Online Parenting Classes & Family Therapy in Junction City, KS

Military families in Geary County do not need to be told that parenting is hard—they are doing it, often with one parent deployed and the other holding everything together with whatever is left. What New Connections Mental Health offers those families is something genuinely useful: a structured program that does not require stability to work, meets caregivers wherever they are in the cycle of deployment and reintegration, and gives children the relational experience they need regardless of how much change is happening around them. Parenting classes in Junction City, Kansas are built for exactly that kind of family life.


Geary County sits where the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers converge, and Junction City has been defined by that convergence—of geography, history, and the cultures that military service brings together. Fort Riley to the west has shaped this community's character as profoundly as any geographic feature, drawing families from across the country and sending them out again on timelines that belong to no one in the household. Grandview Plaza and Milford sit nearby, and Milford Lake to the north offers some of the region's most open space. New Connections serves Junction City families through fully virtual sessions that accommodate the unpredictable rhythms of military life, with in-person appointments available at 2810 Plaza Avenue in Hays.


Children who grow up in military families absorb a great deal that they cannot yet put into words. The uncertainty of deployment, the emotional adjustment of reintegration, and the constant work of belonging in a new school, new neighborhood, and new social world all show up in behavior long before they show up in conversation. The CPRT model at the heart of New Connections teaches parents to read that behavior with understanding rather than frustration, and to build the kind of connection that holds through whatever transition comes next. Families across Geary County—military and civilian alike—find in parenting classes here a program that respects what they are carrying and gives them something solid to build on.


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

 

 

Understanding what children communicate through their behavior Children who have experienced transitions, separation, and the uncertainty that comes with military family life often communicate their experiences through behavior long before they can put them into words. CPRT teaches parents to recognize those communications and respond to them in ways that build connection rather than create distance. For Junction City families, that skill tends to matter more than it does almost anywhere else.


Explore the right type of coaching for your family

 

 

A real conversation before any commitment Families in Junction City and across Geary County can call Michelle Holdeman to talk through what is going on at home and find out which format makes the best sense. The first conversation is low-key and focused on the family's actual situation—no forms, no pressure, no intake process before the call.


Skills that stay with families long after the program ends

 

 

Skills that hold up during the hardest stretches The program introduces one skill per week and asks parents to practice it in a brief play session at home. For families living inside the unpredictable rhythms of military service, the format is designed to accommodate that reality: it does not require stability to work, and the skills it builds are specifically useful during the hardest periods of family life.


Explore our services and specializations

Child parent relationship training CPRT is one of the few parenting programs that holds up under the particular demands of military family life. It does not require a stable schedule, a fixed routine, or both parents present at every session. It requires one parent, one child, and thirty minutes of focused attention per week. In families where everything else is in motion, that structure is one of its greatest strengths.

Therapy for teens Teenagers who grow up in military communities develop a particular set of strengths and carry a particular set of burdens. They learn early how to make friends in a new school, how to help hold a household together, and how to appear fine when they are not. Teen therapy at New Connections offers Junction City adolescents a private, consistent space to be honest about what they are actually carrying.

Therapy for family Military families often arrive at family therapy having managed extraordinary things with extraordinary competence. What they find in the work is that competence and connection are not the same thing, and that the management strategies that keep a household running during deployment do not always serve the family well once the transition is over. Family therapy at New Connections is built to help families navigate exactly that gap.

We serve clients in Junction City and nearby areas

New Connections Mental Health serves families throughout Junction City, Geary County, and the surrounding region, including Fort Riley military communities and the broader Flint Hills corridor. Virtual parenting classes and an online parenting course reach families in Manhattan, Milford, Abilene, and Clay Center without requiring a commute. In-person appointments are available at the Hays office at 2810 Plaza Avenue for families able to make the drive.

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
I have deep respect for what military families in Junction City carry, and that respect shapes the way I approach every family who reaches out to New Connections from this community. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with specialized training in CPRT and family therapy, I built a practice that accounts for the specific challenges of military family life—the separations, the reunions, the transitions, and the children who absorb all of it. Virtual sessions reach families wherever they are, and in-person appointments are available at my Hays office for families making 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.