Profile

Vashti Summervill

I am an avid life-long learner with a heart for doing my part to ease suffering. It’s a hard time to grow up. The challenges our kids face are very different from those we faced just thirty or forty years ago – or even five years ago. Parents are navigating a “wild west,” facing challenges past generations have not faced. I am on a journey to combine my background as an educator, my lived experience and continual learning to help support parents—especially those struggling in their relationship with teens, and young adults.

I received my Master’s of Music/Vocal Performance from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington and hold an Elementary Teaching Certificate with a K-12 Music Endorsement. I have taught over 1000 kids and several years ago, began to notice an increase in behavioral issues, anxiety and depression. That was the catalyst for me to enroll in the Parent Coaching Institute to become a Certified Parent Coach. The question I am continually asking is “What can we as parents do to cultivate resilience in the world we find ourselves in?”

I am a Qualified Level 1 Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher (MBSR) through Brown University and am also trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), and as a QPR Instructor (Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training).

In addition to coaching and teaching Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, I am and Therapeutic Educational Consultant. I regularly tours and evaluate therapeutic programs for adolescents and young adults so I assist parents in finding the right resources for their children. This work is done in partnership with Educational Connections. https://educationalconnections.com/