I am a devoted mother of three with two decades of experience researching, writing, and teaching about human relationships. I’m also a passionate advocate for nurturing strong family connections. But jeez...parenting can be really hard sometimes, am I right?!

 

When I started my parenting journey, I felt pretty confident. I had an honours degree in psychology, a postgraduate diploma in clinical psychology, and was completing a PhD in Neuropsychology. I had read A LOT of books about parenting theory and child development and was even teaching parenting courses for the Ministry of Education. I had high hopes and beautiful dreams, imagining many joy-filled years of warmth, laughter, and delicious moments of playdough-scented togetherness with my children.

  

Instead, and much to my dismay, I found myself exhausted and alone.

  

The reality of the day-to-day struggles I faced with my own children, including managing neurodiversity and mental health challenges, opened my eyes to the fact that theoretical knowledge alone cannot prepare us for the daily demands of family life.I was struck by how incredibly difficult and isolating parenting can be and was curious to understand why.

 

My personal experiences led me to a fundamental truth I had learned years ago from my mother and grandmother: the essence of effective parenting lies in our ability to connect with our children. No more, no less. And unfortunately for us modern parents, we live in a world that does not support the depth of connection we all crave. (For more, see this article I wrote for Natural Parent Magazine.)

   

This understanding brought a whole new perspective to my work and family life. I devoted myself to sharing my understanding of the art and science of connection and, along the way, developed a deep love for Compassionate Communication (Nonviolent Communication, NVC).

 

Through my children’s patient tuition, I have developed a wealth of lived experience on the day-to-day realities of living and breathing connection with children. This journey has not been easy, but it has transformed my life and energised my wish to share this way of being with other loving but overwhelmed parents.

 

My mission is to offer reassurance and practical support to parents navigating the overwhelming journey of raising children in today’s complex world. My passion is to share everything I know about how to build connection with children (the scientific stuff, the theory, the skills and tools, and the lessons I’ve learned through painstaking trial and error). My hope is to support parents in moving out of overwhelm and chaos and into peaceful, easy connection with their children.

 

Sally has been learning, researching, writing, and teaching about human relationships for two decades. Along the way, she has worked as a policy analyst for government and community sectors, as an academic researcher, and has taught parenting programs for the Ministry of Education and in her own private practice. Her academic credentials include a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology, a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Psychology, honours degrees in Psychology, Philosophy, and Political Studies, and training as a mediator. She has trained extensively in Compassionate Communication (or Nonviolent Communication, NVC) and is currently a candidate for certification as a CNVC Certified Trainer. 

 

Sally is committed to supporting overwhelmed parents, sharing practical insights and heartfelt guidance to foster the love and connection that children need to thrive. She works one-on-one with parents from around the world and teaches programmes about how to reconnect with themselves, their children, and ultimately their communities and the natural world they are a part of. Her approach is a gentle blend of theory, science, lived experience, warmth, and a lot of heart.