A plan for the hard moments, and the practice to keep it.
Therapy for your child, done mostly with you. You’ll leave with a written plan both of you agree on, and weekly help putting it into practice.
For parents of children from toddlers to age 13
What is parent coaching?
Parent coaching is therapy for a child that works mainly through the parents. The therapist teaches you specific skills, like positive attention, clear instructions, rewards and calm consequences, and you use them at home, where your child spends most of their time. Clinically, it’s called behavioral parent training or parent management training.
It can feel backwards: your child is the one melting down, so shouldn’t your child be in therapy? But a therapist sees a child for one hour a week, and you’re there for the rest. Parent coaching vs. child therapy.
You’ve read the books. It still falls apart at 7:45am.
Most parents who call already know a lot about parenting. What’s missing is a plan that fits this child, this family, and both parents, plus someone to help when it doesn’t go to plan.
Your child, your family, your plan. Not a class.
Parenting classes teach general strategies to a room of families. Coaching builds a plan around one child and one family, and changes it week by week as you learn what works.
The research backs the difference. In a review of 63 studies of parent training, children’s behavior improved more when parents were coached one-on-one than when they attended group classes. For families under financial strain, the gap was large: individual coaching worked, and group classes barely moved the needle (Lundahl et al., 2006). Parenting class or parent coaching?
The same review found that adding more sessions didn’t predict better results. Programs averaged about 10, which is why ours is built around 10, then a review.
How it works
Mostly parents. How much Kara sees your child depends on their age and what’s going on.
- 1 Assess A 90-minute first session with the parents: what’s happening, when, and what’s been tried.
- 2 Plan A written plan both parents agree to: the few things you’ll do differently, starting this week.
- 3 Practice About 10 weekly sessions. Bring what happened that week; leave knowing what to try next. Your child joins to practice with you when it helps.
- 4 Review At session 10, decide together: wrap up, check in monthly, or keep going.
What you’ll leave with
A written plan
One page you can put on the fridge. Updated as things change.
Words for the hard moment
What to say, and what not to say, when things start to escalate.
One approach, two parents
The same response from both of you, so your child stops testing the gap.
A way to tell it’s working
Simple things to track, so progress isn’t a feeling.
Fees
Paid session by session. You can stop at any time. We provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance for out-of-network reimbursement.
Parent sessions in person in the Denver Tech Center or online anywhere in Colorado. Payment and cancellation policy.
The research behind working through parents.
The behavioral methods Kara uses, and the studies that support them.
Common questions
Is this coaching or therapy?
It’s therapy for your child, done mostly with you. “Parent coaching” is the plain-language name for it. Because it’s therapy, we provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance.
What is parent management training?
It’s the clinical name for this kind of treatment, also called behavioral parent training. A therapist teaches parents specific, research-based ways to respond to a child’s behavior, and the family practices them at home. The research behind it.
Does it work if my child won’t come?
Yes. Because the work runs through you, your child doesn’t need to be willing, or even in the room, for things to start changing.
Do both parents need to come?
It works best when both do, in person or online. If that’s not possible, start with whoever can.
Will Kara see my child?
Almost always, and more as children get older. How much depends on their age and what’s going on. How that’s decided.
We’re separated. Can we still do this?
Yes. A shared plan across two homes is often where this helps most.
How long does it take?
About 10 weekly sessions after the first one, then a review. Some families are done then; some keep going. You decide together.
Why about 10 sessions?
Because that’s about what the research supports. In a review of 63 parent training studies, programs averaged about 10 sessions, and adding more sessions didn’t predict better results. What mattered more was how the work was done: one-on-one, practical, and practiced. Lundahl et al., 2006.
Ready to start, or just have a question?
Ask a question, set up a free 15-minute call, or schedule a first session. We reply within one business day, Monday to Friday.
Pick a time for a free 15-minute phone call with Kara. She’ll call you at the number you give.