What is your training?

I studied at the Jai Institute for Parenting for 24 weeks before graduating as a Certified Parent Coach.

I have decided to continue my education and am currently in a year long Master Coaching certification,

where I am deepening my coaching skills and will graduate as a Master Coach in October 2024.

As a parent who had multiple children who were/are differently wired, I have educated myself

greatly in the areas of :

• Autism Spectrum
• Sensory Processing
• Semantic Pragmatic Language Disorder
• Childhood Anxiety
• "Big Emotions"
• ADHD
• Twice Exceptional

I have spent the past 18 years, reading/learning/ and attending conferences about   

childhood development and strategies to help support my children. 

Before children I graduated from the University of Missouri and taught preschool and was an avid babysitter in my teens and twenties.

What are "big emotions"?

• Explosive episodes
• Strong-willed
• Anger
• School/Activity Avoidance
• Depression
• Anxiety

I refer to these behaviors as "big emotions" because I believe it is more compassionate to the children.  As I learned from the psychologist Dr. Ross Greene, "Kids do well when they can."  These children are not "bad"  they just need more curiosity, compassion and connection to gain the skills to emotionally regulate. 

Do you really not use punishments/bribing/ threats in your parenting? 

How do you get your kids to behave?

Peaceful/Empowered Parenting is "parent-centric".  It is our job as parents to model appropriate behavior.  Depending on our children's age and developmental age behavior can look differently.  My children did not change anything about their behaviors initially, the change was in MY REACTIONS! 

I parented in the Authoritarian model for the first 10 years as a mother.  Did they behave?   Most of the time, but the difference is, they were behaving out of "fear", now they behave out of connection and desire to honor our families values.  When my kids felt safe, seen, secure and soothed at home, it was amazing the shifts I saw, especially in one of my kids, who for the over 10 years had "big emotions".  Those "big emotions," slowly decreased as our connection grew stronger and they learned how to properly regulate their emotions.

We ALL still make mistakes and get upset from time to time, but now we have non-violent communication skills and have modeled repair (apologizing) so punishment is not needed.  Often times, natural consequences come up and that is just part of life and a wonderful learning experience. 

For more on how to build connection here is a FREE mini-course!  Stop yelling, spanking, threatening and empower your parenting skills today!! If you learned a lot through this, you will love our 12 week Transformational Parenting Program you can purchase here.

What is a parent coach?

As a parent coach I feel more connected to calling myself a parent/child relationship educator.  My main role, is helping you get curious about why behaviors and emotions are coming up for YOU and your kids. I will ask you questions to help you figure that out and teach you strategies to better communicate, help YOU feel more emotionally regulated so you can model those behaviors to your family.  I also educate parents on building strong connections with their kids. 

Sometimes working with a licensed therapist and or doctor is beneficial for you and your kids.  Talk therapy and medications can be helpful for some family's and I urge you to look into that, especially if you feel unsafe/discomfort around your child's behaviors or you feel out of control as a parent. 

I am not licensed to diagnosis any behaviors.  I am here solely as a support/provide resources to parents and teach strategies that help bring connection to families. 

My husband is not on board, he believes in Authoritarian style parenting.

I have been in this situation too,  and I used to parent with a more Authoritarian approach.  But here is the power you have as MAMA.  I educated myself on this parenting style and just as my child with "big emotions" started to change their behaviors,  my husband started noticing this and started listening more to what I had to say. 

 I can still remember the night, (almost 6 years after changing my parenting style) my husband thanked me for "changing the dynamic of our family,"  He is strong believer and practitioner of Peaceful/ Empowered Parenting now.  You can read what he has to say in his own words here, under "What my family says."