Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Relationship coaching provides insights and tools to improve intimacy, conflict resolution, and communication with those people in your life who matter most. I specialize in early relational health, recognized by the American Academy of Pediatrics as "a framework that explores the role of early relationships and experiences in healthy development across a child’s lifetime. Relationships, especially in the early years, are biological necessities to build a foundation for lifelong growth and development".  My skills and experience provide newborn families with support for connecting with their babies in ways they will not find in other healthcare settings. This is often the missing piece they have been searching for as they navigate the joys and challenges of early family life.  Babies grow up, so my skills and scope expand to relationships with kids, couples, and Self. 

Coaching is effective for those who are ready to make positive changes and should not be based on a crisis or mental health emergency. If you want to feel closer to your partner, enjoy your children more, update self-limiting mindsets, or repair any other important relationship, coaching can help. 

I am qualified to support your positive change as a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, which is currently the highest national standard for wellbeing coaches. It helps that I have a MA in clinical psychology and a BS in human development and family studies. For over 2 decades I have worked solely with families from pregnancy through young adulthood with holistic and cutting edge practices. 

Each stage of life has unique challenges and opportunities for optimizing growth. I approach each client individually to see what their desires and barriers to achievement are. Coaching allows us to focus on what's working, your strengths and wisdom, and what is driving your desire for change. I am non-judgmental, and gentle, and love to use humor to expedite learning and change. 

Change takes time, but coaching jump-starts this by getting directly to the core of the issue. I always start with a 90-minute session so we can get to know each other. My clients then drop in as needed to address specific situations or invest in a package of 3-5 hours of time so we can stay in touch and renew when needed. 

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Getting started is a $180.00 commitment to the 90-minute initial session. Packages are available that bring continued support to a range between $100-120 an hour. I do not take insurance but I do accept HSA.

As a coach, I am focused on your relationship and my intention is to guide you individually and together towards healthy patterns of connection and conflict management. To begin, I want to meet you both. From there we can decide if one-on-one time for each of you is going to be helpful. When you buy a package, everyone in the family can use the time. 

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I love supporting all kinds of people in all their different relationships regardless of gender identity, sexual preferences, or marital status. I have experience helping LGTB, non-binary, CNM, hybrid as well as hetero, cisgender people find safety and growth in their relationships. I can also help you consciously end a relationship so that future love can be found. 

Relationship coaching helps you see clearly what choices you have to improve relationships and communication. I specialize in attachment relationships which are those primarily between parents and their child, and adults in intimate partnerships. 

Relationship coaching helps you see clearly what choices you have to improve relationships and communication. I specialize in attachment relationships which are those primarily between parents and their child, and adults in intimate partnerships. 

When you want to focus on yourself- individual coaching is the focus. This can be an exploration of the different parts of You (inner critic, inner child, etc) to find compassion and clarity for inner conflict. If doing your part of the work to support a relationship with someone important to you is a top priority I can give you objective feedback, cool sciency tips about what happens in relational interactions, and tools to feel secure within yourself.

In 2011 I completed my MA in Clinical Psychology at a tiny school in California, with traineeship hours in substance abuse and community mental health counseling, and perinatal health. 

The medical model was limited in many ways, and I knew my future was in integrative health- not disease management. 

At this turning point in my training, I chose the route of coaching over mental health counseling/therapy because coaching is about wellness, strengths, and client-empowered.

From there I began my professional coach training at Duke Integrative Medicine, completing my certification, serving as a student mentor, expanding my private practice, accruing hours and supervision, and passing the National Boards with the first cohort of NBC-HWC in 2017.

While my private practice has always focused on relationships and communication, my coach experience includes creating and implementing corporate and family wellness programs; and training and speaking at local and national conferences and colloquiums.

Coaching is a unique skill lacking in many healthcare settings. I work collaboratively with other providers to empower clients in navigating the complexity of relationships from prenatal through grandparenting.  

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Integrative health coaching helps bring balance and positive change by looking at multiple aspects of life and how they are interrelated. My passion is relationships and communication, but this is always connected to other areas of life. We will take a holistic approach and keep the focus forward moving. Specific issues I help with include healthy dating, communicating needs, repairing relationships with parents or friends, setting boundaries, and changing old habits for a better "next chapter". 

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Coaching is a process of discovering what you want and how to get it. The skills used include motivational interviewing, stages of change, reflection, use of metaphors, affirmation, and redirection. At times I provide information and resources. I offer support between scheduled sessions through text and e-mail so you have on-demand reminders, guidance, and encouragement in the moments you need. 

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Coaches are not legally bound by HIPAA, because insurance isn't paying for the service. Despite this, I protect client confidentiality to the best of my ability by securing client notes and personal details. I never sell client data. I always get permission before using a testimonial or photo. If ever subpoenaed for legal purposes, the coach-coachee relationship is not privileged as in a doctor-patient relationship. 

You are welcome to share any health information with me as your coach; however, I do not provide diagnoses, mental health or substance abuse evaluations. It is out of my scope of practice to advise for or against medical care plans. Coaching is not a substitute for medical care.

 Measuring progress and making achievements is 100% client-dependent. Success is about you doing the work, that you are ready to do, through the powerful facilitation, support, and accountability of the coaching relationship. If measurable progress is a value of yours we will specify what that looks like for you. If you enjoy homework, we can make that happen. The Transtheoretical Model of Change helps to identify where you are in terms of readiness for change and this is something we can explore based on your interests. 

Life coaching is a broad term to describe the process of making positive changes to live the life you want. Relationship coaching could fall into the life coaching category. If you want to work on other areas of life like diet, fitness, work stress management, job changes, and relocation (for example) working with a life coach can help.

In order for us to build rapport, some scheduled time is necessary where we talk/meet on a virtual platform. If being on video isn't your thing, that's fine, but the human connection is necessary to effect change in relationships. Texting is an option to stay in touch between scheduled session as questions, concerns, and continued processing unfolds. 

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Infants deserve to be treated holistically, not just through a clinical lens of weight gain and the number of wet diapers. My approach is to help caregivers understand the process of development and the needs their baby is communicating. Babies go through a lot to be born. When parents understand how birth and the transition to your arms impact them, it's much easier to see what they need. I look with parents together at their baby and help them connect to their own wisdom and expertise so the infant-parent relationship feels more joyful and not like all work. 

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I have a license to touch as a National Board Certified Massage and Bodywork Therapist, licensed in the state of NC since 2007 (#6879); National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and certified integrative health coach through Duke Integrative Medicine; and a certification in Infant Sleep Education through Bebo Mia.

I have been supporting families with babies for over 20 years with a range of services starting in daycare/nanny roles, moving gradually to more skilled roles that include birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, infant massage therapist, and massage instructor, sleep and feeding consultant, and infant-parent relationship coach. In addition to family-studies focused BS and MA, I have completed countless trainings (not otherwise listed) I put to use every day that include Newborn Behavioral Observation, Touchpoints, craniosacral therapy, Tummy Time Method, NCAST feeding scales assessment, Tongue and Lip Tie care and assessment, and infant-parent relational health.  

Common concerns I help with include infant feeding, sleep, and crying. After birth parents may see their baby struggling to poop or latch to the breast or bottle; tummy and gas pain; screaming and inconsolability; head-turning preferences, torticollis, or uneven head shape/plagiocephaly; excessive spit-up or reflux type symptoms; movement may seen limited, delayed or challenging for rolling, tummy time, sitting, and crawling; poor sleep, too sleepy, or frequent and stressful wakings; sensitivities and sensory concerns; and tongue and lip lips are all common in my infant practice. 

I have specialized training to work directly with children as a reflex integration therapist with MNRI. This includes the use of touch, movement, and play to support challenges in their body, school skills, and emotion processing (to name a few). Parents benefit from my emotion-focused coaching so they are able to understand the needs behind troubling or uncooperative behaviors through my certification as a Circle of Security Parenting Facilitator. This is a world-famous approach to raising secure kids designed with ages 2-10 in mind. Adolescents and young adults come to me for coaching that enables them to process the normal stresses of growing up and find connection to themselves, their family, and peers. 

Let's have a quick call or text message exchange to see if I am a good fit for your infant or child's concerns. You're welcome to email me as well. After we have a quick chat I will send you a policy agreement and service proposal outlining the timing and duration of care. 

Coaching, education, and bodywork services are not covered by insurance. Typically the first meeting will be 90 minutes and $180. Additional sessions, packages, and care plans are created after I meet you and your child. 

Your child's privacy is important and all personal information is kept confidential. I am happy to collaborate with other providers and will provide you with a release form to appropriatly coordinate care. 

Supporting the holistic health of your child is based on a model of wellness, their strengths, and innate abilities to thrive. If your child has been diagnosed, it is helpful for me to have that information to inform their treatment plan. Many children who benefit from MNRI do not qualify for a medical diagnosis, falling below the criteria. Unlike therapists who use a diagnosis and bill insurance, I am able to work will all of the systems of your child's mind and body. Reflex integration can help a child who has plateaued in OT, PT, or Speech; complement their medical or mental health therapy; or fill in the gaps of care making life easier for your child. 

Each child responds differently to therapeutic support and progress is individual for each person. Together we will determine goals and have ongoing communication about the changes you see in the development of your child. 

Yes! I support school-aged children in one of two ways.

One option is family coaching based on the Circle of Security program. Rather than placing your child in therapy, this approach supports you as the parent to better understand and meet the needs underlying your child's worrisome behavior.  This is a strengths-based approach that empowers leadership, attunement, and consistency in your parenting. This nurtures your child's development and the everlasting parent-child relationship. For more info, please reach out and ask about Circle of Security.

Another way I support school-aged kids who are struggling with anxiety is through bodywork. The specific form of therapy I offer is called MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensory-motor Reflex Integration). Working with the body allows foundational development in the child's nervous system, and leads to better social-emotional, and cognitive abilities. This is also a parent-child approach; the parent stays with the child to participate during the session and to learn home exercise ideas that should be incorporated into daily life between appointments.  This is not massage, but does include touch; as well as play, and social skill building. If you're interested, reach out and ask about MNRI.