Frequently Asked Questions

A parent coach is a trained, experienced guide for you and your family. We provide you with immediately-useful information and individualized tools to help make parenting less overwhelming and family life more joyful.

While most parents have a “sample size” of a small number of kids, we’ve worked with thousands of families over many decades. That means we see what works for a wide variety of kids and families in the long term, and we use that information to support and guide parents right now.

What Clients Are Saying:

“When I started this, I thought, ‘I don’t need a parent coach,’ but I have found Cari invaluable. She is so supportive. Cari has been a rock.” R.W.

“Cari was the first person who gave us concrete strategies and actual ideas that we could go home and use the same day. She is the answer to the whole ‘Kids don't come with instruction manuals’ problem.” M.K.

Coaching is not therapy. Coaching focuses quickly and deeply on identifying what is happening and making an actionable plan to address the problem, while therapy helps clients unpack why things are happening and heal past trauma.

Coaching is generally shorter-term than therapy and focuses almost exclusively on the present and future.

While we are not therapists, we often collaborate with therapists and other professionals to meet the family's collective needs. We value a team approach and are happy to work with anyone on your family’s care team.

What Clients Are Saying:

“We have gotten more out of this than years of weekly individual therapy. It's like putting the emphasis on the right syllable.” E.P.

“It has been wonderful to collaborate with Cari and our child's therapist. It has given us many different perspectives that we wouldn't have had otherwise.” L.G.

We’ll pinpoint where the day-to-day reality of your family life doesn't align with your hopeful vision and collaborate to identify big ideas and strategies to fill the gap.

After identifying your initial goals, we'll:

1. Prioritize the work to create the big shift you’re looking for, starting on Day One

2. Individualize our approach to align your vision and your real life

3. Nurture the skills and strategies that work for you, as we continue to stabilize your whole family

Clients notice a difference in their relationships and approaches after even one session.

What Clients Are Saying:

"Having the plan that we put in place is the only reason we made it through those hard moments. We are doing something fundamentally different, and it’s working." J.A.

"I’m feeling more at ease, not stressed like it’s going to be a huge mountain to climb. Breaking it down helps me get through things." J.B.

This work isn’t really about your kids. Yes, we’ll talk about them (a lot), but the most meaningful shifts come from you, including the stories you tell yourself about your child, the expectations you carry (of yourself and others), and the way you respond when something needs to change.

Everyone quoted here – and throughout this site – has done this work without us having to meet with their child.

Here's what clients are saying:

“I thought Cari would need to meet our daughters and observe our interactions with them to be able to help us. But that has not been needed. Turns out the work was more about us than our child.” J.R.

“Even though Cari does not meet with my child (and he works with his personal therapist), he loves Cari's approach with me, and her suggestions bring positive results for us both.” W.R.

“Without ever meeting my children, Cari gave me a framework for really listening and helped me figure out when to use it in my daily life. I feel free, lighter, happier, and more in control.” S.K.

Let’s be honest: you’re spending a lot of time, energy, and resources chasing down a mix of parenting voices that don't quite fit. They often leave you second-guessing or feeling unsure and full of regret.

Imagine channeling the same energy into learning and practicing strategies and approaches that actually work for you and your family.

That's what parent coaching does, and it’s a game-changer.

What Clients Are Saying:

"Instead of trying to share a process with our child's therapist and psychiatrist, we have a dedicated space that gives us support and helps us solve parenting problems. It is the focused space we have needed all along. Parent Coaching is exactly what we needed at this stage of our process." P.E.

“We previously took a parenting class, and I've read books, but that information can be dense and hard to retain. Cari helps us through the daily ups and downs in an honest and insightful way. She's given us new perspectives on the different stages our kids are in... and how to deal with each of them individually and together.” E.B.

We work with many parents who are not struggling with any big, glaring issues. They just live with a constant low hum of uncertainty – overthinking every decision, second-guessing every reaction, and wondering if they’re getting anything right.

In your head, it might sound like:

“Am I messing up my kids?”

“Am I asking too much for their age – or not enough?”

“How can I tell if I'm making good decisions when I usually end up feeling uncomfortable?

“Is parenting supposed to be this hard?”

There is an easier way to navigate the uncertainty: by connecting with a deeply experienced, trustworthy guide who has walked this path and can support you with clarity, kindness, and zero judgment.

Even better? When that guide comes with a warm, understanding, and helpful community of other parents in the same boat.

What Clients Are Saying:

“I feel more equipped to handle everyday moments of conflict without damaging my relationship with my kids or creating unnecessary guilt or fear for myself. It's game-changing, really, how the program has created a sense of peace in my parenting journey.” W.J.

"Cari helps us through the daily ups and downs in an honest and insightful way. She gives us new perspectives on the different stages our kids are in....and how to deal with each of them individually, and together." E.B.

All private and group sessions are held online. This allows parents in different locations to easily attend together.

Participation varies depending on the family structure. We're happy to work with any combination of adults committed to the well-being of the extended family.

What Clients Are Saying:

"Cari has helped us so much not only in looking at our individual parenting styles but also our parenting styles as a unit. The tools and strategies she has given to us have been invaluable in how we approach difficult situations with our children. We have also appreciated that Cari has us look at prioritizing ourselves as a couple in order to better care for our children." L.G.

"We have accomplished exactly what we set out to do and cannot believe how far we have come. I feel so grateful. The icing on the cake is that our co-parenting relationship and friendship have been strengthened through our work with Cari." E.P.

Payments are made through a secure payment platform. Unfortunately, coaching is not eligible for medical or flex spending accounts (HSA or FSA).

Similarly, coaching is not currently covered under any insurance plans. When that changes, we will happily provide the documentation you need to submit for reimbursement.

While we can not offer refunds for payments made, we do everything we can to meet our clients’ needs throughout our work together.

What clients are saying:

In Cari, I found a skilled and knowledgeable coach. Working with Cari is amazing and worth the money! - J.H.