What is Parent Coaching?
This is a place for all those who have dreamt about their kids being raised by another person and having them stop by for dinner on occasion! Can you imagine the the space, the freedom, the peace! Though I can't guarantee the simplicity of this living arrangement, I am here to support your family in finding other changes that can increase sanity, balance, and freedom.
I welcome all parents who feel angry, saddened, and baffled by the state of their family. You may have tried it all - books, therapy, quick tips, and tricks on social media and still found your kids are driving you crazy. Parent coaching allows you to have a guide while you navigate one of the hardest things we do - raising our children!
In our work together, I act as a navigator, advisor, and consultant so you can better create the family you want. As an imperfect parent myself, I understand the struggles and challenges of parenting. Thankfully our children don’t need perfection, but they do need parenting in a thoughtful manner that adapts to their temperament, personality, strengths, and challenges.
Together we work on creating deep, lasting changes so that long after you have stopped working with me, you have a framework on how to handle the current challenges.
Sometimes we need an outside perspective to get us going on a better path.
The Power of Parent Coaching
Successful outcomes of parent coaching:
* Your child has meltdowns and you feel confident about how to respond.
* Your teen looks to you for support when they have a problem.
* You remain calm when your child lies, yells, misbehaves, or ignores you.
* Your child listens when you ask them to help out.
* You understand why your parenting resembles your parents and know how to change it.
* You understand the reasons for your child's behavior.
* You feel good about your parenting decisions.
* You have a day of doing it “all wrong” and still feel alright.
* You feel assured about your child’s trajectory into the world.
Parent Coaching Improves
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Defiance
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Meltdowns/Tantrums
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Sibling conflict
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Discipline strategies
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Problematic behaviors - lying, backtalk, disrespect
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Teenage woes - sneaking out, lying, manipulation
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Parental worries, fears, and frustrations
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Parent-child relationship
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How much the parent's childhood shows up in
their parenting
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Parenting confidence
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Shame and guilt about parenting
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And more!
I work with many types of families!
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Families with adopted children
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Blended Families
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Single Parents
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Multiple Parents
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Separated/Divorced Parents
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LGBTQ+ Children/Teens and Parents
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Neurodivergent Children and Parents
Parent Coaching vs Therapy
Parent coaching is not mental health therapy.
I love mental health therapy and have been a child and family therapist for over 15 years! Both coaching and therapy are incredibly valuable and I do both in my professional life. Mental health services are most appropriate when the behavior or emotional distress rises to meet the criteria of a clinical medical diagnosis. If you or your child has OCD, panic attacks, significant levels of depression or anxiety, trauma, etc then mental health therapy is needed. Parent coaching can be an adjunct but not a replacement.
Parent coaching is best suited for families trying to navigate everyday demands and have found that their parenting strategies are leaving them feeling confused and powerless. Coaching is a place for support, direction, and clear steps about the changes that need to happen both for the parents and child(ren). Parent coaching is not intended to treat mental health diagnoses.
Parent coaching can be a great addition to mental health services for the parent and/or child(ren). Parent coaching provides a blueprint to restructure the family so there is more joy, flexibility, and connection in your family.