Certified Coaches | Connected Families

The passionate people bringing more families into grace and truth through the Framework

The team at Connected Families supports Christ-centered transformation in families by stewarding a growing worldwide community of parents, parent coaches, and ministry partners equipped with a biblical framework for parenting. Our certified coaches are an extension of our team, and we are so excited to share them with the world.

We have had the privilege of working with, training, and certifying the following individuals as parent coaches. These individuals run their own practices or work in ministry settings and are certified to coach parents using the Connected Families Framework. Please reach out to these highly qualified Connected Families certified parent coaches directly. They are eager to hear from you!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PARENT COACH CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

“I’m so thankful for the shift in perspective that coaching has given me. I view my children differently—more positively—than I ever have. The way I was viewing my kids was blocking our connection. Seeing my kids as called and capable with God-given gifts has allowed me to let go of trying to control them and modify their behavior.” -Kate

Certified Parent Coach Since: 2024

I am a wife, a mom of two strong-willed and doubly gifted teenage girls, and have worked in Kids Ministry for over 15 years. I know that kids are a gift from God. I also know that their behaviors can be challenging and can lead to parent reactions that we don’t intend. I have been there! When I was introduced to Connected Families, I felt like I finally had language, tools, and hope to help me parent well and lead ministry well. One of my greatest joys is connecting with and supporting parents and ministry leaders. We all want to see our kids know Jesus deeply and follow Him with all their hearts. I believe that Connected Families gives us the resources we need to partner with God as He reaches the next generation.

My name is Heather Benjamin. I have a passion for the way Connected Families has combined brain science, and early childhood development with a biblical foundation creating a unique parenting framework. I am a mom to six kiddos – with one special angel awaiting me in Heaven. After losing my precious son Matthew at just 11 months old in 2022 due to complications with Dandy-Walker Syndrome & simultaneously going through a divorce, I was shattered. Dealing with my own grief and heartache was one thing, but trying to help my children figure out their own was another. My other son Alex, was struggling tremendously. He struggled with intense anger. My other kiddos struggled with ADHD, high energy, and anxiety. I was desperate and needed help. Connected families turned my life around. The tools and resources gave me the ability to help each one of my children in a unique way. Almost three years later I have now become a coach myself and my husband Kevin and I are implementing the framework daily. It’s not perfect nor will it ever be, however, I have learned to have grace with myself and with them and we are in a better place because of it. Our other five kiddos range from the age of one and a half all the way to eleven. I have experience with trauma, grief, anger, ADHD, divorce, sensitive and intense kids, special needs, and more. Through this coaching journey, I have also learned that I am sensitive and intense myself. I feel that God has used this in a way to allow me to be able to speak to parents who also struggle with things such as perfectionism, OCD, over-stimulation, stress-cycles, fight/flight, and more. I chose Connected Families because I knew, deep in my spirit, that there was a better way. A healthier and more biblical way to parent. I wanted to break toxic generational patterns, and ineffective discipline and see the transformation to being a healthy family. It would be my privilege to support and guide you through your own unique transforming journey. Read more…

I’m a mom of three daughters – two young adults, and one school-ager. I know firsthand the challenges that can come with parenting, including sensory issues, ADD, anxiety, and neurodiversity, to name a few. I started my professional journey in music therapy, where I worked with children with a wide variety of special needs. More recently, I spent nearly a decade in children and family ministry where I was able to create and build a special needs ministry to provide support to children and their parents. Not long after we had our third child, we learned about Connected Families and its many resources. This grace-filled framework to parenting has totally changed our family dynamics after years of trying a wide variety of approaches. I have a passion for facilitating personal growth and development in children and guiding their parents in that process. It is a joy and honor to see the transformation of grace and healing for families through parent coaching sessions! I would love to support you in your parenting adventure, using these tried-and-true biblical approaches backed by brain science. Whether you are looking to understand and connect with your children more, or navigate a challenging situation that has come up, I’m here to support you in person or online. You are not alone! Read more…

Certified Parent Coach Since: 2024

Mary Trego with Moving Forward Parent Coaching As an experienced coach, mom, and yaya, I would love to join you in your parenting journey, to encourage and help you move forward. You will learn ways to connect with and guide your child, as well as give yourself grace. This will result in more joy and satisfaction in your parenting. About my coaching: I have been a parent coach for about 10 years since completing a year-long course with the Parent Coaching Institute. I choose to continue my training with Connected Families, feeling that there were gaps in my ability to really help parents. I was attracted to CF by the Biblically grounded and research-informed teaching. Connected Families is rich with the knowledge, tools, and encouragement that parents need. While we all know that parenting can be fun and rewarding, it doesn’t take long to realize that raising a little human can also be challenging and exhausting. Sometimes we get stuck, trying the same techniques and getting the same frustrating results. Parent coaching is a way to get out of that rut. I chose a business name of “Moving Forward Parent Coaching” to help parents know that there is a way forward and with God’s help, find more joy and peace for yourself and your family. I love to encourage parents through their everyday challenges, especially those with children ages 2 to 10. I am also passionate about supporting single parents with the extra responsibilities they carry. As a coach, I am by your side to help you become more competent, confident, calm, and Christ-like. I look forward to encouraging you on your hope-filled journey. About me: My husband, Jason, and I both grew up in Kansas and lived there until 2000 when his job change moved our family to Athens, Greece. In all, we lived in 5 locations in Europe, Africa and Latin America. I understand the challenges of living and raising children overseas, and I love to encourage these parents who are far from their home country and family. We now live in NW Montana and also spend several months each year close to family in Denver. In addition to encouraging parents, I enjoy gardening and traveling with Jason, the love of my life for over 45 years. And of course, I cherish spending quality time and making memories with our 5 children and their families, including the 5 cute and smart grands! To find out more about parent coaching, contact me at: [email protected]. Briefly tell me about your family and your top parenting challenges. The next step will be a complimentary 15-minute phone conversation to see if coaching together is a good fit for both of us. An email will follow to explain the coaching process. Read more…

I am a youth pastor, a dedicated husband to one, and a father of three. I understand the intricacies of parenthood from both a personal and professional perspective. With a heart filled with compassion and a deep commitment to the Church family, I hope to bring a unique blend of faith-based guidance and practical wisdom to parent coaching. I have served in youth ministry for over a decade and have experienced firsthand and alongside others many of the challenges and joys that families encounter on the windy and wonderful journey of doing life together. I’m a Barnabas. I am wired to uplift and encourage. In addition to working with students, I’ve expanded our church ministry to include parent coaching to support discipleship that happens at home. where he offers a holistic approach that integrates faith, love, and compassion into every aspect of parenting. Read more…

I’ve spent over twenty years helping the next generation respond to God as a pastor and ministry leader. I’m passionate about equipping leaders of kids with grace-infused perspectives and practices that cultivate faith in families. As a CF Certified Parent Coach, I get to come alongside parents and church leaders to not only tell kids they’re loved by God, but show them! On the hardest days, the Connected Families framework helps me stay rooted in God’s love and offer his love to my kids, too. I’d love to help you steward the privilege of leading the kids in your family or church, especially in the messy parts. Read more…

Certified Parent Coach Since: 2022

Many parents feel overwhelmed and stuck in patterns that just aren’t working. As a parenting coach, I help them confidently implement a grace-filled parenting strategy so they can relax, enjoy their families, and find new hope. My greatest joy is watching parents who have struggled in their relationship with their kids experience transformation through new skills, perspectives, and mindsets- whether in one-on-one sessions, small groups, or workshops. I’m a mom of two young adult children and “like a mom” to two other young adults who have experienced significant developmental trauma. Parenting has been full of ups and downs for me, and I often wish I had known the Connected Families framework when my kids were little- it would have made things so much easier and deepened our connection earlier. Even so, I’m grateful that today I enjoy connected, though not perfect, relationships with my kids. Along with my personal parenting journey, I am a licensed Family and Early Childhood Educator with more than 25 years of experience working with young children and their parents. I’ve also had the privilege of supporting and training teachers in the U.S., Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, including teaching the Connected Families framework at conferences and in schools. Because of my background and experiences, I especially love encouraging and equipping parents of young children, parents of young adults, parents of kids from hard places, and teachers. It’s an honor to walk alongside families as they discover God’s grace and truth in their parenting. Read more…

Certified Parent Coach Since: 2025

I am a certified parent coach with Connected Families. With four wonderful children of my own—ages 17, 15, 13, and 11—I understand the joys and challenges of raising a family. As a former missionary, our family has had to navigate some pretty major transitions that have deeply impacted us all. Through my own personal journey, I have experienced firsthand the transformational power of the gospel through the Connected Families framework, a biblically-based approach to parenting that has brought healing and growth to my own household. When I was at the peak of struggle in my parenting, I was exhausting all parenting resources, and then I came across a book in the library by Connected Families. I have never looked back. I am excited to share this framework with other parents, offering fresh perspectives on parenting and empowering families to grow in grace. I am passionate about helping families build strong, connected relationships. Connected Families is a warm invitation to nurture connection, build grace-filled relationships, and establish a solid foundation for lasting family growth. I would love to walk with you in experiencing a fresh approach to parenting that can often change your family’s dynamics and empower you to grow as a parent. My heart for you and for myself, is that we would allow God to give us the grace to enjoy our children the way He has made, wired, and gifted them, so that we would then be able to train them up in the way they should go…Join me in the journey toward the Father’s heart for us and for our families. Read more…