Early Parenting : About Me

About Me

At the age of seven I held a newborn baby for the first time. From the moment that brand new baby boy was placed in my arms I knew that I was in the presence of someone very special. Instantly, I was inspired to devote my life to caring for babies and children. Since childhood my desire to really understand what our newest people want and need from the very beginning of life to grow up happy, healthy and whole has informed my academic, professional and personal paths.

As a coach, consultant, educator and speaker I am deeply committed to supporting, educating and inspiring parents as they create connected, nurturing relationships with their children from conception through childhood. I believe this is the foundation of lifelong health and well being. I have over 20 years of professional experience working with parents and children of all ages in a variety of roles including live-in nanny, birth and post-partum doula, Whole Person Fertility Specialist, prenatal and perinatal therapist, child educator, parent educator, consultant, and workshop facilitator. Currently, my focus is on Early Parent Coaching. My goal is to help parents and children heal, grow and live harmoniously together. I also work with professionals such as midwives, doulas, early childhood educators and psychotherapists who are interested in integrating the findings of prenatal and perinatal psychology into their work.

I received a B.A. in psychology from Hamilton College in 1993. After moving to Austin I completed my Masters of Education through the University of Texas in 1998 with an emphasis on holistic prenatal, birth and early childhood health promotion. In 2000 I moved to Santa Barbara to be a member of the first class of the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, the only school in the world to offer graduate degrees in the emerging field of prenatal and perinatal psychology. In 2003 I completed an M.A. in prenatal and perinatal psychology and in 2006 I received my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Currently, I serve on the board of directors of the Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health.

My extensive personal, professional and academic experiences in areas such as prenatal and perinatal psychology, attachment theory, somatic psychology, neuroscience, holistic health, trauma therapy, ethnopediatrics, consciousness studies and energy psychology have led me toward a deeper understanding of how our earliest experiences — in the womb, during birth, after birth and throughout childhood — create imprints within our brains, bodies and nervous systems that shape who we are and how we behave. From this unique perspective I work with families before conception and prenatally to help them prepare for the joys and challenges of giving birth and parenting a newborn. I also work with families with children in all stages of infancy and childhood. I am able to offer both support as well as new and effective tools for understanding and responding to challenging behavior and fostering deep, love-filled, connections with their children. I am very pleased to report that the methods I teach really work! New parents find themselves much more confident in their ability to care for their babies and seasoned parents who were once at a loss for how to help their children with issues such as biting, hitting, temper tantrums, withdrawal, trouble with transitions, sleep, separation, etc. are now experiencing positive, healthy and swift transformations.

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