MY PERSONAL APPROACH
I view parenting as the most influential role that any of us will undertake and am enthusiastic about bringing families together. In over 25 years of working with children and teens in a wide variety of settings, one thing always rings
true — children want their parents’ love and attention. They may have quite a bit of work to do in order to be in a position to receive it, but the desire to feel loved and wanted is universal. We never outgrow this.
Parents have their own work to do as well. I feel honored to work with parents. Together, we will build upon your strengths as a family and work to shift your parenting style to help you regain control and return your home to a more peaceful environment. I believe that each child is unique. I also believe that it is unreasonable to expect a parent to innately know how to grow a healthy relationship without some guidance now and then.
There are so many tools that can be used to improve communication and build attunement. Setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, along with establishing appropriate house rules, can provide the structure that supports the whole family system. I know — easier said than done. Yet, I want to convince you that it is achievable — because it is! I am happy to partner with you to help you achieve your parenting goals. Depending on your family’s needs, I draw from a combination of readings, assessments and exercises both to build skills and to improve family communication.
The digital age has ushered a whole host of new obstacles for parents to navigate. We know that leaving teens to set their own limits (bedtime, school attendance, or playing video games) usually leads to disaster. I believe that children and teens thrive with reasonable, consistent structure in their lives. The current generation of teens is lonely — in desperate need of parental leadership. Learning how to successfully manage technology use in your home is empowering and completely within the reach of every parent
PERSONAL INTERESTS
I am the proud mother of two young adult daughters who are a constant source of inspiration. I am fortunate to share this journey with my husband; together we enjoy what we like to call a ‘slow tech’ lifestyle. When our daughters were in high school, we hosted international exchange students, which cultivated my love of language, culture and travel. Yep, we actually invited more teenagers into our home! It was an incredibly rewarding experience that gave me surrogate daughters that now live in France and the Ukraine. Who says that you can’t pick your family?
My family is fortunate to all live within an hour of one another in coastal California. We take any available opportunity to get ourselves to the ocean to put our feet in the sand and feel the sunshine on our shoulders. If we are lucky, we will catch a glimpse of dolphins swimming near the shore. After more than 20 years of living in the beautiful (and rainy) Northwest, these moments are never taken for granted. Writing fiction is my favorite escape. My other hobbies include time with friends, gardening, daily meditation, baking, reading, and watching mysteries.
I am the proud mother of two young adult daughters who are a constant source of inspiration. I am fortunate to share this journey with my husband; together we enjoy what we like to call a ‘slow tech’ lifestyle. When our daughters were in high school, we hosted international exchange students, which cultivated my love of language, culture and travel. Yep, we actually invited more teenagers into our home! It was an incredibly rewarding experience that gave me surrogate daughters that now live in France and the Ukraine. Who says that you can’t pick your family?
My family is fortunate to all live within an hour of one another in coastal California. We take any available opportunity to get ourselves to the ocean to put our feet in the sand and feel the sunshine on our shoulders. If we are lucky, we will catch a glimpse of dolphins swimming near the shore. After more than 20 years of living in the beautiful (and rainy) Northwest, these moments are never taken for granted. Writing fiction is my favorite escape. My other hobbies include time with friends, gardening, daily meditation, baking, reading, and watching mysteries.
