Parents & Families

It’s true when they say “it takes a village,” and I can give you the support you need to raise a happy and healthy child. Available to one or multiple parents or primary guardians of children of any age, my Parent Support uses a variety of psychologically-based strategies, including the PCIT method, to help determine and address your child’s needs, and gives you the skills and support to navigate parenthood with your child’s fulfillment and development as the top priority.

Additional Resources

PCIT International

Recommended Reading

Lighthouse Parents Have More Confident Kids
Russell Shaw, The Atlantic

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Psychology Today

The No. 1 soft skill that predicts kids’ success more than IQ—and how to teach it
Michele Borba, CNBC.com

How to Handle Your Child’s Lying at Every Age
Health Essentials, Cleveland Clinic

5 Tips for Parenting a Strong-Willed Child
Mia Taylor, Parents

How to Give Kids Autonomy? ‘Anxious Generation’ Author Says a License to Roam Helps
Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR

The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Giving Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives
William Stixrud PhD, Ned Johnson

Building a blended family—that is, when people who each have children from previous relationships build a new relationship and family together—in a way that honors the needs of all involved is a unique challenge. As was the case in my own blended family, the parents may come from different cultural backgrounds, have different parenting styles, and hold different beliefs and behaviors. The children in the family will have their own hopes and fears for the new family, and may struggle to adapt to changing dynamics and new family relationships as well.

Not only do blended families have to navigate these complex dynamics—they have to balance that work with their usual responsibilities within and outside the family. At times, it can feel like an impossible task. But building a cohesive and harmonic blended family is not only possible -it’s necessary for the health of the family and children. With the right support, you can create that for your family.

Through my Therapy for Blended Families, I can guide you and your family through this challenging work so you can face the confusion, miscommunication, and conflict that’s often involved in the blending process, in a way that creates a better environment for all involved. From working through struggles early, to resolving personal conflicts, to helping build relationships and systems for the long-term benefit of your family, I am here for you every step of the way.

Parenting a child with a racial or cultural background different from your own–transracial, also known as interracial, parenting–presents unique challenges. My own family is transracial, so I have first-hand experience navigating these cultural complexities, as well as years of intersectional feminist study to guide my Transracial Family Therapy. I can help you navigate the complex cultural and social issues that impact your child, centering the child’s needs, and framing the child’s cultural and racialized experience from a justice-oriented perspective. For those in interracial relationships without children, I also offer therapy for transracial relationships.

Even the most accepting parents can face unique obstacles when trying to provide competent care for a child who identifies as LGBTQIA+, or is questioning their gender identity or sexuality. I’m available to provide non-judgemental support to help you navigate your own emotional experience, explore necessary questions and ultimately create a supportive environment that allows your child to flourish in their true identity.

Additional Resources

Gender Spectrum’s National Parent Support Group

PFLAG

Recommended Reading

Get the Facts About Trans Youth (Infographic, PDF download)
Movement Advancement Project

Family Acceptance Saves Lives
Human Rights Campaign

Families Matter
The Family Acceptance Project

Strategies for Supporting a Transgender Child
Psychology Today

Affirming vs. Non-affirming Parenting Behaviors
Gender Spectrum

Parents and Family
Gender Spectrum

Tips for Parents of LGBTQ Youth
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Transgender Children & Youth: Understanding the Basics
Human Rights Campaign

Parenting a Gender-Diverse Child: Hard Questions Answered
Healthy Children

Why Accepting your LGBTQ Child Matters—And How to Start
Option B

10 Things Parents of Trans Kids Want to Know
Psychology Today

Supporting & Caring for Transgender Children
Human Rights Campaign

Just as They Are
Human Rights Campaign

I’m the Parent of a Trans Daughter. There’s Nothing Conservative About Blocking Her Care.
Sean P. Madden, USA Today

Books

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals
Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper

Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens
Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper