Every parenting journey begins with our own upbringing. For me, that meant growing up in a blended family with siblings from both my parents’ previous marriages. With my entrepreneur father and independently minded mother, me and my siblings moved around a lot growing up, from New Orleans to Colorado and beyond. My lively upbringing and family dynamic enabled me to see that as a child, you need to be seen and heard.

When I was 16 years old, I lost my brother to suicide. This devastating event impacted our whole family. It also sowed the seeds for my future work. I’m committed to helping children and parents communicate more effectively so no other family has to endure the pain we went through.

At the time, I channeled my emotional distress into my studies, excelling at my degree in political science and history. My studies took me overseas to Guangzhou in China, and it was here I developed my love for Asian culture. After returning to the US in the early 1980s, I serendipitously came across the book ‘A Course in Miracles’ by Helen Schucman. It set me on a path towards self-enlightenment. I began to study meditation, Buddhism, and Advaita Vendanta, the study of duality, and the teachings of Alan Watts. This spiritual path also led me to meeting my husband, John.

After our son Sam was born and I became a parent, I wanted to find a way to give him a strong sense of self and to be a beautiful human being. My parenting journey also made me realize I had to break many habits I had picked up during my own upbringing. I was yearning for a framework that would guide his behavior in a loving way. I also wanted to give him a voice.

Our family’s move to Hong Kong in 1989 was the inception of Conscious Parenting Revolution. Years of research and learning during my time in Asia, coupled with my studies of Western methods of raising children, led me to devising a new roadmap. A Guidance Approach To Parenting is the core of Conscious Parenting Revolution, a program that has helped thousands of parents around the world.

I have had the pleasure and privilege of extensively studying the techniques of Dr. Thomas Gordon (Parent Effectiveness Training PET), and working alongside child educational psychologist Dr. Louise Porter; Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, founder of Center for Nonviolent Communication and father of restorative justice in America; and my colleague Claryss Nan Jamieson.

In 2017, me and John moved back to the US to Colorado to be closer to our children, Sam and Pia. This has allowed me to open up the Conscious Parenting Revolution to even more families and also to focus on my other passions of mental health and wellness.

I grew up outside Washington DC and graduated from Duke University for my undergraduate degree. I received my medical degree from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN before heading to UCLA for my residency in pediatrics. I practiced in Southern California for 5 years and became a mom to twins boys, Jack and Luke, and then 3 years later to Sean.

We moved to Hong Kong in 2011 for a work opportunity and so I could stay at home to focus on the children. When I was pregnant with my fourth child, Kate, I first heard Katherine speak at a school event and immediately knew the guidance approach was how I wanted to parent my children. I enrolled in her course and it has transformed not only how I parent but many other aspects of my life. The last nearly seven years I have grown and learned through utilizing this approach to parenting and I can see the results on how my children are developing their own sense of self, learning how to see other perspectives, be compassionate and considerate and to make sure they are heard and seen. I have taken Katherine’s course numerous times, gaining more insight and experience each time.

We are currently moving our family back to the US and I am excited to have been asked to join Katherine and the Conscious Parenting Revolution. Bringing my experience in pediatrics and as a mom of four very different children, I am looking forward to supporting families and children in improving their relationships and overall well-being.

Watch Katherine’s TED talks From Overriding her inner knowing to trusting herself.