Member Spotlight: Rebecca Murphy
As a Parent Coach, I help parents create sustainable solutions to family challenges by harnessing their strengths and parenting styles to bring more joy and ease into their lives.
Throughout my years as a special education teacher, I’ve worked with children and families in many different capacities. Whether I was working in the classroom or with a child in their own home, my goal was to put myself out of a job. My mission was to help students build a personal toolkit so they would no longer need my services. My energetic and silly nature allowed me to be fun and relatable with the children, and having been trained as a behavioral specialist, I ran a tight ship!
Although my ‘real job’ was to engage with children, having a strong relationship with their parents was a critical piece of my work as well. Special education focuses so much on supporting the child, but it was clear to me that providing guidance to the entire family was key to the child’s success. I learned so much by working with families in their homes. Observing how parents and children interacted based on parenting styles and personalities within various situations and settings was fascinating to me. With so many facets to each family, there could not possibly be a ‘one size fits all’ solution to every parenting challenge! After having my own children who struggle with emotional and educational needs, it became clearer to me how necessary parent support is for families. This is what inspired me to shift my focus from teaching children to working with parents.
I wasn’t even aware that what I wanted to do had a title! An extensive search led me to the Parent Coach Institute, where I spent the next year working toward my Parent Coaching Certification. This program helped me improve my own parenting and has greatly enhanced my skill set while working with families. What I love most about my coaching is the framework that allows me to work with clients to discover their strengths, create a vision of their ideal future, design a plan to attain their dreams, and celebrate their successes. This coaching model allows parents the time, space and confidence to build positive, sustainable changes. Together, we co-create strategies that complement their parenting style to bring more calm, function and happiness into the home.
I’m so excited to apply my experience and training in my business, Real Life Parent Coaching. I support parents through whatever season of parenting they’re currently encountering. I believe in developing real life, manageable solutions that are tailored to each individual family’s needs. My ultimate goal remains the same: to put myself out of a job. This time, helping parents build a personal toolkit so they no longer need my services. Along the way, parents gain clarity on their values, strengths and family system so when we are done working together, they feel prepared to work through any future parenting challenges.
Now, possibly more than ever, parents are in need of support — particularly working moms! I welcome all parents from any stage of life and meet them in a workspace built on trust, understanding and non-judgment which encourages open communication. The sense of knowing we’re not alone on this ride is so comforting for my clients (and myself!). The scope of my work varies. Many clients look to strengthen family communication, establish and maintain boundaries, develop screen time solutions, find time for self care, and enhance family connections. No challenge is too big or too small.
As a Summit resident, I had heard the buzz of The Co-Co and its beautiful work space for members. I knew it was a community I wanted to learn more about as I was in the beginning stages of launching my coaching business. As luck would have it, I ran into co-owner, Lauren Decker, and my friend and member, Jenn Milnes, promoting The Co-Co at the Summit Farmers Market. The amount of support and encouragement I felt just from our quick conversation was all it took to convince me to become a part of this community!
As an introverted-extrovert, it is not in my nature to self promote and network. The Co-Co has been so helpful in supporting me in these areas in a way that feels very comfortable and authentic. The variety of opportunities provided by The Co-Co has allowed me to join different groups and connect with other professional women at all levels of business. I especially love the Coaching Cohort — an amazing group of smart, inspiring women who have been so welcoming and supportive since I’ve joined. I really love the tight knit feel of this community and feel so fortunate to be a part of it!
