Some parents ask me about my approach or philosophical underpinnings for my Parent Coaching. I would love to share this to support parents who are curious about whether working with me aligns with their family.
First of all, as a PCI Certified Parent Coach®, I follow Appreciative Inquiry adapted from an organizational change model to a smaller-scale group format of families. This model starts with gathering the specific challenges that parents face with their child or children. We begin with the struggle but instead of following a problem-solving process, we identify the unique strengths within the family to develop a plan. Parents define what success will look like; we explore what parents want their family life to look like and create an artifact, of sorts, to anchor and guide the plan. After building the foundation by clarifying the issues, identifying the strengths, and defining the desired outcome, the parents and coach collaborate on building a practical plan to implement. We wrap up by reflecting on the process and highlighting the key takeaways composed of skills, strategies, and strengths that can be sustained over time. You can find more on the PCI model here.
In addition to coaching parents individually or as couples, I teach Redirecting Children’s Behavior, a 6-week course that both inspires introspection and leads to impactful results in families. The course, using the book of the same name by author and educator Kathryn Kvols, is grounded in the psychological approaches of Rudolph Dreikers as well as Non-Violent Communication developed by Marshall B. Rosenberg. This approach undergirds my parenting philosophy.
Other resources that have guided me, as a parent and parent educator, are:
- Dr. Becky Bailey’s Conscious Discipline
- The books of Daniel J. Seigel, M.D. and Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
- Training in The Incredible Years
My experience as a camp director currently at the Barn Day Camp at Farm & Wilderness, years administering early childhood programming through the United Way, and teaching and counseling students at American YouthWorks Charter School, has informed my child-centered and parents-as-partners approach to supporting families.
First and foremost when I coach parents – I trust YOU as the expert on your child. As a Parent Coach, I am here to listen for your genius and guide you through a powerful process that leads to positive results.
Please reach out to me with any questions you still have about the process after reading this overview.
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