Family Coaching
When I was in my 20s I recall talking about wanting to help ‘hundreds of families.’ I was not sure what exactly that meant and how to accomplish this passion to its fullest.
During college I was an Applied Behavior Analyst (ABA) therapist and worked in a home with 2 boys who have Autism. This was an eye opening experience to see the detailed structures, resources, and energy the family committed to. I learned how important the work I was doing for them was and I had a sense of pride and honor to be part of this family’s support. After college I was a special education teacher for students with Autism in the Detroit (Clawson, MI) area. I quickly learned that working with preschoolers with Autism not only meant working with my students, but also the other family members that were helping raise them. I spoke with parents on the plans that got developed in the school and how to implement similar systems in the home. Working with these families is the time I learned the importance of collaboration and coaching between home and school. After a few short years of teaching, I moved into a K-12 consulting role for the district. My professional mind was expanded to understand and appreciate the lives of families who were raising children with Autism, ages 3-26. In addition to my exposure to these family dynamics, I was provided with an immense amount of training from the START Project that grew my passion to teaching adults effective ways to positively interact with children.
My career took me out west to Oregon where I worked for 2 school districts (Corvallis and Lake Oswego) as a K-12 consultant. I interacted with more families to practice my craft and learn from their experiences, which enhanced my knowledge about family dynamics and parent training. During my time in Oregon, I organized and facilitated parent trainings that related to their child’s goals and home expectations. I inquired about the priorities families had for their children and developed ways to help them accomplish those goals. There was a time where I provided ABA therapy for an Indian family, who has a child with autism. As holidays approached I was invited into their home to learn their traditions and about the Indian culture. This family gave me an experience that shed light on the importance of the uniqueness of each family and what it means to understand culture, as to be understood. While in Oregon, I was a member of the Oregon Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders. I contributed to the ASD Self Assessment and Action Plan that serves to strengthen services for student with Autism. One section of the ASD Self Assessment entails family training and support, which highlights the importance of support families need and deserve.
My career path continued up north and in 2016 I moved to Anchorage, Alaska. For 5 years I worked in an administrative role for the special education department. Family involvement is part of our schools’ culture and inclusive practices. The collaboration between home and school was vital to student success and to understand each family’s needs and goals. I interacted with families that needed coaching on next steps and understanding of programs & interventions that would benefit their child. My time in this role taught me the importance of meeting families where they are at, while being mindful how my support looked and sounded like so the voices of each family felt heard and validated. During this time I became certified as Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My passion for teaching and coaching families has grown to help families understand human behavior as a science and how we can make significant behavior change through ABA.
My journey with families is continuous work and ever-evolving as I meet and interact with more families that have stories that are unique to them. Through each family story I have learned something new. I continue to have an open mind and heart as I listen to another story that needs support. A couple things remain true for me: It takes a village to raise a child and (for the most part) we are all doing the best we can. I reflect back on my career path and realize that I now hope to help ‘thousands of families’ and let them know that they are helping me, as much as I hope I am helping them.
Thank you for taking the time to read the why behind our Family Coaching service. Feel free to leave a comment or ask a question below. -Alison, Founder of BX-OP
