Integrative Parent Coaching
My approach integrates Compassionate Inquiry, mindfulness, Nonviolent Communication, and Mindful Self-Compassion. I offer you a non-judgmental space to bring whatever challenges you are facing and hold it with presence and compassion. This becomes a model of what you might offer to your own children.
Frequently asked Questions
What are the qualities of an Integrative Parent Coach?
An Integrative Parent Coach is someone who has done their own inner work. Their skills are an integration of many disciplines they have studied. put into practice, and embodied.
The disciplines I have studied and embodied are mindfulness, nonviolent communication, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Compassionate Inquiry. These are four different modalities I move in and out of depending on what this present moment brings.
What will my clients experience?
Mindfulness: We look at situations you have reacted to and see where there is a possiblity of pausing before reacting — to notice what your thoughts are, the emotions that might be arising, and any physical sensations. This creates the distance between stimulus and response and has a direct impact on how you respond to your child.
Nonviolent communication: I support you in identifying observations (what is actually said or what actual actions were taken) without evaluation. You will gain support in identifying feelings underneath reactions and connect to your own unmet needs. In this way, you may also recognize your children are also expressing unmet needs through their behaviors / reactions. This dissolves the adversarial frame so many parents are trapped in.
Self-Compassion: I help you become aware when your inner critic shows up and explore ways to access your compassionate voice. I also provide the distinction between tender self-compassion (offering yourself the support you would to a good friend when they are struggling), and fierce self-compassion (setting boundaries and saying no). These two aspects of self-compassion complements each other and are necessary for the motivation to make changes.
Compassionate Inquiry: When you notice a recurring trigger, I will invite you to get curious about it. And if you are willing, I will hold space for you to explore at your own pace how the emotions and memories you may be experiencing are showing up in the body. You will begin to see that your most charged reactions are often old survival strategies. They helped you to cope with the pain, disconnection, and/or unmet needs from your childhood that are now being triggered by your child’s behavior. The result is perhaps a moment of genuine self-recognition in which you begin to feel compassion for your younger self and begin to let go of the reactive patterns that no longer serve you.
How are these four modalities integrated in a coaching session?
I choose the modality that is needed in the moment; weaving seamlessly in and out of each.
For instance, mindfulness brings your attention to what is happening in the present moment, not what is happening in the past or what might happen in the future. Compassionate Inquiry peels back the layers of a current trigger to see when the real trigger took place. Nonviolent communication gives client a new language for not just understanding their kid(s), but for understanding themselves. And self-compassion ensures what is uncovered is met with warmth rather than criticism.
Together, this helps you to begin to relate to yourself differently. Overtime, this shift is what transforms not just a parent’s inner world, but the entire emotional climate of a family.
The Solution I Offer
- Break the cycle of reactivity,
- Repair after rupture,
- Communicate your needs with honesty,
- Interrupt unhealthy intergenerational patterns,
- A non-judgmental space to be a struggling human being
Are you offering therapy?
No. My work is therapeutic. I give each client the tool(s) they specifically need. To become skilled in these tool(s) will take time, effort, and patience. My sincere offering is to hold a non-judgmental space for you to do the work. And when this work is approached with openness, honesty, and compassion, it doesn’t just change how you parent. It changes who you are. You will then discover those around you will respond differently. It’s a step towards a deeper connection with them. This has been my personal experience.
Do you work with adults who are not parents?
Yes! We are all humans doing the best that we can, and we all struggle. This is part of the human experience.
Do you offer a sliding scale?
Yes. I am open to discussing this with you and any questions you may have. Please schedule a Time to Connect below.
Reach out to learn more
What my clients are experiencing
Sarah
“The Compassionate Inquiry sessions were extremely helpful. Marina was brilliant at attuning with me and giving me space – yet not leaving me alone in it.”
Kristen
“I felt a deep sense of trust and safety with Marina from my very first session and was really impressed and surprised at how effective Compassionate Inquiry (CI) could be with someone who clearly knows what they’re doingoration so far, very much appreciated! […] Marina brings wisdom, depth, and a grounded presence that gently guides each session rooted in her innate sense of compassion which allows the session to feel natural and progressive. Her work invites truth and healing to unfold naturally. I’ve found it life changing and I’m so grateful to have been able to connect with Marina to do this work.”
Crystal
“Marina holds a warm and caring space where I felt truly seen and heard. It was such a relief I didn’t have to explain or hide what I was feeling. I could just be with my uncomfortable emotions and not feel alone in them. There was no pressure to fix anything, just a calm, steady presence that helped me feel safe enough to go deeper. Her guidance helped me gain a clearer sense of direction that felt authentic to me”