For over 25 years, I’ve been researching, living, and learning what I now teach to parents.

After earning my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, I taught 1st and 5th grade. I loved the classroom — the structure, the growth, the connection. But when I became a stay-at-home mom after having my son in 1999 (and later, my two daughters in 2002 and 2005), everything changed. I quickly found myself wondering how a teacher of 25+ students could feel so lost with just three children at home. That was when my real journey began.

I went to counseling. I read. I researched. And I began working toward my Master of Arts in Professional Counseling. During that time, I wrote my first book, DiddleDots: Tips to Ease the Craziness of Parenting — 100 simple strategies to help moms organize their homes like a classroom, set clear expectations, understand emotions, and teach values.

After six and a half years balancing coursework and motherhood, I became a Licensed Associate Counselor in Arizona. I began working as a mental health counselor, later becoming a school counselor.

Along the way, I found myself drawn to the world of parenting. I knew firsthand how difficult parenting could be, and so in 2016, I opened At the Parenting Place. I began teaching parenting classes, providing one-on-one consultations, and speaking to the community. And in 2022, I turned the curriculum I developed into my second book, The Parenting Backpack: Strategies & Tools to Help You Parent with Confidence.