I think what surprised me the most about doing a coaching session with Mary is how quickly she gets…read moredown to business. I'm used to counseling sessions where you have to go for a few sessions before some help starts, and so it just feels exhausting to even get started with someone new. But Mary is Very intuitive. She got right to the heart of the matter, very quickly, and gave me some really practical advice. And that advice Actually Worked. I'm still in awe as she has no context on my life or my "spirited" kid. If you're having any challenges with your kids, I totally recommend setting up an initial session with Mary to see if you like her style. I'm really thankful for her advice

I started coaching with Mary at my wits end. Not knowing how to handle myself towards my children…read more I wasn't myself anymore and my children were very much aware of that. Fast forward to today and I am a calm mother. I have 3 children. My daughter going into her tween phase and there's a parenting style for that stage which I had no clue about. I also have two rowdy preschool boys. They love to climb, jump, build, destroy, wrestle. That is something I had to learn to be comfortable with as long as it wasn't dangerous and learn there are safe ways for boys to have their time in their way. Mary is amazing! She has guided and open up so much to me to be the parent I want to be.

I just want to say that Families Uniting Families is amazing, caring, supportive, and communicates…read morewith ease. We reached out to them two years ago with interest in adoption. They had classes for us to take to get certified. We choose the route of fostering to adopt. Our FFASW went above and beyond any of our expectations, and we greatly appreciate everyone at Families Uniting Families and highly recommend them for your fostering or adoption needs.

This is a great non-profit group that helps individuals that are unfortunate to need it.read more

I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and love for everything this center has to offer for a family!…read more From counseling (family - individual - child) to parenting classes to behavioral and occupational therapy - enriched developmental play that utilizes a complete sensory experience. I can't write or say enough good things about everyone that works here and what they have to offer your family. SoCal is blessed to have such an amazing program in your community!

This is a great place for my son! They have so many different things to do. From gym stuff,…read moreimaginary play, music, to arts and crafts! They also have classes for us parents that will give us tools to raising happy healthy children! Highly recommend checking it out.

This is your sign to just sign up! This class has truly been one of the highlights of my motherhood…read morejourney. I've met the most amazing women (first in the newborn class and then again in the infant class) and the friendships I've made are priceless. You'll learn so much that's specific to each week/stage, and trust me, there's nothing like having a group of moms whose babies are the exact same age as yours. If you're on the fence...just take a chance and get out of the house and do it!!! There's nothing else like this out there. Do it for the community, the learning, and most of all - for you!!!

This review is looong overdue but New Mom School completely changed my life. I did both the newborn…read moreclass and the rising toddler class with my daughter. My only regret is not taking the infant series! This class connected me with the most amazing support system when I needed it most and I still talk to those moms every day. The classes taught me so much and I left feeling a lot more confident as a mom. I experienced a lot of postpartum anxiety with my daughter and this class was what helped me most out of anything. I loved my experience so much I ended up bringing this to Las Vegas. Becca the owner, is such a lovely teacher and makes you feel so safe and comfortable. She is incredibly knowledgeable and down to earth, I felt very lucky to have her as my instructor. Definitely make this a part of your postpartum experience!

You give birth once and unfortunately I had a very bad experience with Lorraine. I would not…read morerecommend it to anyone. She definitely a good marketing person of herself and she did not keep that up during the birth for me. Please think twice before you hire her. I did hire her because she has experience but sometimes it's about the excitement. She is done. She is doing it just for money and she is not even doing it right.

I always thought I would try a natural birth but I really started to do alot of research once I…read morefound out I was pregnant. So many times my friends were going to go "natural" but in the end they would give into the almighty needle. So I did a ton of research and I came to the conclusion that I was going to educate myself as much as I could and that I would hire a doula. My husband was very skeptical... His entire family laughed when I said I was going to try a natural birth. Their exact words "Why would you ever choose that?!!" So I dragged my reluctant husband to our 6 week Hypnobabies course. By the 3rd week he was fully on the natural train! He told me "I really think you can do this!" The class was great and I really loved how we bonded with the other couples!! Lorraine was our doula also and it was a great experience. From our interview to when our sweet baby girl came Lorraine was at our disposal. She kept me calm and focused during my birthing time/labor and at the end I faced some complications... Lorraine gave me the lowdown on what was going on and let me know that it was crunch time! Looking back it really was the perfect pep talk... I pushed the baby out in 3 contractions!! And believe it or not I was up and walking around 30 mins later! My husband looked more jacked up than I did, lol. I had such a positive experience with Lorraine on top of a great birthing experience. I would do everything all over again in a heartbeat!

Having been a newport NMS alumni for the newborn, infant and rising toddler classes, I was hesitant…read moreto sign up at the new los Al studio for the second time moms class. Since the studio is so close and this was an opportunity to extend my new mom network, I pre-registered for the second time mom class while I was pregnant. I was assigned to a class with Julie as the instructor whom I just adored from the moment I met her. She was such a warm smiling presence to come to for 8 consecutive weeks. The topics spanned different things like pelvic floor, infant PT, 2 different mental health therapists, a parent coach to help with the transition from 1 to 2. We had a small group of 7 moms and were able to meet up a couple times during our class series. I enjoyed my experience at the los Al location and the parking was certainly much less stressful than in newport. Iykyk.

New Mom School is the best investment during postpartum! I took the Second Time Mom class at this…read morelocation and it was so special. We had a different expert each week and it was helpful to talk about all things baby, but what made it so great was the connection to other moms going through the same stage in life. The owner, Vivian is so kind and helpful with answering any questions about the classes, programming, etc. Highly recommend NMS for new moms, second time moms, toddler moms, and more!

Shared Science is a nonprofit that supports Momentum Robotics Team. Momentum is a FRC robotics…read morecompetition team based at Sato Academy of Mathematics and Science.

This is our second year participating in a Shared Science afterschool program. The engineering with…read morelegos and robotics is challenging and fun for my children (ages 7 and 9). The program is well staffed with knowledgeable volunteers- the curriculum is creative and challenging.

Last review of 2025!!!…read more After a decade of going to the Bluff for yoga, I finally decided to give the studio a chance and I do not regret it! My buddy asked if I'd be down to try it out and I told him that I'd only go if it's a class lead by Matthew Purpura or Yoga Sue.... We went to a session under the guidance of the latter and she was amazing per usual. The vibe is definitely different... more intimate and you find yourself more easily able to leave the world behind and maintain your focus without the craziness of Ocean behind you and the beach in front of you like at the Bluff. This gift of yoga is made possible by donation, so bring some cash and a mat and treat yourself to this amazing experience. I will definitely be attending a class here regularly in 2026!

STEPH JUDGEMENT: Well-maintained donation-based studio with friendly staff…read more I recently started coming here to take my friend Erin Grissom's Ground & Restore yoga classes (Tuesdays 4:30). I hadn't taken a yoga class in years but with age taking its toll, a gentle sustained stretch and relaxation class like the Ground & Restore seemed just the ticket. They have a wide variety of classes, though, for every level and interest--check out their website for details. You sign in at the front desk and pay your instructor directly (Venmo or cash). They are a donation-based studio, which makes their classes very affordable. The facility has been around for a while--maybe since the 1970s?--but is clean and well-maintained. You put your shoes in a cubby by the main studio before entering. The main studio is roomy and serene, with a large window on one side, which looks out on to the courtyard. There are cupboards in the back with blocks, blankets, and straps, and a small room off to the side with more cubbies for your other stuff, like bags, jackets, etc. I've been really enjoying my classes at this studio, and go every chance I get. BTW, this is the studio behind the famous yoga on the bluffs in Bluff Park overlooking the beach, if outdoor yoga is more your thing.