Certified Coaches

I became a Connected Families Coach to support the parents in our church body and the deeper I go with these materials and methods the more I am inspired! I love Connected Families because it is a call to live out the gospel in our closest relationships. Soaked in scripture, these ways lead each of us in our parenting journey humbly to the Cross of Christ (Do-overs) and help us grow to live out the fruit of the Spirit (restoring our children gently) and inspiring all to be a blessing as we parent with the Connect Families Framework.

The majority of my time, outside of the care and keeping of my family (husband Matt and 3 teenagers), is given to leading Kids and Family ministry in Minnesota at my local church. This is work I love! For 8 years, with my team, I have had the great joy of loving on kids in Jesus name and building routines and memories that (I pray) will lead to deep abiding faith and home in the church for all those that grow up in our care.

I believe strongly that in Christ “every family under heaven” (Eph 3:15) has been established, you are the right parents for your kids! I would be honored to walk with your family as a coach! It would be my hope to make this information personal and practical, prayerfully considering what your next step might be with all the tools of Connected Families at the ready.

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As a former child therapist and a current stay-at-home mom to a five-year-old and two-year-old twins, I have the unique ability to see the world from the eyes of a child while also understanding the complexities and difficulties of being a parent. I would love to help guide you through the uncomfortable and sometimes painful—yet fundamental—detective work that will help us identify the existing wounds that may be lending a hand to the difficulties you are currently experiencing with your child(ren). During our coaching sessions, we will work to identify these existing wounds, give them over to God, and create a parenting plan that both mirrors the heart of Jesus and is supported by neuroscience. While working as a child therapist, I focused largely on play therapy while equipping parents with tools and skills backed by neuroscience, slowly realizing that the scientific research I was sharing with other parents perfectly aligns with the word of God. While I wholeheartedly believe that play therapy can be extremely beneficial for many kiddos, I witnessed the greatest changes in the kiddos whose parents were able to take the scientific research and tools I was providing them with and apply them consistently at home. For many years I have studied and worked largely from an attachment lens in which I instinctively incorporate into my coaching sessions. My prayer is that you will gain the ability to cultivate meaningful relationship(s) with the child(ren) God has entrusted you with and begin to enjoy the sweet years you have with them—even in the midst of the chaos. I would be truly honored to support you in whatever season you may find yourself in and join you as you continue along your parenting journey—one of the greatest journeys of sanctification. Read more…

I’m a trauma-informed Social Worker, Connected Families Certified Parent Coach, and founder of Truth + Grace. I have a decade of experience serving foster care and adoptive families, people in substance use recovery, and children/adults with mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions. I have personally experienced the life-transforming grace and truth of the gospel in my parenting through Connected Families and I love watching parents light up as they see for themselves how grace-based parenting brings peace and joy back into their homes. I help overwhelmed parents of young kids who are feeling defeated by persistent behavioral challenges, break free from yelling and unhelpful consequences by teaching effective, grace-filled strategies for correcting behavior while maintaining security, love, and connection with their child. ​If you want to enjoy your child again, motivate them towards better behavior, and experience deeper family connections – I would be honored to support you on your journey. I specialize in children’s mental health and trauma prevention. I have experience helping families with kids of all ages and feel especially called to support parents of young children ages 2-10. Read more…

Have you noticed how many young families don’t have a great foundation? Not only that, but they often turn to Google rather than a trustworthy community for help. I come alongside parents to process parenting challenges and build wise habits rooted in relational connection that is also brain science-informed. My coaching is twofold: 1) CF foundational framework for families privately and 2) in order to multiply impact, I also coach churches. I serve as a missionary with the trustworthy engine of FamilyLife Canada and seek to partner with churches to build ministries and communities that offer help and hope for marriages and parents. My services are free because of a large team of generous partners. I first discovered Connected Families when I was getting my master’s degree and met Jim Jackson in a class. As a young dad, I was struck by the power of modeling and relational connection for passing on my faith and building wisdom. As a pastor, I researched a lot of parenting curriculum, but nothing combined effective brain science with the heart of Gospel reconciliation like Connected Families. I would be honored to coach you in building a more connected family on a strong foundation. Read more…

Corinne Downe is a certified parent coach with Connected Families who loves helping parents move from chaos to connection (with a few laughs along the way!). Proud of her strong Latin heritage, Corinne brings warmth, empathy, and a deep appreciation for family culture into every coaching session. She’s fluent in Spanish and passionate about serving both English- and Spanish-speaking families with grace-filled, practical tools that really work to unite the family. Whether navigating toddler tantrums or teen drama, she meets parents with encouragement, honesty, and hope. 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…

We are passionate about introducing parents who are tired of trying harder to a way of trying differently through the Connected Families Framework. Grounded in the Gospel and up to date with research in neuroscience, Connected Families teaches how to connect with your children with both messages of grace and accountability. We desire to walk with families as they cast a vision for building wisdom in their children over time. Tara is a middle school teacher turned stay-at-home mom and home educator to our 5 kids ages 0-11. In addition to being a busy dad and husband, David is an actuary and a lay pastor. He is available to coach with Tara upon request. His passion includes walking with other dads in their parenting journey. We are so grateful for Connected Families’ impact on our own family as it has strengthened our relationship with God, each other, and our children. Read more…

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…

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…

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…

Hope: “anticipating a future that’s better than the present”. It is crucial in all areas of life. I enjoy helping families find hope amid challenges. My passion is working with young children and their families. I have worked in various roles since beginning to babysit as a teenager. These have included daycare provider, Parents as Teachers parent educator, nutrition facilitator, Sunday School teacher, and public-school teacher/diagnostician. In all these roles I have tried to share hope with the families for it is the hope given to me through Christ’s death and resurrection that has sustained me through the tough times and helped me to find joy in the smallest of everyday happenings. Parenting is a tough job, and it has been my privilege to walk with parents through some challenging journeys as well as rejoice with them as their children grow and develop. As I approached retirement, I asked God what He wanted me to do after retirement. I felt He had a different path than teaching for me but something that could continue to support children and their families. When I heard about Connected Families, I was so energized because, in the words of one of my fellow parent coaches, “It is the perfect trifecta: evidence-based, spiritually based, and understandable by all”. I look forward to continuing to find and nurture hope in the lives of the families I coach. My husband and I have one daughter who is married and has given us two granddaughters. We were blessed to move within a five-minute walk from their home after my retirement and are thoroughly enjoying being able to spend time with them even during their sensitive and highly intense moments! “May the God of all hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 This definition of “hope” is from the Bible Project’s word study: Hope. Read more…

Experience personalized coaching through Built on Rock! We, Jarrett and Luisa, Certified Parent Coaches, listen to your struggles, provide tailored guidance, and train you in the powerful Connected Families framework to help you overcome the unique challenges you are facing. Whether you need help with discipline, connection, correction, or instilling faith, we are here to empower you in your parenting journey. Enroll today and equip yourself with the confidence and skills needed to parent your children in God’s grace and wisdom. We help parents navigate challenges with hope, understanding, and grace. We can help you rediscover the delight and deep joy of connecting with your children, even in the midst of complex situations. Our family is a mix of languages and cultures, child loss, adoption, and birth. Our parenting journey includes trauma and sensory needs, grief, and redemption. If any of these are part of your own story, we understand the complexity of emotions that you experience and the deep desire that you have to be the best parent you can be. We know by experience how hard parenting can be and how lonely it can get when it seems like no one else faces the same challenges you are dealing with. Maybe you have read many books, listened to many podcasts, and tried all the tricks you can possibly think of just to find yourself exhausted and without hope. You really want to enjoy your children but it seems like all you do is correct their misbehaviors and nothing is getting better. We are here to share the good news and cheer you on! It would be an honor to walk alongside you on your unique parenting journey! Read more…