Family Business

Helping families create plans that enable everyone to thrive

Understatement of the Millenium: Parenting. Is. Hard.

There’s so much more to it than you ever expected when you first brought your child home. And it turns out that each parent comes pre-loaded with their own family norms and childhood baggage – stuff you probably didn’t even realize was still in there (it’s a genuine shock the first time you hear your own mother or father’s words pop out of your mouth in a stressful moment).

If you're a blended family, you have the added challenge of figuring out how to co-parent with stepparents and manage relationships with and between stepchildren.

Then there’s the advice, the books, the articles, the social media posts, your well-meaning (probably) in-laws, all telling you that if you don’t follow this approach or that theory, you’re failing as a parent and your kids will pay the price.

That’s why learning how to effectively co-parent can be one of the hardest – and often most frustrating and emotionally laden – parts of parenthood.

From the everyday questions:

  • How should we discipline our kids?
  • How will we make holiday magic?
  • Who will make the kids' doctor appointments and keep track of school forms? 
  • When and how should we talk to our kids about sex?

To the tougher stuff:

  • Is my child's behavior "normal" or should I be worried?
  • How will we pass along two different cultural or religious traditions?
  • Is it OK to argue in front of the kids?
  • What values do we want to impart to our kids?
  • Is it OK for a stepparent to discipline our children?
  • How do we tell our kids we're getting divorced?

...This parenting business isn't easy!

Any good business starts with a solid plan, but when it comes to the business of running a family – from the everyday decisions to the big, important stuff – many couples are winging it. I will work with all of you to create a unique Family Constitution based on your family’s shared values, parenting styles, and personalities.

Your constitution will help you answer the toughest parenting questions by helping you identify your shared values and build upon the strengths you each bring to your family. The result? Increased confidence and clarity for the parents, and a greater sense of calm, security, and fun for the entire family.

Once you and your partner (and stepparents, and older kids...) have agreed on the “big” stuff - your shared values, household rules, roles, boundaries, parenting philosophies – then figuring out those individual issues as they arise gets a whole lot easier.

You can enjoy this parenting journey, together – you just need a plan.

Ready to Create A Plan for Your Family?

Two interlocking circles with this text around them: Whole Picture Approach - More than just talk

A "Whole Picture" Approach

Traditional therapy tends to be Oprah-style: “Problems in your family? YOU get a therapist! YOU get a therapist! That’s right, YOU get a therapist too!”

Individual therapy has its place, but my “whole picture” approach sees the family unit itself as the “client” – not just the family member making the most waves. We will work on the “me” and “we” relational issues of the family unit, with the goal of repairing and strengthening the family permanently.

After a brief phone consultation where you’ll explain your family’s challenges, we’ll complete a 4-session assessment, which will include meeting together and individually with various family members in whichever configurations make most sense for your family and the situation. The resulting family “diagnosis” will direct us towards stabilization and in creating your custom Family Constitution that will enable all family members to thrive.

Your love for your children is why you do all the things you do—shouldn’t you be at your best when you do it? See how working with me can help parents create the conditions necessary for successfully and securely raising children—all while enjoying the ride.

Take the first step towards strengthening your family.

Schedule a free consultation to see if I'm the right fit for your family.

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

- Kahlil Gibran