CF-Certified Parent Coaches

As an adoptive parent, I understand the parenting challenges unique to families formed through adoption. In addition to parenting, I have had the privilege of working as the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Coordinator for my county since 2018, with children in foster care who have experienced the trauma of neglect and abuse. I bring encouragement for strengthening families through virtual one-on-one coaching, small group coaching, and in-person workshops. I accept clients from any location, as I do all my parent coaching sessions virtually. I would love to come alongside you in your adoptive/foster parenting journey.

In November of 2023, I attended an adoption conference in Des Moines, IA. I saw a picture with the Connected Families Framework, which drew me in to take a closer look. When I saw that this was Biblically based, I wanted to learn more, and I became a certified Parent Coach in November 2024. I am continually learning and applying the Framework, so that I can encourage and equip parents on how to help their children find their unique identity and beliefs about themselves. In my own Connected Families coaching sessions, it was revealed to me that I wasn’t as “safe” a parent as I thought I was. I am now looking at myself first and trying to be a better listener. It is never too late to change!

I have four children, six years apart. My oldest two are biological, and my youngest two were adopted internationally from Taiwan, making us a multiracial family. They are all young adults now, so I have experienced every age and stage from preschool through high school and beyond. Family is sacred, and over the decades, my faith has grown into a closer union with God. I seek comfort in the Lord to be patient as I wait upon the Holy Spirit to lead my husband (and high school sweetheart) to put his faith in Jesus. Luke 1:45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her. This is why I chose to name my coaching business, She Believed. What are you believing God for in your journey?

“Mandy’s coaching was truly impactful. She didn’t rush through the areas where I needed more support, and she was consistently encouraging. One of the most meaningful aspects was how she ended every session with prayer, which left me feeling uplifted and strengthened.” Becky, client in summer 2024

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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…

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…

Danielle is a licensed Pediatric Occupational Therapist and homeschooling mother of ten years. Recognizing the genuine challenges of parenting as well as the unique privilege, Danielle loves coming alongside families to help them experience God’s grace and a deeper connection with each other. David loves helping people connect with God’s heart and has found his own relationship with the Lord being deeply impacted by the Connected Families framework. He has almost twenty years of experience in mentoring and coaching ministry leaders in spiritual and family rhythms and is delighted to now offer CF coaching. David and Danielle Cervenka were greatly helped by the Connected Families coaching program as they were serving as missionaries in Japan. They wanted to change the culture in their home where tension and yelling were commonplace, and disciplinary tools were frequently characterized by shame. They are still far from perfect, but their home is now characterized by connectedness and understanding, and peace is much more commonplace. They now live in Texas but are still heavily invested in missionaries living overseas. They love being able to pass on the Connected Families framework and see families grow in connectedness both locally and abroad. David and Danielle are happy to facilitate coaching together or separately when that is preferred. Read more…

For many years, we pursued help for our sensitive and intense child without success. By the teen years, our family was spiraling out of control. We sent our child to a therapeutic boarding school, but it didn’t produce the promised change in our family. It wasn’t until we found Connected Families and began to change the way we were parenting that we experienced a significant breakthrough. Partnering with a Connected Families coach and learning to utilize the parenting framework brought hope and changed the trajectory of our family. I have a passion for working with parents of young children so that they might avoid the pitfalls we made in our parenting journey. I also have a heart for working with parents of pre-teens and teens so that they know there is always hope for a restored relationship and an opportunity to change the future. The simple and effective teaching of Connected Families helps me recognize what’s really going on in me that drives my reactions to my children, helps me have compassion for what is going on in my children, and provides practical tools to guide them with love and connection that builds wisdom and responsibility. Before Connected Families, I was reading so much about the latest brain research and didn’t really have the skills to apply it to my Christian parenting. When I learned how Connected Families incorporates the latest brain science, therapeutic research, and Biblical truth into a beautiful, grace-filled plan, I knew we were onto something amazing. Learning to parent through the framework has been a journey of spiritual formation for me. I have learned to see how God parents me with patience, kindness, and long-suffering and always for my good. I am convinced that the hard work of applying the Connected Families framework is a journey that draws me closer to Jesus and is forming me into His image. Want to share CF with your community? I’d love to come present a workshop. Read more…

My name is Jane Otieno. I am married and blessed with two children, a 16-year-old and a 20-year-old. I serve alongside my husband as a pastor. I am so passionate about parenting and equipping parents with strategies to help them parent with grace. As a certified parent coach, I find joy in walking alongside parents in their parenting journey. Read more…

As a mother to 5 kids (ages 17 to 7), I understand the unique challenges and joy parents face, especially parenting children with ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, gifted, dyslexia, developmental delays, mental health challenges and adoption trauma. Before finding Connected Families I searched everywhere for resources and read book after book about methods that were short lived. That is where I hit the wall of desperation and sought parent coaching through Connected Families. I ultimately became a coach through their training program to help others like me. I have seen transformation in our home through working with a framework that not only has changed our children’s behavior, but transformed our hearts as well. You are not alone on this parenting journey. There is hope and you can enjoy your children, building lasting relationships with your children and deep connection that lasts a lifetime. And I’m here to help. Read more…

Family is God’s design, and we are made to thrive! I am deeply passionate about parenting, and pursuing a healthy, thriving family. We have 3 very different children, and have learned (and grown) the most in parenting our oldest son, who is very sensitive and intense. It’s an honor and privilege to support parents in their parenting journey, as they aspire to learn and grow to become the best parents, and living examples, for their children. I’ve accumulated mass amounts of content and knowledge from countless parenting resources. Connected Families, and their parenting framework I teach, is by far the best I’ve ever come across for building trust and relationships with our children, while raising them up to be who God has made them to be. Read more…

I was introduced to Connected Families during a traumatic season of my life, and it absolutely transformed both me and my children. As a single mom and an abuse survivor, I found the Framework to be a solid foundation and a grace-filled guide to break generational cycles and bring hope and emotional safety to my struggling family. As a homeschool mom and an adoptive mom, I also have experience navigating ADHD, anxiety, sensory issues, learning difficulties, attachment, abuse, and trauma. I would love to walk alongside you, to help equip you to experience emotional safety, connection, and joy in your family. I want you to know that the grace of God absolutely can meet you and your child in whatever you are facing and that you don’t have to walk alone in your parenting journey. 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…

Welcome to the Connected Families community. We belong together. Please relax and make yourself at home! “Hybrid Educator” describes my journey through Christian education, home education, and public education. My seven children are my favorite teachers! Our current educational landscape includes a university graduate, home school graduate, home school senior, and four public school students (in kindergarten, grade 2, grade 4, and grade 7.) Attending a tiny Christian college in Texas prepared me to teach at Christian schools in the United States and Africa before home-schooling my own children in New Brunswick, Canada. My husband, Michael, and I promoted curriculum at Home School Conventions across the country. Visions of family learning kept me dancing among blissfully harmonious expectations. Reality brought dissonance, overwhelm, and collapse. What was going on in me? What was going on in my children? My husband? Not the slightest clue! Just increasing pressure that I had to keep everyone happy, along with heaps of shame for failing so short of that goal. Without a wisp of awareness. A different question taunted, “What’s wrong with me?” My first encounter with Connected Families was hearing a radio interview that echoed the longing of my heart for true peace in my family. Healing and wholeness are possible! Relief flooded me, and hope carried me forward. Through grace-filled truth in courses, kindness, coaching, prayer, humor, and community, I continue to try again. Connected Families family members help me focus more on Jesus and His wonderful grace every day. How thankful I am for appreciative inquirers! Childlike wonder and curiosity are returning to my heart and home. Connected Families Parent Coaching is a transformational way to share the love I receive. Where are you in your parenting journey? Coaching empowers every parent to discover a unique next step for their divinely and intricately designed family. Let’s learn and grow together! Many of my “dance steps” remain awkward (and embarrassing for my children). Practicing to the music of God’s mercy is a delight. Connected Family resources are a gift from heaven. You don’t have to take my word for it! Where do you want to start? Linger on the Connected Families website discovering beautiful eternal harmonies. You might even find yourself dancing. “Lord, You are my true strength and my glory song, my champion, my Saviour! Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!” Psalm 118:14-15 Read more…

Hi there! I’m Vanessa — a mom of two big-hearted and energetic daughters, a leadership coach, and a facilitator. I love working with families and communities to share the truth and grace of the Connected Families Framework, and God’s heart for all of his children. As a coach, I’m passionate about helping people break cycles, generate more awareness, and approach life with more intention and choice. I work with families of all faiths, and mixed-faith households. Our family is mixed faith, so I have personal experience parenting as a Christian while respecting other belief systems. If you think we could be a good fit for coaching or workshop delivery, I’d love to serve you and walk alongside you on your parenting journey! Read more…