The Adolescent Brain: A Parent’s Guide to Understanding and Connection (This is a 2 hour workshop. )

Find your parenting GPS—your map for navigating the teen years. Go beyond the excuse of “hormones” and gain a clear understanding of the adolescent brain. Learn how to strengthen and support your teen’s executive functioning skills, including planning and organization, while discovering effective strategies for having difficult conversations. Invite cooperation through curiosity and connection rather than relying on consequences, build confidence in your parenting, and connect with others who are also raising teens. This is often a 2 hour workshop.

If you’d like to see and of these workshops at your school or organization, email me!

Navigating the Adolescent Years: Parenting with Courage and Connection (6-8 sessions)

The teen brain goes through a major remodeling, and it can be a challenging time and one of opportunity! It’s normal to want to seek tighter control, yet this often causes teens to respond by shutting down or avoidance. Stay close and stand back! In this 3 week series, parents and caregivers will jump into the lives of their adolescent and explore what they are experiencing socially, emotionally and physically. You will discover communication strategies to strengthen the relationship with your child that will go well beyond these years. You will create a plan with tools and strategies around screens. We will discuss the when, where and how to help guide your family’s decisions around this overwhelming topic.

It is possible for parents and their children to enjoy this vulnerable stage together. Whether you are in the midst of the adolescent years or just wanting to get a jump start on what's ahead, this class is for you! This popular class is for caregivers of children 10+.

Elementary Parenting: (6-8 sessions)

Parenting in the elementary years begins with finding your parenting roadmap—understanding where you are now and where you want to be. This session explores how to uncover and make sense of children’s behavior through the lens of developmental stages, brain science, unmet needs, emotional regulation, and the innate desire to belong and contribute. You’ll sort through common approaches such as punishment, consequences, and problem-solving strategies, while learning how to lay the groundwork for lifelong healthy family communication—especially before the teen years. By getting to know yourself and your child, including differences in temperament and your role in the relationship, you’ll leave with clear next steps for applying these insights and building sustainable parenting practices.

More information about Teaching Parenting the Positive Discipline Way (Parent Educator Certification)and Positive Discipline in the Classroom Certifications.

Positive Discipline for Youth Sports Coaches

In this 2 hour workshop coaches learn to work with parents, colleagues and athletes to create a collaborative, supportive, and accountable culture that shares vision and values. Coaches and parents will learn methods that invite cooperation and motivate players in a non-punitive way that will encourage a more enjoyable experience for all.

Navigating the Screen Years ( 2 hours-6 hours)

A workshop for parents and their adolescents/teens to support them finding their way with the new era of screens. We will all reflect on how phones, social media, gaming, and just the pull of our devices are taking away from our in-person connection, relationship, sometimes health, and just being present in life. Nothing is ever all or nothing so we’ll explore the benefits of our technology and how to stay regulated, mindful and aware of when it creeping into the important parts of our lives. You will leave with some new insight and a way to talk about screens together so it’s not always a battle. You will also have an outline for making some technology norms around your home and tips on how to stick with them. This is work and worth it!

Thriving in the Early Years

Young children are building skills in self-regulation and trying to navigate the world with little experience.  These early years can be challenging and emotions can be BIG for both parents and children.   It can be so confusing to know what to do when our children misbehave.    In this workshop, parents will learn how to look at a child’s ‘challenging behaviors’ as a way they communicate (often unskilled) and learn how to interpret their message.  Adults will learn strategies to take care of themselves and respond to a child’s emotions using empathy and connection to support the social and emotional growth of the child.    Most importantly, parents will gain confidence and understanding about where their child is developmentally to support them through these early years and connect with other parents to normalize this stage.   Ages 2-6.  3-6 session