CF-Certified Parent Coaches

Marlee Thomsen, LCSWA, has been working with children and parents as a mental health therapist since 2019 at Cornerstone Counseling and Wellness. Marlee is passionate about supporting parents and children as they connect through play, the events of ordinary days, and discipline scenarios that arise. In 2021, Marlee became a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach which has helped her both personally and professionally in approaching children as God approaches us with unconditional love, safety, empathy, and loving discipline. Marlee lives in Durham, NC with her husband and two precious sons, who continue to provide opportunities for her to grow as a parent and follower of Jesus. Outside of the office, you might find Marlee wearing beloved athleisure clothing while exploring a park with her family, drinking coffee, and/or reading on her Kindle

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I am a pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of four adolescents through birth and adoption with nearly a decade of experience using Connected Families resources. Trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), I love empowering parents with a confident plan to support their children in overcoming anxiety. I have expertise in neuroscience and child development, which I love to incorporate into help you understand your child’s needs and behaviors. Faith is still foremost, however, so the ultimate hope I hold is in God’s faithfulness to guide you in all the good work he has prepared for you and your family. I have been using the Connected Families Framework for a decade in my home and nursing profession, growing in navigating these powerful questions through all kinds of ages, stages, and challenges. My experience as a nurse, but even more so as a mom, has helped me understand the unique challenges parents face with their child’s special needs. Learn more through my website, social media, or podcast episodes listed on my page (many of those are Connected Families episodes). You might also recognize me from my time moderating online courses or hosting Q&As. I look forward to working together! Read more…

My goal is to support parents and kids in order to build healthier families and more fully reflect the heart of Jesus and the family of God. Kenji and his wife Amy are missionaries with Cadence International. They spent 8 years living overseas in Japan and have firsthand experience with raising third-culture kids. They currently serve at Cadence’s HQ as caregivers for the kids of Cadence missionaries and provide support and pastoral care for families around the world. Connected Families has been an invaluable tool for their family as they raise their three young kids. Read more…

Alice is a heart-connector and dream-builder who believes connections can change the world — and she’s built her life making that vision a reality. Through coaching, she creates spaces where families grow stronger, relationships heal, and authentic bonds thrive. Every conversation plants a seed of transformation; every detail nurtures connection. For Alice, Bonding Hearts isn’t just a business — it’s her calling, art, and mission to help hearts find their way back to each other, one soul at a time. Read more…

Dr. Douglas Kowieski is a compassionate parent coach, counselor, and educator dedicated to helping families build strong, faith-centered relationships rooted in grace, wisdom, and connection. With a background in pastoral counseling, trauma-informed care, and family systems development, Dr. Kowieski brings over two decades of experience walking alongside parents as they navigate the joys and challenges of raising children in today’s complex world. As the founder of Hope for the Family, Dr. Kowieski’s mission is to equip parents with the tools and insight to foster emotional resilience, spiritual growth, and Christ-centered communication within their families. His coaching philosophy emphasizes the value of using the Connected Families Framework to disciple children and teens, while helping parents move from reactive patterns to intentional, heart-centered guidance that reflects God’s love and truth. Dr. Kowieski has served as a ministry leader, counselor, and educator, developing programs for churches, schools, and community organizations. His experience with adoptive and foster families, first responders, and those in ministry uniquely positions him to understand the intersection of stress, calling, and family dynamics. He is also a frequent speaker and writer on topics such as faith-based parenting, boundaries, and emotional health in Christian homes. When he’s not teaching or coaching, Dr. Kowieski enjoys spending time with his family, mentoring leaders, and developing resources that empower others to live out their faith authentically within the home. Areas of Focus: Faith-based parent coaching Emotional and spiritual development in families Foster and adoptive parenting support Biblical boundaries and communication Marriage and family enrichment Pastoral and ministry-family dynamics Read more…

Homeschooling our children is such a blessing, but it can also be such an intense experience when we face challenges. As a Charlotte Mason home educator, I truly believed in the personhood of my kiddos, but I felt so in-over-my-head with our sensitive and intense nature, ADHD tendencies and anxiety that wrapped around all of it. Parent Coaching through Connected Families became the catalyst for God’s healing and a deeper understanding of the personhood of my entire family. Our challenges turned into strengths. The trajectory of our home was forever changed! This is the hope and toolset that I love to share with others. Now, as a Parent Coach, I get to walk alongside other families and watch the Framework grow in them. I’ve seen first hand how this maturing sense of peace, connection, wisdom, and resiliency creates space for the gospel to be lived out in the home and homeschool. I especially love working with Charlotte Mason educators and helping them see how beautifully the Connected Families Framework aligns with their education philosophy. Background Information. Amy has personal experience and knowledge in the sensitive and intense space including sensory needs, giftedness, twice-exceptional learners (2e), dyslexia, ADHD, and primitive reflex integration. She is available to share the Connected Families Framework, and any online course, with groups both online and in person. She is an experienced presenter of live workshops to churches and organizations. Amy has lived in Oregon City since 2016 where she now homeschools her three intensely dynamic and creative – ages 14, 12, and 9. She and Andrew have been married for almost 20 years and love building things, creating things, literature, and exploring the outdoors. Amy absolutely loves teaching nature study and science to students of all ages at her homeschool co-op in Oregon City, Oregon. You’ll also finding her serving with the prayer ministry at her church. Her soul comes alive when there is a chance to journey alongside anyone who seeks to know and follow Jesus or grow as a connected, Christ-centered family. She is the co-director of the Oregon City Charlotte Mason Homeschool Community and Co-op and is the founder of The Winter Gathering and Living Streams Education Retreat. Learn more about those annual events for home educators at www.livingstreamsretreat.com. 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…

In the early years of parenting my bright, high-energy kiddos, some with sensory processing and ADHD challenges, I often felt stressed, overwhelmed, and hopeless as a parent. After discovering Connected Families and finding the framework so helpful with my own parenting, I became passionate about helping other parents learn how to truly receive God’s grace and truth for themselves and equip them with biblical wisdom, skills, and tools to better connect with their kids and grow healthy, thriving families. In addition to my experience as a homeschool mom of kids who struggle with anxiety, ADHD, and Sensory Processing challenges, I also serve as a marriage coach with my husband. This enables me to bring a unique, holistic, and compassionate perspective to family relationship dynamics and I’m passionate about helping couples grow stronger in their marriage relationship as they learn to receive and pass on God’s grace and truth to each other and their children. I look forward to coming alongside you in your parenting journey to help you grow and thrive as a parent. Connect with me to learn more at ncctk.com/parentcoaching or [email protected] Read more…

Parenting can be one of the most rewarding—and most challenging—callings in life. My parent coaching is designed to equip and encourage parents who feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or stuck in survival mode. Whether you’re navigating daily struggles or deeper family dynamics, I come alongside you with practical tools, compassionate support, and hope-filled guidance. Rather than focusing on what’s going wrong, I work with your strengths to help you step confidently into your God-given role as a parent. With personal and professional experience in foster care and adoption, I understand the added complexities that can come with parenting children from hard places. I offer insight, grace, and strategies tailored to your unique family story. My desire is to see you experience the joy and purpose of parenting—rooted in connection, restored hope, and growing confidence. Together, we’ll uncover the obstacles that are keeping you stuck and move toward lasting transformation in your home. 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…

Uwera Astrida is a parenting coach based in Rwanda. She helps parents build peaceful, connected homes using practical, grace-based tools inspired by the Connected Families framework. With experience mentoring children of different ages and backgrounds, she brings deep empathy and an understanding of African cultural realities. Astrida equips parents to communicate with confidence, manage conflict, understand behavior, and raise children who feel safe, loved, and capable. Read more…

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…