Hi! Welcome to Little Elf Family Services! I’m Lara Elfstrand, aka “the Sleep Elf”

Lara Elfstrand

I am a sleep and parent coach, and I’m here to help parents to feel rested, connected, and thriving.

I’m also an awesome, differentiating, behavior-changing ninja.

I have a master’s degree in early childhood special education and am endorsed as an infant family advanced transdisciplinary mental health practitioner (that’s a mouthful!). I’m also a Certified Pediatric Sleep Interventionist for ages 0-5 and a certified Gottman educator and trainer.

Think of me as a behavior detective—pulling knowledge and experience from over 15 years of working with hundreds of families of all shapes, sizes, make-ups, and abilities in their homes, classrooms, and online in both English and Spanish—sniffing out the root problems, uncovering what we already know, combining that with new information and skills, and kicking some unhelpful patterns to the curb.

I’ve been a detective with my own kiddo, other people’s kiddos, my two (very, very different) dogs, as well as my husband, my parents, my sister, and other family members. The behavior and relationship-observing skills I’ve learned—and teach to my clients—can be used in every facet of life. And they never expire!

My diverse training and skills help me break complex challenges into manageable steps to help families find the “just right” challenge — not too easy and not too hard. My work integrates science, nervous-system awareness, and a collaborative, family-centered philosophy.

My clients report deeper sleep, less restlessness, and an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. I customize, customize, customize based on your goals and on your child, for children who are both typically developing and those with delays or medical challenges. I have supported families since 2009 and have focused on sleep since 2022. I’d love to support you!

Lara Elfstrand

Lara Elfstrand, MA ECSE, IF-ATMHP, CPSI, CEIM, gottman educator & trainer

I help families to feel rested, connected, and thriving.

Rested:

My clients report deeper sleep, less restlessness, & an easier time falling asleep and staying asleep. I am:

  • A Certified Pediatric Sleep Interventionist through the Palm Pediatric Training Institute (PPTI) — the only certification designed specifically to support children with special needs

  • Trained in behavioral sleep through the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management.

  • A member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

    My work integrates science, nervous-system awareness, and a collaborative, family-centered philosophy. I customize based on your goals and on your child, for children who are both typically developing & those with delays or medical challenges.

Connected:

I love to provide strategies that help families to manage conflict and experience more joy in their time together. I can do this because I am:

Thriving:

A masters degree in early childhood special education (Santa Clara University) with a clear teaching credential (Cal State Fullerton) has given me a passion and skill for growth mindset and for breaking tasks into small, manageable pieces. I also have a passion for helping parents to manage big emotions—theirs and their child’s! (This is also a big part of Circle of Security!)

Schedule a free ‘start off strong' planning session
 

“It’s easy to see that you have a wonderful soul and are extremely successful at making those around you feel loved, warm, and safe.”

- Mother of an 18-month old

How can my holistic approach help you to look forward to bedtime?

I combine the latest research from early childhood development, infant mental health, and relationship research from the Gottman Institute to address and prevent the challenges that sleep-challenged families face.

I develop a comprehensive plan to help you create family time that you enjoy.

I customize the tools to fit the needs of your family, to create a warm and nurturing environment where you and your children can sleep and thrive.

My Values

  • * Respect

    * Empathy

    * Growth mindset and the celebration of mistakes as learning opportunities

    * Gratitude

    * Accepting responsibility for my part of the problem

    * Problem solving before and after the blow-up (not during)

    * KALM: known, appreciated, loved, motivated

    * Listening before offering advice

    * The Goldilocks principle: the “Just right” challenge (although I am sorry she was so rude to break into the bears’ house, and I would prefer a different illustration)

    * Taking breaks to calm down

    * Complaining about behavior rather than criticizing or shaming the other person’s character

    * Expressing needs before they build up

    * Guilt (I DID something bad) rather than shame (I AM something bad; I am not enough)

    * 5 times more positive interactions than negative ones WHEN WE ARE FIGHTING and 20 times more when we are not fighting - a smile, a touch, a joke

    * Small, predictable stressors that build resilience

    * Learning through play in a positive, safe environment

    * Being aware of how we want to parent

  • * All or nothing thinking, perfectionism, procrastination

    * The four horsemen: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling

    * Flooding (fight or flight) without taking breaks; responding to flooding while flooded

    * Cry it out without a “just right challenge” plan

    * Sink or swim mentality

    * Shaming and blaming

Schedule a free ‘Strong Sleep’ planning session

My Education & Trainings

    • Certified Pediatric Sleep Interventionist through the Palm Pediatric Training Institute (PPTI) — the only certification designed specifically to support children with special needs

    • Behavioral sleep training through the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management.

    • Master’s degree and clear teaching credential in Early Childhood Special Education through Santa Clara University and Cal State Fullerton

    • Pyramid Model through the Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL)

    • Love and Logic positive parenting techniques

    • SPARK Communication early intervention strategies through the Hanen Centre

    • Circle of Security Facilitator

    • Fellow of the Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship through U.C. Davis Extension

    • Infant Family Advanced Transdisciplinary Mental Health Practitioner

    • Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics through the Child Trauma Academy

    • Gottman Bringing Baby Home educator for parents

    • One of the few Gottman Bringing Baby Home trainers for professionals in the USA outside of Washington State

    • Gottman Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work Leader

    • Certified baby gift registry expert

    • Certifying postpartum doula

    • Certified Educator of Infant Massage through Infant Massage USA

    • Trained in Happiest Baby on the Block

    • Brazelton’s TouchPoints and Newborn Behavior Observations

    • The NCAST Parent-Child Interaction Feeding Scale

    • Building Positive, Playful Co-Parenting Teams to Support the Potential of all Children at Infant Development Association

    • Guest appearance on TLC's Rattled (not aired)

    • Guest speaker at San Jose State University's typical/atypical development class

    • Mothers of Preschoolers

    • Kaiser new parent support groups

    • San Jose Holistic Moms Network, and more.  

    • Fully bilingual in Spanish and able to communicate and coach in both English and Spanish

Certified Pediatric Sleep Practitioner through Palm Pediatric Training Institute since 2024

I was interviewed on Your Healthy Living, a show that inspires healthy and natural lifestyles. Hosts Alexandrew and Dr. Shasta Tierra interview a new guest every week about their professions in helping lead others to healthier lives both physically and mentally.

Resources:

Baby Registry

Sacramento Resources

Nationwide Resources

©Lara Elfstrand, MA ECSE, IF-ATMHP, CPSI - Little Elf Family Services, P.O. Box 5098, Auburn, CA 95604

schedule your free 'strong sleep' planning session