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when you are tired
nothing else matters.
I have found that my work begins with the sleep plan for the kids, but really ends with parents and families who have regained their sense of peace and can finally begin to enjoy their time together.
Sleep affects everything else in your life! When I first started my career as a professional sleep coach, I didn’t know how meaningful my work with families would become. I knew that helping parents figure out the overwhelming task of getting their kids to sleep would be fulfilling, but I didn’t realize what a huge impact it would have on their lives.
JESSICA MANELA LITWACK, GENTLE SLEEP COACH AND OWNER OF HAVEN SLEEP with her kids Ruby & silas
IT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MY CLIENTS KNOW
I will always be honest with them and I don’t sugar coat things.
It's very important to me that my clients know I will always be honest with them and I don't sugar coat things
I’ll be honest, sleep coaching isn’t going to be a blast. It will be hard, and you will be tired, but the end result is so worth it. I want my clients to trust me and feel like they can talk to me about hard things. You will never receive judgment from me. I have been through it all with my own kids and know that parenting is really hard. I am not afraid of the emotions that go along with parenting and the big feelings that inevitably go hand-in-hand with sleep coaching. Don’t worry, I got you and will hold your hand virtually whenever you need it.
Even parents of young children deserve a good night’s sleep. Parenting doesn’t have to mean you’re exhausted all the time. Let me support you as you navigate your unique journey to better nights and brighter mornings. I’m not just here to give you a plan, but to support you along the way by validating your feelings and offering solutions tailored to your unique needs. It’s like you’re talking to a friend, who totally knows what you’re going through, but also happens to be a sleep expert who can offer you the sleep relief you’ve been looking for.
You don’t have to make excuses with me. As parents, we do what we’ve gotta do to survive and always in the best interest of our children. I don't let parents blame themselves for their child's sleep problems and tell me that it's "their fault" or "they've really messed things up." You did what you had to do to keep your little person happy and healthy and to survive! There is always a way to improve the situation you are in and I am here to help you find it.
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Hey, I’m Jess and I help exhausted families get back the sleep they desperately need and deserve! My journey to becoming a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach began when I had my daughter in 2011. Ruby showed up on her due date ready to take on the world and…ready to keep me up every hour of the night. Between nursing 24/7 and holding her for every single nap, I was deep into sleep deprivation and barely functioning. When people asked if she was “an easy baby”, I laughed and wondered to myself what that actually meant. That’s when I started reaching out to other moms in similar situations and discovered how important it is to have support when you’re a new mama! I started the Facebook mom’s group mamaSpace to seek out more mamas like me and started looking into sleep coaching methods. That’s when I found Kim West, and the Gentle Sleep Coaching Method.
my story
the gsc program
I was relieved to find there were parents like me who were looking for another way to sleep coach that didn’t involve closing the door and listening to my baby scream unattended for hours. Kim West’s process really resonated with me since it would allow me to teach my daughter the valuable skill of self-soothing and learning to sleep on her own, but at the same time, offering her support and love. I went on to use these methods with Ruby and then with my son, Silas, who was born in 2013. My kids are the center of my world, but as I tell my clients, they have really put me through the ringer with sleep!
I became a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach in 2013 after extensive training with The Sleep Lady™ herself, Kim West. I really appreciate that Kim’s background is also in Social Work and that she looks at sleep coaching holistically, instead of just a quick fix. For the past eight years, I have worked with hundreds of families with whom I have built relationships and offered meaningful support. Spending time listening and providing realistic solutions is what makes being a pediatric sleep coach something I am excited to do each and every day.
my story
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The Gentle Sleep Coach Program is the first and most extensive professional sleep coach training and certification program available. The program involves over 80 hours of training with a faculty panel that includes two medical doctors, a psychologist, an attorney, lactation counselor, postpartum doulas and a family therapist. Each coach must pass an exam and participate in case mentorship with Kim West, LCSW-C (a.k.a. “the Sleep Lady”) who has been helping tired parents for over 20 years. Clinical mentorship and ongoing advanced training are required to maintain certification as a Gentle Sleep Coach. Some of my training topics included:
Basic counseling and child development. | Sleep science and behavioral modification techniques to help parents of children aged 0 to 6 years old.
Secure attachment theory. | Support for the breastfeeding mother
The training also consisted of lectures from top specialists, including:
- Postpartum Depression from Dr. Shoshana Bennett, author and leading specialist on Postpartum Depression
- Medical Conditions and Sleep Apnea in Children led by Dr. Lewis Kass, Director of Children’s Sleep Center
- GERD and Sleep led by Dr. Anthony Loizides, pediatric gastroenterologist
Basic counseling and child development. | Sleep science and behavioral modification techniques to help parents of children aged 0 to 6 years old.
Secure attachment theory. | Support for the breastfeeding mother
The training also consisted of lectures from top specialists, including:
- Postpartum Depression from Dr. Shoshana Bennett, author and leading specialist on Postpartum Depression
- Medical Conditions and Sleep Apnea in Children led by Dr. Lewis Kass, Director of Children’s Sleep Center
- GERD and Sleep led by Dr. Anthony Loizides, pediatric gastroenterologist
The Gentle Sleep Coach Program is the first and most extensive professional sleep coach training and certification program available. The program involves over 80 hours of training with a faculty panel that includes two medical doctors, a psychologist, an attorney, lactation counselor, postpartum doulas and a family therapist. Each coach must pass an exam and participate in case mentorship with Kim West, LCSW-C (a.k.a. “the Sleep Lady”) who has been helping tired parents for over 20 years. Clinical mentorship and ongoing advanced training are required to maintain certification as a Gentle Sleep Coach. Some of my training topics included:
GSC Program Summary
BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin- Madison Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis
Trained in the Gentle Sleep Coaching method by Kim West, aka The Sleep Lady™ and author of “Good Night, Sleep Tight”
Continuing professional development in pediatric topics such as behavioral issues, medical concerns correlated with sleep, emotional issues in children
get to know jessica
Join the conversation on mamaSpace!
My free FB group for all things mom!
I am a St. Louis transplant and moved to the area soon after graduating college. I am from the East Coast and love spending days at the beach. I go back whenever I get the chance and spend several weeks on the Eastern Shore every summer! I have two children who keep me very busy with all their activities!
I absolutely love to travel and have been to many places around the world. I am a dog person who has two cats. My family adopted two kittens, Bowie and Georgie, during the pandemic. They now have my heart and I love them to pieces.
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Ready to let Jessica help your family?
Create a sleep haven in your home.
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