I Can't Imagine Not Helping Families

            “People ask us how we can do what we do. We can’t imagine not doing what we do.”

In my position as a coach and consultant, I have the wonderful privilege of working with families around the world. The technology of phone, Skype, and email has opened up opportunities to connect with people as far away as India, Japan, Australia, Greece, and the United Kingdom, while also working with families in my West Michigan community and across the United States. I work with children, teens, and adults, parents, grandparents, and siblings.

Why am I passionate about working with families? I believe the years a child spends growing up at home form the basis for most of their success in life. Interactions with family members can teach a person how to love, show compassion, be honest, negotiate fairly, do creative problem-solving, be resilient, develop hope for a bright future, learn to take care of themselves, others, and their surroundings, begin to identify the expectations of others and the motivation and strategies to meet them, and learn to manage their emotions effectively.

Yet I know from personal and professional experience that growing up in families isn’t always a positive process, and is rarely easy. The stressors of everyday living, combined with changing life circumstances, and differing needs and abilities of each family member can make it difficult to live together in harmony, let alone to learn and progress constructively. As a coach, I am passionate about taking the lessons I’ve learned from my own experience and the training I’ve received, to partner with families, providing support, encouragement, and practical strategies for moving forward in successful ways.

What we learn from our families—both positive and negative—often contributes in significant ways to our success as adults, and is frequently repeated in future generations. For this reason, I can’t imagine not helping families to experience success as unique individuals, and as a cohesive unit. In our recent survey, 82% of you indicated that you are parents, and 32% said you are teachers. Many of you also identified yourselves as therapists and doctors. From my experience, most people in those situations in life are also passionate about helping families to succeed. That’s why I’m delighted to partner with all of you in a mission to promote personal and interpersonal growth…and success for families!