It's 8:30pm, and I'm able to write this review because my son is ASLEEP! My husband and I had a 50 minute sleep consultation with Noelle Cochran, PsyD at Symbio over the phone last week. Our 3-year-old son's bedtime drama was causing us to be very overtired (ever since he graduated from a crib to a bed around age 2), and we got practical, insightful, and compassionate advice that so far is working well for him and for us. We were referred to Symbio by my sister-in-law and a pediatrician / mom at my son's preschool, both who've had success with the sleep consultations for their own kids. I'd recommend this to any parent who is struggling with sleep issues for their kids - and do it sooner than we did. Symbio offers counseling and classes by two specialists in infant and toddler mental health with backgrounds in child development and family psychology. read more

I had read all the sleep books, trust me, and I was at my wits end about how to help my son, who was 18 months at the time, to sleep through the night. The books made it sound so easy and I felt foolish for not being able to coax him into a full nights sleep. At the time we contacted Noelle, my son was waking in the night at 3 am, and staying up sometimes as long as 3 hours before going back to sleep. It seemed like no matter what we did, at 3 am, he was up and ready to play. \I met Noelle in her office and my husband called us and she interviewed us on what the current situation was and what we wanted to achieve. I really appreciated how well she was really listening to me. I told her I wasn't comfortable with the "Cry it Out" philosophy and was hoping she'd have some ideas. She took everything we said into account and came up with a plan, well more specifically for us what our next step would be. We implemented that step and then called her for the next step and so on until we got the final result. I'll add that our son was climbing out of his crib at 16 months so we had to figure out a plan with him not being in a crib, but rather just being in his room for bedtime. I imagine she might work differently with each family, but for me, I needed the step at a time approach. It was so valuable to me to have someone to speak to about each step and to have her support throughout the process. Our son is pretty strong willed, and me, not so much, but sure enough, with her guidance and some patience we have gotten to the point where James is sleeping through the night on his own. So in summary - if the books aren't working and you're at your wits end, consider getting some help. Noelle was so caring and compassionate and helped us get to where we are today, with full nights of sleep, glorious sleep! read more

You are exhausted. You're up every hour. Your baby is crabby all day and hates to nap. Then, a magic wand appears, and poof!, suddenly you are gazingly lovingly at your sleeping babe and you glide off to bed yourself for a full night's sleep. Sound too good to be true? Well it ain't! It's all about Symbio and the amazing Noelle (aka the magic wand). I stupidly started sleep training when I was at my wit's end, with no real plan. A few day's later after enduring heartbreaking hours of crying, I made 2 great decisions: reading the Sleepeasy Solution, and calling Noelle. The Sleepeasy Solution is magical in and of itself: unlike the other sleep books I had trudged through, this one distills all of the steps into 2 easy-to-read chapters. If you're not interested in the biology of sleep, yadda yadda, then you are encouraged to get right down to business planning Night #1. Everything in it makes perfect sense, and boom, it works. But if you're like me with a more active kid and some failed sleep-training attempts under your belt, a call to Noelle at Symbio is crucial, because just when you're about to give up and say, "no, REALLY, I have the ONLY baby in the world who cannot possibly learn to sleep" - a few quick tips and words of encouragement and everything falls perfectly into place. I'm not trying to be overdramatic - but getting a good night's sleep has changed everything in my house - baby and I are both happier and healthier already. A Symbio consult ain't cheap, but I would have paid 3 times the amount for the tips, tricks, and reassurance that enabled me to get my family on the right track for healthy, restful sleep. DOOOOOO IIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!! read more

We consulted with Noelle as we were having issues putting our 25 month old to sleep. A 45-minute phone consult solved the problem. We went from 2+ hour bedtime drama to having our daughter drift into peaceful sleep in 20 or 30 minutes. Yay! Also, Noelle was accommodating - she made time for us right before the holidays, which was a good thing because our little one's sleep issues were wearing us down during a busy time of year. Noelle was so pragmatic, friendly and effective -- we're looking forward to her advice on other parenting issues as well. Our daughter is happier going to bed at night -- and so are we. read more

Ok run...don't walk to Noelle Cochran if your little one is having sleep issues. My 5 year old daughter hit a bump in her sleeping a year and a half ago and in ONE 22 MINUTE phone conversation with Noelle she fell asleep in 8 minutes that night, 6 minutes the next, 4 the following and we're still going strong... Noelle provided a solution that really honored the connection between my daughter and me. There were like three times in our very brief phone chat where I wanted to hug her because I felt so incredibly validated and equipped with a solution that felt right in my 'mom gut'. There are not words to express my gratitude for her genius! read more

In the 2.5 years since my son was born, I have had perhaps 5 decent nights' sleep. We came to Symbio based on a friend's recommendation and Yelp reviews. To be honest I wish we hadn't. I guess I was hoping for a miracle cure - or at least new "tools" to try. Unfortunately a 1.5 hour in-person consultation yielded nothing close; instead I ended up feeling defensive about my parenting (yes, I realise that is my own issue) and comments made have since become the seed of argument between myself and my husband. Perhaps the outcome would have been different if my we had been able to discuss the consultation immediately afterward, but with no evening to speak of and being exhausted after my son finally does go to sleep, involved and difficult conversations just aren't a feature in my life at the moment. Symbio does seem to help for many people, but for us they just didn't. Maybe they will for you. If you are as tired as I am and looking for sleep solutions, good luck and I truly hope you find what you need! read more

We sleep trained our son @ 4.5 months using the Sleep Easy Solution and were very excited with the results. Fast forward a year, and thanks to several cross country trips, teething, and getting sick all of the time after starting daycare... his sleep had gotten so messed up that we were driving him around the Presidio every night to get him to sleep. It became so unmanageable. We tried re-starting the Sleep Easy Solution but he would cry so hard that he would barf all over his crib, and we feared the barf so much, we didn't push. And he isn't that into sitting still to read books before bed, so our "nighttime" routine wasn't helping him wind down like we needed it to. Desperate and sleep deprived, we called Noelle. She gave us a 35 minute pep talk and lots of good ideas for a new sleep routine. She said he would most likely barf the first night (and he did) but only once. First night was 30-minutes of fighting including the barf cleanup. Second night was 5 minutes of crying. Third night he grabbed for the crib after story time was over and went peacefully to sleep. Happily ever after! Thank GOD we called Noelle. She is a lifesaver. I don't think we would have been able to get out of our fearful sleep disaster situation without her. Well worth the cost of the 35 minute call. Worth even more! What I like most about Noelle is that she's heard it all. She has an answer/solution for every issue we faced, every roadblock we presented. She is sweet, warm, friendly, nurturing, non-judgmental. And she helped us understand the psychology of the toddler in terms that we could understand and relate to. read more

We've consulted over the phone with Noelle five times over the last five years and in that time she has provided us with advice that has been priceless (even though it was technically pricey). Despite having done our research, Noelle still provided us with tips that provided pretty significant strides in parenting. Her tips quickly got our then 2.5 year old son back to sleeping through the night, got our then 6 month old to fall asleep and have helped with behavioral issues. While I can understand why people can be skeptical about the price or just how distinctive the advice can be, for us it has definitely been worth it and the advice provided ideas that weren't previously considered and worked better than what we had been trying and addressed persistent issues. read more

I highly recommend Noelle Cochran at Symbio for anyone who is looking for a sleep consultant who does not have a "one-size-fits-all" approach to sleep-training and will take each individual child's temperament into account. I contacted Noelle after using another sleep consultant (Vivian Sonnenberg) who blamed us (the parents) for our baby LC's continued problems with waking up and crying at the 40-minute mark each night despite our following Vivian's cry-it-out plan for weeks. Noelle totally "got" LC in just a 30-minute phone call and explained that the night wakings are NOT our fault. Noelle explained in simple terms that LC is an extremely bright, sensitive baby, and that her nighttime crying is her way of "processing" the vast amounts of sensory input she receives during the day. While Noelle could not immediately cure the problem, she gave us reassurance and a long-term plan to help LC process more information during the day so that she eventually won't need to use crying to process at night. While other sleep consultants are simply "baby nurses", Noelle is an actual psychologist with the background and experience to understand how things like temperament and intelligence can impact each baby's sleep patterns. LC was simply not viewed as an individual by our first sleep consultant; Noelle on the other hand recognized traits unique to LC that impact her sleep. In retrospect, I wish I had hired Noelle from the get-go and saved myself a lot of unnecessary stress and guilt. read more

Noelle is a life-saver. Two weeks after reading and implementing the Sleep Easy Solution we were still experiencing issues with our 5 month old son waking up several times a night. Talking with Noelle gave us the reassurance, confidence and a sense of empowerment in knowing how to support our son during this longer-than-expected sleep training process. What I appreciated most about our first consultation was how she listened FIRST, let me share our story, let me ask my questions, asked her own questions THEN shared her wisdom. When I consult with Noelle I feel heard and understood. Noelle is generous with her time, knowledge and compassion. I feel extremely grateful to have her on our team. Our son is sleeping better now but more importantly I feel we have the tools to help him through his future sleep challenges as well. read more

Noelle and Symbio are amazing. We started seeing Noelle last year as we've been having behavioral issues with our three-year old. She has a calming and soothing, yet reassuring way to her therapy. Noelle helped us better understand what was going on with our son and provided great solutions/tools to help him get through the day. In addition, she really understands the toddler mentality and temperament, and makes you feel like you're not in an "out of norm" situation. I would recommend Noelle to anyone who is feeling a bit insecure about their toddlers' behavior and we will continue to see Noelle when we need her. Especially when you need to get through the terrible twos, threes, etc... read more

What a lifesaver! My 7 month old daughter was waking up every 2 hours throughout the night, with a slight improvement to 3.5 hrs after we started putting her to bed on her tummy. While 3.5 hrs seemed luxurious by comparison, we definitely had to do something and wanted to do it under good advice. Noelle was the answer! All it took was one 40-minute consult and we were on our way. It really only took one night of sleep training (45 mins in total), with 10 minutes of crying the second night, and our 8 month old now sleeps through the night most nights! What I appreciated about Noelle's approach is that it is not "one size fits all" and she tailored her recommendations to my daughter's temperament and skills. She gave me a rationale for everything she recommended, which was very helpful during the sleep training. It helps to know, in the moment of wanting to cave in and pick up the baby, HOW and WHY to do what she has recommended. And it WORKED! What a relief. I highly recommend seeking professional sleep advice to any parent struggling with sleep issues. Make the call! You will not regret it! read more

Noelle is a lifesaver. We started working with her when our son had a major sleep regression at 18 months old. Since then, we've consulted with her about everything from sleep to discipline questions to sibling preparation and preschool selection. She's always so responsive and has nailed it every single time. We feel so much more confident in our parenting approach during times of turmoil with Noelle on our side! read more

Love, love, love Symbio. We first worked with Noelle to help our son develop good sleep habits as a baby, and now check in with her from time to time about the various issues of toddlerhood. I tell everyone that Symbio is hands down, the best money we've spent on anything child-related... A true investment in our whole family's overall health and sanity! read more

I had a 1 hr phone consultation with Noelle last week because my 1 year old son was taking 2-3 hours a night to get down for bed. It was driving me crazy and I was at my wits end. I am very against crying it out and wanted to make sure I found someone who could help me come up with a more gentle approach to sleep training. Noelle was perfect! She came up with just the right plan for us and I can happily say one week later it is working! My son is falling asleep on his own in his own crib with no crying! It's like a miracle! Not only that but he is sleeping for longer stretches than before! Can I get a hallelujah? As you tired parents know, every minute of extra sleep counts! He went from waking up at 11pm to sleeping until 3am. I'm hoping as we continue to implement our sleep plan that time will continue to stretch out. I can't recommend Noelle more highly! I'm sad I didn't call her sooner! read more

We did not have a good experience with Noelle at all. First of all its hard to even talk to her. I'd send her an email and she's never in the office over the weekend and often she would not be able to talk with us for 2-3 business days. This does not work when you are trying to sleep train a baby. She told us not to focus on the naps at all and as a result our 5 month old became extremely irritable and fussy. We made little to no progress with Noelle. There was no follow up from her, or checking in - unless it was an email with her bill. We found a different sleep trainer and had amazing results. I do not recommend Noelle. read more

Pretty average advice for high cost. Nothing miraculous here and I am out $221. They charge in 5-minute increments so watch the clock and just cut it short if it's useless. I should have. read more

My wife found Symbio through the golden gate mother's group. The small fee we paid them to help with our 7 month old's sleep was the best money we ever spent. Noelle did a great job understanding our son's sleep patterns and over temperament, where the recommendations she gave were spot-on. The guy went from broken sleep (waking every 2 hours, which was killing us) to moving to a 9 to 11 hour block of sleep every night. The experience has been life-changing, and I would recommend these folks to anyone. read more

This is the first family counselor we've ever tried and had a really good experience. We don't have a reference point, and only visited once, but got some useful strategies for dealing with some behavior issues we'd been having with our toddler. I'm not sure yet whether we'll go back for another session (which was neither encouraged nor discouraged, btw). We seem to have the new tools we need for now. We really appreciated Symbio's low-pressure, low-cost approach, which seemed appropriate for us because our issues weren't that serious. read more

I used Noelle for my second child who was a worse sleeper than my first. Again, Noelle was knowledgeable and completely caring. My baby is now sleeping great and I feel human again. read more

I was disappointed in Noelle's sleep advice. She didn't have much to say that I hadn't already read about in The Sleepeasy Solution or Ferber, and she was reluctant to even discuss non-crying solutions to my daughter's bedtime problems. I felt like she was essentially quoting passages from those two books rather than offering us advice tailored to our baby's individual needs. She hardly even asked about our daughter's temperment, in fact. During our phone conversation she seemed distracted and was difficult to hear; I commented to my husband afterwards that it almost sounded like she was calling us from her car. I guess Noelle has been a miracle-worker for a lot of families, but I just didn't see that side of her. I'd save your money and just read the relevant chapters from Sleepeasy Solution instead. read more

I was referred to Noelle a few years ago by a friend. She came to our house to talk about the sleep issues we were having with our daughter. She was very caring and knew her stuff! Her recommendations worked like a charm! We recently saw her again and again, she did a wonderful job of explaining our child's personality to us in a clear manner--not all scientific and hard to understand. We have once again put her recommendations into practice and the house is much calmer and peaceful. I wish I could have spent the whole day with Noelle! read more

I have worked with Noelle several times over the past three years. My oldest daughter has had many, many sleep issues. Each time I talk with Noelle, she gives me a game plan, and encouragement. She takes the time to understand family dynamics and personal limits so that the plan is completely sustainable - and one that the whole family feels comfortable with. And, like others have mentioned, she is right every single time - meaning, she knows exactly why my daughter is struggling, and more importantly - how to reach her and reverse any behavioral issues. Noelle is incredibly supportive, and man - soooooo incredibly wise. Sometimes, I just want to have coffee with her and pick her brain! So glad she's a resource in our parenting toolbox. read more

I feel like I should be embarrassed to say we've worked with Noelle...we are smart people and we love our kids so we should be able to figure out how to parent them, right? Well...unfortunately, these little people don't come with manuals, so we were thrilled to find Symbio! I am trying to remember the first time we called them, and the fact that I can't recall the issue is testament to how fast they were able to help us fix it. Since then, we have called for things like night time seperation anxiety, early waking, and most recently, potty training desperation. For the potty training situation, our daughter had been going #2 in her pants EVERY DAY for almost a year and we had literally tried everything, including taking her to our pediatrician. I think we talked with Noelle for 20 minutes and within a few weeks, we had success! It was a miracle. And the solution was absolutely nothing we would have ever thought of, nor was it anything anyone had ever suggested. It took a person who understood the mind of a child to come up with it. She does not offer a one size fits all answer either - we have three children and have used her services for each of them, and the answers have all been different even if the issues were similar. I truly treasure her and the work she does. I feel a sense of relief knowing she is there to help me as I go through these years raising my children and doing my very best...because sometimes I do not have all the answers! I'm glad Noelle does! read more