262. What Is Parent Coaching?

262. What Is Parent Coaching?

Author: Therese Connolly May 16, 2026 Duration: 39:22

Have you ever wondered what parent coaching actually is?

Maybe you have heard the term but are not sure whether it is therapy, parenting advice, family coaching, or something else entirely.

In this episode, Tess Connolly, LCSW, explains parent coaching in clear, simple language and shares how it can help families move out of repeated conflict and into better communication, stronger boundaries, and deeper connection.

Parent coaching is not about blaming parents or fixing kids.

It is about helping families understand the patterns they are stuck in.

Why does the same argument keep happening?

Why does your teen shut down?

Why does your tween push back?

Why do screen time, school, chores, anxiety, or respect issues keep turning into daily battles?

Why do you feel like you are either being too strict or too permissive?

Tess also explains how parent coaching differs from therapy, and why her background as a licensed clinical social worker informs the way she supports parents and families.

Coaching is not therapy. It is not diagnosis, clinical treatment, or crisis care. But a mental health-informed lens can help parents better understand what may be underneath a child’s behavior.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • What parent coaching is in simple language
  • How parent coaching differs from therapy
  • Why parent coaching is not mental health treatment
  • How a mental health-informed parent coach can help you understand behavior differently
  • How parent coaching supports communication, boundaries, repair, routines, and family dynamics
  • Why parents do not have to choose between being permissive and being controlling
  • How to become a steadier, more connected leader in your family
  • Why repair after conflict is one of the most important parenting skills
  • How parent coaching may include your tween, teen, or young adult when they are willing
  • Why a coach can sometimes become a bridge between parent and child
  • Why relationship and connection are at the heart of everything

Tess shares her belief that the best parenting skill is already inside of you: the relationship and connection you have with your child. That is what they leave home with, not a parenting strategy.

If your family feels stuck in the same patterns and you are ready for practical, compassionate, grounded support, book a 45-minute Parent Reset Call with Tess.

This call is a chance to talk through what is happening in your family, what you have already tried, and whether parent coaching could help you take the next step.

Book your 45-minute Parent Reset Call through the link in the show notes.

⭐Got screen time problems at home? Get the Tech Reset Agreement here 👉Download the Tech Reset Agreement

⭐️Join the Family and get your weekly Mindful Kids and Family Journal here: https://www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com/join-the-family (Get ready for lessons, podcast leads, offers for parents, and ways to win free parent coaching or masterclasses)

📧Connect with Therese (Tess) Connolly, LCSW, CCC here👇: therese@mindfulkidsandfamilies.com Website: www.mindfulkidsandfamilies.com

🆘 Need 1:1 Support? Book right here to connect with Tess for a 45-minute FREE “Parent Reset Strategy Session”: Parent Reset Strategy Session

The Single Parenting Reset Show supports single moms, working moms, and all parents with practical parenting tips on screen time, emotional regulation, co-parenting, stress relief, setting boundaries, building trust, and raising confident tweens and teens, while tackling tech addiction, behavior problems, and parent burnout with conscious parenting strategies for stronger family connection.

#singleparents #parentingtweensandteens #ScreenTime #behaviorproblems #Communication


Navigating the tween and teen years alone comes with a unique set of daily tests, from managing defiance to negotiating screen time in a connected world. Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens is here for that journey. Hosted by Therese Connolly, a licensed clinical social worker and family coach, this podcast moves beyond theory to offer actionable steps you can use immediately. Therese draws on both professional expertise and a genuine understanding of the solo parent reality, where you’re the only one setting boundaries and mending fences. Conversations focus on turning behavioral challenges into opportunities for growth, finding realistic ways to pull kids from their devices, and fostering a home where communication actually works. You’ll hear strategies for building your own confidence as a parent while strengthening your family’s connections, all without the sugar-coating. This is a space for single moms and dads seeking real-life support, where every episode aims to provide a practical reset for the week ahead. Tune in for a blend of compassionate guidance and concrete tools designed specifically for the solo parent raising adolescents.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Single Parenting Reset Show: For Solo Parents of Tweens and Teens — Manage Behavior Problems, Reduce Screen Time & Improve Communication
Podcast Episodes
294. What to Say When Your Teen Says, “You Can’t Make Me” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:39
Your teenager looks you in the eye and says:“You can’t make me.”Those four words can make a parent feel as though their authority is being tested—and that they need to win the moment immediately.But responding with “Oh,…
293. Disrespectful Teenager? What to Do Before You Give a Consequence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Your teenager rolls their eyes, insults you, says “whatever,” or slams the door—and your entire body reacts.You immediately think:They cannot speak to me this way.So you take the phone, cancel the weekend, or announce a…
291. Teen Won’t Talk to You? How to Help Them Open Up Without Pushing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:45
Your teen comes home, closes their bedroom door, and gives you one-word answers.You ask how their day was.“Fine.”You ask whether anything happened.“No.”You ask if they are upset with you.“I don’t know. Can you please lea…
290. What to Say When Your Teen Says Vaping Is No Big Deal: 5 Scripts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:19
You find a vape in your teenager’s room, backpack, or pocket. When you ask about it, they shrug and say:“It’s not a big deal.”“Everyone does it.”“It’s only nicotine.”“I can stop whenever I want.”“You’re completely overre…