I am a educator, writer, and parent.
In a world where sex education and social emotional learning access varies by state and sometimes even school district the Family Culture plays a vital role in a child’s social and relational development. The majority of the most important conversations surrounding ethics and morality as well as the spoken and unspoken relationship lessons are left almost entirely to the parents and caregivers. We want to do well but don’t always know exactly where to start or even what they are trying to teach, given the huge responsibility.
I have two decades of experience in peer-to-peer learning and fifteen years experience working at the intersection of family education, abuse prevention, and sexuality and relational education. I am a queer (pansexual and nonbinary/gender non-conforming) neurodivergent (ADHD) elder millennial who is passionate about helping other parents and caregivers become the Trusted Adults that all kids deserve.
What began as teaching General, Social, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology courses while completing my Master’s degree in Experimental Psychology from the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, has over a decade morphed into teaching parents how to be informed and empowered educators of their own children on topics of relationship, sexuality, and culture.
My background includes a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Gender Studies, providing a solid academic foundation for understanding the complexities of human behavior and the intersections of gender and sexuality. My lived experiences as a queer person and a queer educator working with LGBTQIA+ people across the lifespan have deeply informed my work as have my experiences as the parent of two incredible lovely little girls.
Much of my work within organizations has been on policy creation and application of child abuse prevention techniques and practices as well as consulting on how to create safe(r) spaces for kids in community spaces. I have also done work directly training kids in age appropriate sexuality education, consent training, and abuse prevention. However, my passion is in working directly with parents and caregivers to create Family Cultures that have safer practices interwoven at a fundamental level. It is my belief that this work – shifting Family Culture – changes lives.
I strive to create inclusive spaces that center marginalized experiences and voices. So very much of my work has been influenced by the anti-oppression work of BIPOC thinkers and creators. All trainings have free registration for a set number of BIPOC participants and unlimited recorded material access. All trainings are offered on a sliding scale basis and nobody is turned away on the basis of financial status. Any trainings that focus on or include a significant racial justice and anti-racism focus have all proceeds donated to an appropriate, relevant, and named organization.
I am NOT A THERAPIST. I am a trained consultant with years of experience in creating system shifts to better support kids in becoming autonomous and healthy adults. Often the work trusted adults engage in with me reveals that their own trauma histories or existing family dynamics that would benefit from therapy but my trainings compliment this work and I am very clear about the boundaries of my support. My job is education and making sure Trusted Adults have good supports to act as the primarily sexuality and relationship educators for their children.
I strive to evaluate all material through an anti-oppression lens, but I am learning right along side all of you. If you have information or perspectives you think would better inform my work I will receive them with gratitude.
My experience giving Trusted Adults the support and training to create Family Culture that supports their values is life giving and enriching. work. We navigate a world of changing language surrounding identities and a growing understanding of the importance of consent and autonomy in childhood. I feel honored when I am able to help Trusted Adults learn the tools to create safe and informed spaces for their families to grow and thrive.
