About Maria
A coach who's been in the thick of it
I work with parents who love their teenagers deeply — and are exhausted by the distance that's grown between them.
My story
I didn't set out to become a parent coach
I became one because I needed one. When my own kids hit their teenage years, I found myself in a house full of tension, slammed doors, and conversations that went sideways before they even started. I was doing everything I thought a good parent should do — and it wasn't working.
That experience sent me on a years-long journey: reading everything I could find, training with some of the most respected voices in adolescent development, and eventually becoming certified as a parent coach. What I discovered changed not just my relationship with my kids, but how I understood myself as a parent.
Today I bring that hard-won knowledge to the families I work with. Not as someone who has all the answers, but as someone who has walked the path and knows how to help you find yours.
My approach
Connection before correction
"Teenagers don't need perfect parents. They need present ones."
My coaching is grounded in the belief that most parent-teen conflict is really a disconnection problem — not a discipline problem. When we focus on rebuilding trust and communication, the hard stuff gets easier. I draw on attachment theory, positive discipline, and nervous system science to help parents show up in ways that actually land with their teens.
Non-judgement
You're doing your best. I start from that assumption, always.
Practical tools
Every session ends with something concrete you can try this week.
Long-term thinking
We're building a relationship that lasts well beyond the teen years.
Your family, your way
There's no one-size-fits-all. We work with your values and your reality.
Training & credentials
Grounded in evidence, shaped by experience
- Certified Parent Coach (CPC) — Parent Coaching Institute
- Positive Discipline Certified Educator
- Training in adolescent brain development & attachment theory
- Member, International Coaching Federation (ICF)
- 10+ years working with families of teens
Ready to feel less alone in this?
A free 30-minute discovery call is the easiest first step. No pressure, no commitment — just a conversation.