Parent coaching for when parenting feels harder than you expected

Being a parent can bring up far more than you ever expected.

You can love your children deeply and still find yourself shouting, feeling overwhelmed, struggling with boundaries or wondering why certain situations seem to affect you so much.

Maybe you feel like you're constantly repeating yourself.

Maybe your child's behaviour seems to push all your buttons.

Maybe you're exhausted from trying to keep everyone happy.

Or perhaps you know you want to parent differently, but in the moment you find yourself reacting in ways you don't feel good about afterwards.

This is where parent coaching can help.

I'm Fiona, a qualified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and certified parenting coach. I've supported parents for over six years, working with families across the UK and internationally.

My approach has developed over the years to include both my experience as a parent coach and my work with the nervous system and Somatic Experiencing®.

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What is parent coaching?

Parent coaching gives you a space to talk honestly about what's happening in your family and explore ways of doing things differently.

It's not about being given a list of parenting techniques or being told what you're doing wrong.

And it's definitely not about becoming a perfect parent.

Instead, we look at what's happening for you, your child and the relationship between you.

We can explore the situations you find difficult, the patterns you keep getting caught in and what happens for you when things become too much.

Sometimes understanding your own reactions can be just as important as understanding your child's behaviour.

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What can a parent coach help with?

You might be looking for parent coaching because you're struggling with:

• shouting or losing your patience

• frequent arguments and battles

• setting boundaries or saying no

• guilt around your parenting

• your child's big emotions or behaviour

• feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated

• feeling constantly touched out or needed

• people-pleasing and finding it difficult to hold boundaries

• feeling disconnected from your child

• parenting differently from how you were parented

• feeling like you're constantly getting it wrong

• the emotional load of motherhood

• feeling anxious when your child is upset

• knowing what you want to do differently but struggling to do it in the moment

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You don't need to have one particular parenting problem to come to parent coaching.

Sometimes you simply know that something isn't working anymore and you'd like some support to understand why.

My approach to parent coaching

My background as a parenting coach, alongside my training in Somatic Experiencing®, means that I don't only look at what your child is doing. We also look at what happens for you.

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For example, perhaps your child's behaviour sends you straight into anger.

Perhaps you freeze or shut down.

Perhaps you feel an overwhelming need to fix everything.

Perhaps you become anxious when your child is upset.

Or perhaps you find yourself saying yes when you really want to say no, and then feeling resentful afterwards.

These reactions don't mean you're a bad parent.

Often, they are connected to what is happening in your nervous system.

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By slowing things down and becoming more aware of what's happening in your body, you can begin to understand your reactions and have more choice in how you respond.

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You don't need to become a perfect parent

I'm not interested in helping you become a parent who never loses their patience, never gets overwhelmed and always knows exactly what to say.

That isn't real life.

Parenting is messy.

You are human. Your child is human.

There will be difficult days.

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The aim isn't perfection. It's helping you understand yourself better, feel more resourced and find a way of parenting that feels more connected and sustainable for you.

 

Parent coaching for overwhelmed mums

A lot of the parents I work with are carrying a huge amount.

The planning.

The remembering.

The organising.

The emotional load.

Trying to meet everyone's needs.

And often putting themselves at the bottom of the list.

You might look like you're coping from the outside while feeling completely overwhelmed underneath.

Parent coaching can give you somewhere to put some of that down.

A place where you don't have to be the one holding everything together.

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My experience as a parent coach

I originally trained as a parenting coach and built my previous business, Happy Me Parenting, around supporting parents.

Over the years, I worked with parents across the UK and internationally, helping them with connection, boundaries, behaviour and the everyday emotional challenges that can come with parenting.

My work eventually led me towards Somatic Experiencing®, as I became increasingly interested in what happens in our bodies and nervous systems when we feel overwhelmed, stressed or triggered.

Today, I bring these two areas of experience together through Happy Me Somatic Therapy.

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Online Parent Coaching with Fiona​

I offer one-to-one parent coaching online for parents who want to understand their reactions, navigate difficult family dynamics and feel more connected in their relationship with their children.

Drawing on my background in parenting coaching and Somatic Experiencing®, our work looks beyond behaviour alone to explore what's happening for you, your child and the patterns that can develop between you.

Whether you're struggling with overwhelm, boundaries, emotional reactions or simply feeling stuck, we can explore what might help you find a different way forward.

[Explore my 12-week parent coaching programme]

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Parent coaching and therapy aren't the same thing​

Parent coaching and therapy are different types of support.

Parent coaching focuses specifically on your experience of parenting, your relationship with your child and the challenges you're experiencing as a parent.

Somatic Experiencing® is a therapeutic approach that works with the nervous system and the effects of stress and trauma.

There can sometimes be an overlap between the two, and if you're unsure which type of support would be most appropriate for you, we can talk about that.

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You don't have to figure it all out on your own​

You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you need.

You might simply know that you're struggling, you're stuck in patterns you'd like to change, or you're finding parenting harder than you'd expected.

That's enough.

Sometimes the first step is simply having somewhere to talk honestly about what's happening, without judgement.

If you'd like to explore parent coaching with me, you can get in touch to arrange an initial conversation.

[Get in touch about parent coaching]

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Frequently Asked Questions​

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What does a parent coach do?

A parent coach provides support around the challenges of parenting. Rather than simply giving you a list of techniques, I help you explore what's happening in your relationship with your child, what you're finding difficult and what happens for you when things become overwhelming.

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What age children do you work with?

I work with parents at different stages of their parenting journey. The challenges can look very different depending on your child's age, but feeling overwhelmed, stuck or unsure of how to respond can happen at any stage.

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Is parent coaching the same as therapy?

No. Parent coaching focuses specifically on your experience of parenting and your relationship with your child. Somatic Experiencing® is a therapeutic approach that works with the nervous system and the effects of stress and trauma.

If you're unsure which would be the right support for you, we can discuss this.

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Do you offer parent coaching outside Newcastle?

Yes. My parent coaching is online, so I work with parents across the UK and, where appropriate, internationally. I also offer parent coaching sessions  from a clinic in person in North Shields on a Wednesday and Friday for those preferring to meet in person.

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Do I need to have a specific parenting problem?

No.

You might have a very specific issue you'd like help with, or you might simply feel overwhelmed, stuck or unsure about what's happening in your family.

You don't need to have it all worked out before you get in touch.

 

What happens in a parent coaching session?

Sessions are a space to slow things down and talk through what's happening for you.

We'll look at the situations you're finding difficult, what happens for you in those moments and what might help you respond differently.

There's no judgement and no expectation that you'll get everything right.

How do I know if parent coaching is right for me?

If you're finding parenting harder than you'd like, feel stuck in certain patterns or simply want some support, parent coaching may be helpful.

You don't have to wait until things become a crisis before asking for support.

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What other parents say?

You are welcome to check out my youtube channel and watch some interviews that have been shared with permission about their work with me as their parent coach:

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