Parent Coaching

Parent coaching sessions are one hour and include:

  • Written session summaries including additional supportive resources
  • Light support between calls for emerging situations
  • Sessions can happen weekly, bi-weekly, monthly etc. I work with what fits your schedule and budget. 

THE PROCESS

Perspective Taking and Boundaries:

I work with parents to broaden perspectives and look for creative solutions for the stuck places. It is important to assume that beneath all the struggle, there is deep and innate goodness within our children. While not easy, we can work through our exhaustion, anger, and really stuck places with our kids by trying to reframe situations and look through fresh eyes. When we look through a lens of empathy and curiosity and build our perspective-shifting muscles, we are modeling something powerful for our kids. Together, we look for the “sweet spot” of approaching struggles with curiosity and empathy while still holding important boundaries. We examine which boundaries we must hold and which we can let go of. 

Communication, Brains and Nervous Systems:

Much of the coaching work is centered around language and communication. We work together to reduce reactivity by understanding what is happening physiologically when nervous systems become dysregulated. We work to find the right words at the right time.

Self-Compassion:

Every parent I work with is doing the best they can with the tools they have. We work on cultivating self-compassion while identifying changes you wish to make. 

Support versus Enabling:

Many of us are over-functioning as parents. For example, there could be accommodations we are making that are inadvertently contributing to our child’s anxiety cycle. When our child is struggling, we suffer. In the midst of our own suffering and anxiety, we often over-problem-solve for our child. We are often doing the heavy lifting they should be doing, This works against our child building resilience. My focus is on helping parents to be clear, calm and consistent as we empower our kids to be the primary solvers of their own challenges. 

Parents as Change Agents:

Families are a living system and each part of a living system is in constant co-creation with its environment. When parents are able to implement small changes in their behavior, it changes the dance and the child has no choice but to shift in some way. This approach can often prevent power struggles and damage to the relationship. 

Deepening Connection and Warmth:

As we work on all of this, we are always trying to deepen warmth and connection. As we work to hold boundaries that are connected to our end goal of raising capable, resilient, independent, and compassionate humans, we hope to teach our children that these are actually acts of love. We love our children too much to continue to play our part in keeping everyone stuck in unhealthy patterns. Patterns that are stalling our kids on their runway to independence. 

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based, experiential program designed to provide participants with intensive and systematic training in mindfulness meditation and movement practices, and integrating into one’s daily life what is discovered and learned through the process of participating in the program.

Mindfulness Based-Stress Reduction (MBSR) is based on ancient contemplative practices integrated with western medical approaches by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. MBSR is an 8-week program of systematic training in mindfulness meditation employing both formal and informal practices. The experiential program harnesses inner resources and cultivates resilience.

MBSR has been researched over 40 years and consistently delivers positive outcomes associated with increased self-awareness and emotional and attentional regulation. In addition, outcomes have included reductions in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress, chronic pain, and hypertension. 

Therapeutic Educational Consulting

These services are provided in partnership with Educational Connections. Please contact https://educationalconnections.com/ to explore hiring a Therapeutic Educational Consultant. Educational Connections provides advice and assistance to parents searching for appropriate therapeutic and academic options for: