Blog
Get to Know Your Coach: Part 3 – My Teaching Years
I started college without a clue of what I wanted to do. Within the first year, I discovered a newfound interest in child development. I was fascinated with Erik Erikson’s and Lev Vygotsky’s theories of development and learning. As I learned, I felt better able to...
Get to Know Your Coach: Part 2 – Teen Years
In a previous blog post, I briefly described my path to becoming a Teen Life Coach. There were several pivotal points in my life that contributed to my passion for coaching teens. This is part two, my teen years. My teen years were rough. My parents got...
Make the Most of Summer with Coaching
Summer is one of my favorite times of year for coaching! With a lighter schedule and less stress, teens and college students can take a deeper dive into personal growth. Summer coaching almost always focuses on reflection and preparation. I take my clients through a...
Words of Wisdom for Grads
May and June mark an important milestone for high school seniors: the end of high school! Along with graduation celebrations and heavy sighs of relief, many are preparing for their next step. Some are packing their bags and heading off to college. Others may be...
How to Succeed in College – Pack a Toolbox for Life
As your college-bound teen chooses decorations for her dorm and packs her suitcases full of clothes and memories of home, don’t let her leave without the all-important Toolbox for Life. The Toolbox for Life includes skills and mindsets that promote happiness,...
Getting Your Teen Ready for College – Tips for Success
This month, many high school seniors finalized their college decisions. They are connecting with new peers, deciding on a roommate, considering classes, and imagining all the fun and excitement that lies ahead. College dreams will soon become a reality… Is your teen...
What to Do With “I hate you!”
Intro by Erica Rood, M.A. Ed. Tantrums are a bit different during the teen years. Instead of throwing herself on the floor, kicking and screaming, your disgruntled teen is more likely to slam her bedroom door while shouting, “I hate you!” As a parent, it can be...
Secrets to Inner Beauty for Teen Girls
Almost everyone desires beauty. Many teens I coach strive for it. However, the type of beauty they (and many others) seek is external beauty. It is all about perfect hair, skin, lips, lashes, and body shape, and is accompanied by the belief that this level of...
Help Your Teen Confront and Control Her Inner Critic
We all have it. A sinister, negative voice in our head. Sometimes it whispers, sometimes it shouts but it always spins stories of incapability and not-enough-ness. Often referred to as an inner-critic, negative nag, or Gremlin,* this internal voice drains motivation...
Intuitive Eating: 5 Steps for Your Teen
What is Intuitive Eating? Almost all teens are affected by the appearance-oriented world we live in. So what can we do as parents to help support them break out of that cycle and learn to love their bodies? As a Teen Health and Wellness Coach, a principle I like to...
How to Get Your Teen to Eat Healthy
As our teens begin having more independence and freedom and they begin making their own food choices, how can we as parents encourage them to make healthy selections in and out of the home? Here are 6 tips to help get your teen eating healthy!
10 Self-Esteem Affirmations for Teens
A teen’s self-esteem is fragile. It can easily be damaged by a difficult friend, a tough teacher, or a critical parent. Criticism and a common tendency to compare herself with others can lead to questioning her self-worth and her abilities. However, with strong self-esteem, a teen will have the confidence and courage to try new things, set and achieve goals, and maintain a positive attitude towards herself and others.