My Story: The Journey Behind the Move FORWARD Framework

It was my students—and my own three children—who ultimately inspired me to become a parent and family wellness coach.

For more than 30 years, I’ve worked across public health, education, health coaching, and parenting. I’ve taught health and nutrition, developed programs for young people and families, worked in healthcare settings, and listened to thousands of students, parents, teens, and young adults talk about what happens when life begins to feel like too much.

And through all of those experiences, I kept seeing the same thing:

Behavior rarely tells the whole story. 

What I Learned From Students, Families, and My Own Children

A teenager shutting down.
A high-achieving student suddenly struggling.
A young adult who feels lost after doing everything “right.”
A child becoming anxious, reactive, withdrawn, or overwhelmed.

It can be tempting to focus immediately on fixing the behavior.

But I learned to become curious about what might be happening underneath it.

Pressure. Fear. Expectations. Stress. Identity. Relationships. Coping. Family patterns. A nervous system that may simply be overloaded.

Behavior Rarely Tells the Whole Story

That shift—from asking “How do we stop this behavior?” to “What might this behavior be telling us?”—became central to the way I work with families today.

It also became the foundation of the Move FORWARD Framework.

Grounded in Evidence. Adapted to Your Family.

Move FORWARD draws from established principles in behavior change, health coaching, emotional regulation, family systems, motivational interviewing, resilience, and health education—translated into practical tools parents can actually use.

The goal isn’t to hand parents another generic list of tips.

It’s to help you understand what may be happening, determine what actually needs your attention, communicate more effectively, reduce unnecessary pressure, and choose a helpful next step for your particular family.

Why This Work Matters to Me

My professional experience is only part of the story.

I’m also a parent.

I’ve lived through the uncertainty that comes with watching your child struggle, wondering whether to step in or step back, questioning whether you’re doing too much—or not enough.

I know what it’s like to love your child fiercely and still not always know what they need from you.

Those experiences changed the way I think about parenting.

I came to believe that our job isn’t to eliminate every struggle or control every outcome.

It’s to become a steadier anchor so we can be a safe harbor—someone our children can return to while they learn to navigate their own lives.

Sometimes that means helping.

Sometimes it means listening.

Sometimes it means setting a boundary.

And sometimes it means recognizing that discomfort is not the same thing as danger.