable in a way that changed everything about how they moved through their days with their children. The work is private, practical, and built entirely around what each family is already doing well—and what they are ready to do differently.


Explore our Online Child Parent Relationship Training

The Child-Parent Relationship Training is a 10-week guided program to help you turn daily meltdowns into moments of connection through play, co-regulation, and relationship-based tools, without yelling, power struggles, or feeling like you’re failing as a parent.

Child-Parent Relationship Training (CPRT) materials with a laptop video and stacked handouts

How it works

The CPRTprogram is a framework built around connection, not correction

 

 

Behavior as a language parents can learn to read CPRT teaches one core skill with wide application: how to understand what a child is communicating through their behavior rather than reacting to the behavior itself. That shift in perspective changes the texture of daily family life in ways that Concordia parents consistently describe as both immediate and durable.


Explore the right type of coaching for your family

 

 

A direct conversation to find the right fit Concordia families can call Michelle Holdeman to have a direct, unhurried conversation about what is going on at home and what kind of support fits best. The conversation is not an intake. It is a real exchange focused on the family's actual situation and what format makes the most sense given their schedule, goals, and what they are carrying.


Skills that stay with families long after the program ends

 

 

A weekly structure built for rural family life The program's format—one skill per week, one short practice session at home—was designed for families who cannot build their schedule around their support program. In Cloud County, where distance, agriculture, and the rhythms of a small-town life shape everything, that flexibility is not a convenience—it is a requirement.


Explore our services and specializations

Child parent relationship training CPRT was not designed for a particular kind of family—it was designed for any parent willing to learn a new way of listening to their child. In Concordia, where communities are tight and families tend to carry things without asking for help, the program provides a private, structured way to work on something that matters without requiring a drive or a rearranged schedule.

Therapy for teens Young people in Concordia and across Cloud County are growing up in a community where everyone's story is connected and privacy is limited. A teenager carrying something heavy—anxiety, identity questions, the weight of a struggling family dynamic—often needs a space that is genuinely their own. Virtual teen therapy at New Connections provides that space without requiring a drive to a larger city.

Therapy for family Family therapy in a rural community like Concordia often begins with the unspoken premise that the family should have been able to handle this on their own. Part of what the work does is dismantle that premise gently and replace it with something more useful: a shared understanding of what is actually happening and a set of tools for responding to it together.

We serve clients in Concordia and nearby areas

New Connections Mental Health serves families throughout Concordia, Cloud County, and the north-central Kansas region. Virtual parenting classes and an online parenting course reach families in Clyde, Belleville, Mankato, Smith Center, and the Solomon River corridor without requiring a commute. In-person appointments are available at 2810 Plaza Avenue in Hays for families making the trip south.

Testimonials

“I’m very grateful for your wisdom! You are so gifted at your profession!”

“Thank you so much for helping me with my child. You have no idea how much we appreciate it and how much you mean to the both of us!”

“I hope you know how much you mean to us. You are incredibly talented and came into our lives at the exact right time. Thank you for supporting and loving us. Your work has made a world of difference in our trajectory and healing. We love you very very much!”

Hi, I'm Michelle Holdeman, founder of New Connections Mental Health group practice
Geographic distance should never stand between a family in Concordia and the support they deserve. That belief is foundational to why I built New Connections Mental Health as a fully virtual practice—so that families in north-central Kansas can access the same quality of parenting and family support available to families in Wichita or Kansas City. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with specialized training in CPRT and family therapy, I bring evidence-based work to Cloud County families through sessions that fit their actual schedules. In-person appointments are available at my Hays office for families able to make the drive.


Smiling person sitting on a log in a grassy park, wearing a tan jacket and jeans, with decorative star stickers around the photo

Frequently asked questions

  • How is CPRT different from any other parenting curriculum?

    • CPRT uses the language of children's play to build connection and understanding between parent and child.
    • It introduces one new concept weekly, practiced in short sessions, making it easier to retain and implement.
    • Best of all, CPRT is recognized by SAMHSA as an Evidence-Based Treatment, proving its effectiveness.

  • What is expected from the parent:

    • CPRT focuses on gradual learning, introducing one practical skill at a time so parents can apply and retain new strategies effectively.
    • Rather than overwhelming you with too much theory, CPRT is structured to be clear, doable, and supportive for busy families.
    • Each week builds on the last, helping you strengthen your bond, improve communication, and reduce conflict with your child in a manageable way.
    • CPRT has been validated by SAMHSA as an Evidence-Based Treatment, setting it apart from standard parenting guides.

  • Will my insurance cover the cost of CPRT?

    Group CPRT classes are not eligible for insurance billing. However, if you're attending individual sessions, we can provide a superbill. This document can be submitted to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement, depending on your plan's coverage.