HELLO
I’m Kennedy!
I’m a middle school teacher turned Certified Family Life Educator & Parent Coach
I’m here because I saw the growing disconnect between parents & teens.
While teaching, I realized that I wanted to support teens and families more than I could within the four walls of my classroom.
As a Certified Family Life Educator and Parent Coach, my mission is to empower parents and teens through coaching, to transform their relationships & navigate the teen years with confidence.
It’s hard to be a teen; it’s also hard to be a parent of a teen.
I BELIEVE
Teens are funny, creative, and smart, and often misunderstood.
Parents need just as much community and support throughout the teenage years as elementary years.
Coaching helps both parents and teens build problem-solving skills and make long-lasting changes.
Mental Health
In 2021, 3 in 5 teen girls reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless, and teen boy suicide rates are at an all-time high.
As a teacher, I witnessed parents struggling to understand their teens' mental health while feeling exhausted from addressing misbehavior. At the same time, they felt weighed down by constant pressure from all of the adults in their lives which just left them feeling frustrated and misunderstood.
I have experience with teenagers who struggle with mental health issues in a professional setting. I’ve also experienced first-hand the difficulties of being a teen who deals with anxiety and depression.
During my own journey with mental health, it was vital to have someone in my corner who empathized with my situation and acted as a constant support system. Offering this to your own child through a parent-teen coaching program is an amazing way to offer them support; plus, it creates a buffer between you and your child. You shouldn’t have to walk on eggshells in fear of conflict!
Experience & Credentials
BS in Family & Consumer Sciences & MA in Family Science
Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher (5+ years)
Certified Family Life Educator & Youth, Family, and Parent Coach
Treehouse Hope - Teen Mentor
“Whether you're a parent or a teen, everyone wants to feel heard and understood.
When this happens, the ability to communicate effectively without resorting to arguments, shouting, or empty promises, becomes much easier.”
Creating Solutions
In instances where parents reached out to me for help, I felt powerless because there were zero teen-focused family life and parenting to recommend. The lack of services in the Chippewa Valley inspired me to create The Family Room, where parents and teens can grow together, in hopes to fill this gap.