Is Parent Coaching a Good Option for You?
By Beth Miller, M.Ed. PCI Certified Parent Coach®
Parenting can be frustrating, confusing, and even disappointing. Life with your child is challenging. They may have great difficulty getting ready for school despite endless reminders about what needs to happen each morning. They might lose it—going from calm to meltdown in an instant—over a seemingly mild comment. Their retainer is missing—again—and you’re digging through the garbage—again—trying to find it.
Helping Families Find Their Footing
We hear stories like these daily and deeply appreciate the struggles. One couple, let’s call them Erin and Dan, began parent coaching to better understand their son, who has an ADHD diagnosis, and to improve their interactions with him. Teddy is a sweet 12-year-old who cannot get organized. His bedroom looks like a flea market after a windstorm. He consistently forgets to turn in his homework, even when he manages to complete it. And he often lashes out in anger or frustration in ways that feel disproportionate.
Hallowell Todaro parent coaches bring a strength-based approach to every session. Erin and Dan’s coach helped them identify the strengths they appreciate in Teddy and clarify some overarching goals for their coaching journey. Next, their coach shared information about ADHD. Learning about the six different executive functions was especially helpful.
Erin and Dan gained a better understanding of how Teddy’s ADHD brain affects his daily interactions. They now see more clearly how difficult it is for Teddy to initiate tasks and have started using written lists and timers to help him begin and complete his morning routine. They also help Teddy break down tasks and move more deliberately through transitions. In addition, they’ve learned not to take his emotional outbursts personally, recognizing that Teddy often shifts into fight mode. His mom and dad have learned to slow down and respond with language that helps all three of them become calmer and more connected.
What Coaching Offers
Our parent coaches have supported hundreds of families like Teddy’s. Coaching sessions are personalized to address the challenges unique to your family. Through conversations, presentations, resources, and targeted “assignments,” parents learn new skills and strategies. They experience deeper connections and smoother daily interactions. Many parents tell us they feel a renewed sense of energy and optimism about the job of parenting, as family life shifts from chaos to calm—with fewer moments of frustration and more moments of joy.
Reach Out to Learn More
If you are interested in how parent coaching can benefit your family, please contact
our office for additional information or to schedule a consultation.
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ADHD Groups & Classes
View our upcoming ADHD classes, webinars, and support groups for people of all ages.