Our Mission
Through individualized guidance and education, we empower community-based organizations, businesses, schools, and families to develop the resilience necessary for leadership, healthy relationships, and personal development.
The BRICK Team
From left to right: Melanie Mallers, Sarah Shawesh, Kate Bono
WHY WE DO IT
Through our work with communities, professionals, parents and families, we became aware that there was a need for better support for how to develop resilience in our homes and workplaces. Resilience is the ability to bounce “back” or “forward” from life challenges including adversity, trauma, threats or other sources of stress that accumulate over time. These stressful experiences can negatively impact our relationships, health, and personal well-being as well as workplace productivity and success. Through evidenced-based services, we educate and guide our clients to tap into their strengths, support systems, and internal resources to overcome personal challenges and strengthen relationships with those around them.
“ I felt like I had tried everything and was still ending the day in frustration and worry. BRICK has helped me gain perspective on how my toddler processes information. Now I am able to explain things to her with effectiveness and results! This is what we all need to better communicate with our kids! The greatest parenting hack yet!”
- Jessica, Mom of Two (ages 2 & 13)
What We Do
BRICK provides workshops, keynotes, one-on-one coaching, curriculum consultation, retreats, and seminars for individuals and organizations who want to develop their own resilience skills or who want to learn how to develop resilience in others.
Who We Work With…
Community-Based Organizations
Schools
Parents and Families
Businesses
Meet The Team
Sarah Shawesh
Sarah Shawesh, M.A, a founder and the CEO of B.R.I.C.K. Consulting, is an adjunct professor, lecturer, early childhood educator and development specialist. Her masters degree is in Human Development with a focus on authenticity in relationships. Ms. Shawesh has spent most of her career helping families, teachers, young adults and children understand development in a way that allows everyone to find joy in the day-to-day. She strives to break down development in a way that makes sense and increases positive outcomes and resilience for all!
Melanie Mallers
Melanie Mallers, Ph.D., a founder and lead consultant for B.R.I.C.K., is a professor and researcher. She received her doctorate in Family Studies and Human Development, with specialized training in the mechanisms by which stress influences emotional and physical health across the lifespan. Early on in graduate school, she was a lead researcher for the Institute for Children, Youth, and Families in Arizona. Dr. Mallers has presented her research at national conferences and has published many book chapters and journal articles. Her research has appeared on CNN. Dr. Mallers currently has two main areas of research: (1) understanding how parent-child relationships impacts daily stress responses; and (2) the roles of social support and technology on the well-being of aging adults and their care providers. Given her commitment to applied community-based research, Dr. Mallers implements resilience-based parent-child education classes at local for- and non-profit schools. Additionally, she has led caregiver support groups for aging adults as well as served as an advocate/educator for the Alzheimer’s Association. She has also consulted for architects, banks, museums, and marketing firms about comprehensive, holistic strategies to reduce stress and enhance program and product delivery to families and clients. Dr. Mallers also has a strong background in research design and evaluation; she has provided consult to multiple entities regarding the effectiveness of programs on clients.
Kate Bono
Kate Bono, Ph.D., a founder and lead consultant for B.R.I.C.K. Consulting, is a developmental psychologist, professor, leader, and researcher. She received her doctorate in Applied Developmental Psychology with specialized training in child development, community-based intervention, and program evaluation. She has spent her career focused on promoting resilience in adults and children in a variety of settings. In higher education, she has mentored college students, faculty, and leaders as a professor and administrator. In her community-based work, she has been an advisor, board member, and elected leader for multiple organizations serving children and families and was recognized in 2020 by the Orange County Child Care and Development Planning Council as Advocate of the Year. Dr. Bono’s research and intervention work is focused on resilience in children with a specific focus on the role of parent-child relationships. Dr. Bono has presented at national conferences and published multiple journal articles on these topics and she has developed multiple parenting programs for parents of infants through teens. Dr. Bono has also been a consultant and speaker for multiple community-based organizations including Head Start, multiple school districts, and the Orange County Association for the Education of Young Children, on the topics of leadership, stress, resilience, and how to support development in children.
Content Featuring BRICK Consultants
Simple Steps for Parents and Child to Manage COVID 19 Stress by PBS SoCal
Featuring BRICK Consultant and CoFounder, Dr. Kate Bono
At-Home Learning for the Working Parent by parentingOC
Featuring BRICK Consultant and CoFounder, Sarah Shawesh
Providing Children with a Toolbox of Skills by Inclusive Education Project (IEP)
Featuring BRICK Consultant and CoFounder, Sarah Shawesh
We have been blessed to have Sarah as one of the teachers and an advisor for our older two boys in their early childhood education. She is not only full of positive energy and excitement, she naturally applies her theory into practice in her daily interactions with the children. She is incredibly knowledgeable and has answered so many parenting questions over the years. We loved to pick her brain on our way in and out of school. You can see how much she believes in what she does by her interaction with the children, acknowledging them with same level face to face interaction and engaging them in conversation. Sarah works in a way that not only teaches children, but also invests in their development to develop a firm foundation to build on.
- Esther, Mom of Three
The BRICK Podcast
BRICK stands for Building Resilience in Communities and Kids! During this podcast, we will discuss different topics that impact families, children and our community!