Parent coaching: Individual  & group workshops for parents of 10-22 year olds.

What is coaching and how does it differ from therapy? Coaching is focused on the present and the future. We work together to set goals that make sense for you. Therapy and coaching are similar in many ways, but therapy differs in some important ways: therapists can diagnose, therapists can treat serious mental health issues, and therapists can explore past experiences in more depth.

Can you give an example of how therapy and coaching might differ in a specific way? For example, in coaching, we may talk about what you learned about parenting from your family of origin. We might explore  beliefs you bring to parenting, that are both helpful and possibly limiting. However, if you want to explore your childhood experiences in depth, or heal from past traumatic experiences, I will refer you to therapy for that. It's my job as the coach to understand those boundaries and I will always let you know if an issue comes up that would be better suited for a therapy setting.

What can you expect from parent coaching? As a parent coach, I respect and honor your role as a parent, and the unique culture and style of your family. You are the expert on you, and you know your family better than I ever will. As part of the coaching assessment, we'll explore your current parenting challenges, and identify goals that make sense for you. We always work together as a team, to develop actions that move you towards those goals. Along the way, I will offer: support, resources, new perspective, psychoeducation, guidance, and sometimes accountability.

Will you tell me what to do? I will never tell you what to do. You know yourself and your family better than I ever will. Once we set goals, we'll figure out how to reach them in ways that make sense and feel do-able for you.

Will you tell me what I'm doing wrong as a parent? All parents make mistakes and have room to grow and learn.  If you agree to work with me, I will always be honest about where I see room for you to grow, and areas where your behavior seems ineffective or harmful to your relationship with your child. I will always do this in a spirit of compassion and support.  And of course, there is always space in coaching for you to disagree or question me as we work together to figure out the best way forward for you and your family.