ABOUT ELLEN
Drawing from my background as a licensed nurse practitioner with years of expertise in child psychiatry, I bring a wealth of insight and experience to my role as a parent coach. Not only do I have professional experience working with extreme child behaviors and family dysfunction, I was a child with my own challenging behaviors. I had big feelings and defiance, fought with my parents constantly, and saw first-hand how this can impact familial peace. I understand the delicate intricacies of parent-child relationships from lived and studied experience. Just as a field of wildflowers can be beautiful, so too can the wildness of your child’s spirit. We will work together to transform your parenting fears and anxieties into blossoming seeds of nurtured connection and harmony within your home.
In the age of information, it can feel overwhelming to apply all you might learn in books, podcasts, and every other source of information that’s funneled your way. I’m here to help not only distill the signal from the noise, but also help you explore any limiting beliefs or life experiences you have as a parent that could be standing in your way.
CREDENTIALS & EXPERIENCE
professional & personal life
While originally from Houston, TX I've spent most of my adult life in Austin. My professional journey has been diverse, ranging from roles as a nanny to line cook to yoga teacher all before entering the nursing profession. Throughout, I've had the privilege of working with children across the entire spectrum of well-being, from those flourishing to those facing serious mental health challenges. Just as my work experience has been varied, my education beyond my healthcare training includes studying dance and languages. Studying the arts and languages gave me a deeper understanding of the humanities, which all inform and influence our lived experience.
In 2010, I delved into the realm of child mental health by volunteering at the Child Adolescent unit at Austin State Hospital. There, I discovered my passion for fostering wellness within families and children. I found a deep well of patience within myself for the children who were the most dysregulated and had the greatest emotional and behavioral challenges. While I never experienced psychiatric hospitalization as a child, I saw myself in their anger, pain, and defiance. As an adult, it was so easy for me to hold space for their struggles.
Professionally, I’ve worked in inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment centers for children with psychiatric disorders. I have worked as a sexual assault nurse examiner and have extensive experience in working with childhood trauma. In my practice, I've observed a significant gap in the support offered to parents navigating the challenges of raising children, regardless of their emotional health status. As the psychiatric provider, I did not have time in medication management appointments to provide parent support comprehensively. Parents would tell me they weren’t getting the support they were seeking from their child’s therapist. Where is a parent to turn for support when the child professionals aren’t giving guidance? Being a parent coach excites me because it allows us to move beyond the gaps in traditional treatment approaches into a more collaborative model that empowers you by enhancing your parenting skills.
Outside of work, I find joy in live music, traveling the world, practicing yoga, hosting elaborate gatherings for friends & family, and spending time in nature with my husband, daughter, and two dogs.
LET’S CHAT.
HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?
Looking for psychiatrIC Nurse Practitioner services?
Looking for psychiatric nurse services? Parent coaching is not the practice of psychiatric nursing or the provision of other healthcare services and does not include treatment, diagnosis or medication management. For healthcare services, please contact me at Westlake Psychiatry.
