I have worked with families from the beginning of my career and it has given me deep experience supporting parents navigating complex challenges. All families are unique, with different cultures, dynamics, histories, and structures. I’ve supported adoptive families, foster families, and families involved with the juvenile justice system, among others, broadening my understanding of how to guide families, parents, and young people towards their goals.

I’ve learned that caregivers often feel stuck between traditional parenting approaches that rely on punishment and rewards, and a genuine desire to connect with and understand their kids. So many caregivers feel as though it is impossible to see changed behavior in their child without tension or frustration. Through individual work with parents and caregivers, I teach collaborative problem solving using the Greene model, an evidence-based approach that has shown success in schools and clinical settings alike. A landmark study by Greene and colleagues found that collaborative problem solving produced significant improvements across multiple areas of functioning, and in many cases those improvements were actually superior to traditional parent management training. This approach starts with the premise that “Kids do well if they can”. It can help shift how families approach conflict and solve problems together, building parent confidence and reducing frustration. It creates a framework that promotes understanding that allows both kids and parents to better communicate and be more connected.

Working primarily through virtual sessions, I meet individually with parents to build these collaborative problem-solving skills so they can apply them directly in their family. Depending on the situation, I can also offer short-term family therapy to support this work. When parents learn to identify skill gaps, teach alternatives to power struggles, and solve problems together, something changes at home. Kids feel more heard and they build the skills they need. Parents feel more confident and less reactive. Then there’s more room for love and care to fill a home.