Meet the Experts
Interview Title:
Everything you need to know to navigate the complexities of raising teen girls in a digital age
Interview Title:
The #1 Most Important Thing You Could Do For You and Your Daughter Today
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Social Media and Your Teenage Daughter - The Importance, The Positive and Keeping Her Safe and Thriving
Debra Beck, Author of the award winning book My Feet Aren’t Ugly, A Girl’s Guide to Loving herself from the inside out, is a devoted mentor for teenage girls and parents on issues facing teenagers and parents today.
Debra discovered her life’s work: helping young girls learn to truly love themselves from the inside out. She is also a parent of two daughters and understands the worries of parenting, so she is also devoted to guiding parents through these turbulent years to give them the tools they need to create a harmonious connection with their teens.
She has created and facilitated her own workshops, retreats, girls groups, parenting groups and individual mentoring through Empowered Teens & Parents. Because she has experienced both being a tormented teen and a worried parent, she mentors through her heart with compassion.
She currently resides in Sedona, Arizona.
Marcie Peters, America’s Whole-Life Coach, is committed to empowering others to live COURAGEOUSLY with vibrant health and happiness! A holistic nutritionist and speaker, Marcie graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN).
She is the founder of The Health and Happiness Guide and Transform Your Health World Summit, the host of Transformation TV, has been a featured speaker on many events, and has appeared on television.
Marcie’s line of healthy H2 go-nutrition is being sold online and in healthy venues. Marcie offers VIP and group coaching programs, and her work has affected thousands of people worldwide.
As a psychologist Karen has worked in private practice and organisational settings, lectured and facilitated personal growth groups. She is a mother and regular contributor to The Huffington Post UK and The Good Men Project and is a staff editor of The Neuropsychotherapist.
She is the founder of Hey Sigmund (www.heysigmund.com), the website dedicated to bringing the science of psychology to the art of being human.
Experience has taught her that psychology has something for everyone, jargon doesn’t, everyone has a story to tell, short bios are the longest to write, nobody has it all figured out and the best people to be around are the ones who already know this. She can be found on Facebook, Interest, Twitter and Instagram.
Interview Title:
The Secret We Don't Teach Our Children
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Raising Kids in a Rapidly Changing World
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4 Keys to Unlock Your Child's Potential
Mia Saenz (signs) is a Transformation Love Coach, specializing in self love, relationships and is a spiritual practitioner. Mia works with people whose desire is to grow in self love, relationships and their spiritual path.
The process Mia teaches is Total Flow Mastery and Beautiful self-love with the feminine essence, both programs are powerful to connect self to ones divine core.
Understanding this self discovery brings the ability to manifest. Mia is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of BellaMia magazine a transformational and holistic living well magazine
Bette Levy Alkazian, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Parenting Coach and nationally recognized parenting expert who works with families to ease the challenges and increase the joys of raising children. Bette has worked for many years as a parent educator, speaker, and writer. She is the author of Parenting Backwards and Potty Learning: The Do’s, Don’ts and the Oops of Poops.
Bette was a top 7 finalist (out of 15,000 applicants) in the Good Morning America Advice Guru search and has vast experience helping people with a broad range of issues.
Bette has been married to her husband, Jeff, for 30 years, and they are the parents of three amazing daughters.
www.BalancedParenting.com
bette@balancedparenting.com
Tracy Tresidder has a Masters Degree in Education, is an ICF professionally trained and certified executive, family and life coach who specializes in working with parents and teens who want to walk through their adolescent years with more clarity, confidence, grace, intention, knowledge, communication skill and relationship success.
Tracy is an expert at the coaching process and is the founder of Coaching 4 Teenagers. She is devoted to partnering with parents, educators and business leaders to help our adolescents answer core identity-related questions, see themselves as leaders in their own lives, discover and lead to their strengths, and to learn how to choose well, partner powerfully and lead lives of confidence, courage and compassion.
She is also a certified Enneagram Teacher and an IEA Accredited Teacher. She has been training and studying the Enneagram with some of the world’s best teachers over the last 12 years and has found that this has helped her to move to a deeper level of exploration and understanding not only of herself as a coach but also with her coaching clients, which has meant many more aha moments. In 2014 she co-authored “Knowing Me Knowing Them: Understand Your Parenting Personality by discovering the Enneagram”- an important tool in helping parents better understand themselves, so better understand and relate to their children. Her passion and purpose is to transform the world one family at a time!
Interview Title:
Media v. You: How to Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
Interview Title:
The Lies We Tell Ourselves About Teens Online
Interview Title:
Our Relationship With Technology
Dr. Mary E. Pritchard, PhD, HHC is the founder of the thriving “Awakening the Goddess Within” virtual community, a Body Image Expert, an esteemed blogger at Psychology Today and Huffington Post, and a frequent contributor to Aspire and Bella Mia magazines.
She is also co-author of the international best-selling book Inspiration for a Woman's Soul: Choosing Happiness.
Dr. Mary is passionately dedicated to empowering today’s women in healing their relationships with food, their bodies, and themselves, reconnecting with their Inner Goddess, stepping through their perceived fears, and embracing the truth of who they are.
Victoria's journey in life and business all have one common theme; Designing experiences. From beautifying surroundings with simplistic and upscale interior design, to assisting businesses with her 20 years as a graphic designer/brander to her most personally meaningful endeavor the past 5 years, a life coaching business rightly named, "The Lies I Tell Myself Project".
She guides people through a process that takes the lies and resistance out of life and brings your beautiful truths to light. Victoria is a former designer for Disney, a happy mother of 5, Forbes contributor and life design coach to passionate men and women.
Since 2004 Lori has worked as an Instructional Technologist in Los Angeles, CA. She has a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from San Diego State University and is certified by isafe.org as an Internet Safety Specialist.
In September 2008 Lori founded Cyber Education Consultants and began speaking to students, parents, and educators about Internet safety, security and ethics. Since that time Lori has reached out to Internet users across the world! Her mission is simple- to help bridge the gap between a young generation of digital natives and their parents and teachers.
Today, Cyber Education Consultants provides workshops, professional development and consulting services to more than 100 schools across the country.
Lori is an educator, mother, and Internet safety expert. She has appeared on the "Dr. Phil Show," "Today," "HLN," “Dr. Drew” and several other local news and radio programs (including the Ryan Seacrest show on KIIS FM).
She often lectures live, speaking to parents, teachers and students. Lori has been published in several areas including as an online expert for momlogic.com and kidsinthehouse.org. Most recently was featured in Rachel Simmons’ new edition of “Odd Girl Out” and Lucie Hemmen’s, Ph.D “Parenting a Teen Girl.”
She is currently working with the “I Have a Plan” series to develop a children’s book on online safety. Her insight comes from both her professional and personal life working with children, tweens and teens.
Interview Title:
Body Image and Social Media Don't be Eaten Alive
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Digital Drama and Beyond
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Pressure Proof: 3 Strategies For Helping Your Kids Navigate Peer Issues With Ease
Libby creates coaching programs, online courses, and live workshops that help women love their bodies and relax around food. After struggling with food and body image for most of her life, she finally had enough.
Yes, it’s okay to eat the cupcake and yes, walking can be considered exercise. As a certified eating psychology coach, she helps women ease into self-trust allowing them to develop a positive relationship with food and body.
Her clients describe her as “empowering”, “inspiring”, “life changing”, and often remark that she creates an environment of “trust and vulnerability”. The past 2 years, she has coached hundreds of women in the mind-body nutrition field. You can find information about her upcoming workshops and offerings at www.libbycrow.com
Sheri Gazitt is a community leader when it comes to giving advice to young girls and their parents. She helps parents understand their daughter’s perspective which allows a closer and healthier relationship to emerge. Sheri is committed to keeping up to date on the relevant issues through continued education.
Most recently she trained directly with Rachel Simmons author of Odd Girl Out and attended the only Teen Girl Life Coach training in the US. She credits her three daughters for making her such an extraordinary teen and parent educator. They keep a close eye on her content!
Jill Hope is writer, family empowerment coach, motivational speaker, and founder of I Shine (www.ishinekids.com). Through her work with I Shine and her passion for helping busy moms to bring out the best in themselves and their kids, Jill has designed several unique and innovative programs.
Her programs support parents in building inner confidence, self-esteem, and resilience in their kids, while spreading the message about the power we have to create lives of fulfillment, shine our inner light, and live according to our unique purpose.
Interview Title:
Honoring, Celebrating & Cultivating Your Daughter;s Feminine Power in Today's Culture
Interview Title:
Smartphones and Sexting
Tonia Lewis, LCWC, is helping thousands of amazing women across the globe ignite their God-given power, and feminine brilliance, to BE the healthiest, wealthiest, and happiest version of themselves; so they can create and enjoy RICH, fulfilling lives and businesses that honor what they value and love; in more joy, balance and flow!
A heart-centered, Freedom Fighter by nature, Tonia is a Certified International Success & Empowerment Coach, Entrepreneurial Freedom Strategist, Holistic Transformational Well-Being Expert and Speaker; amidst her most beloved roles of Wife, Mother of 6, ‘Gammy’ of 3, and Homeschooling Momma of 15 years; who has shared the virtual stage with likes of John Assaraf, Joe Dispenza, David Wolfe, and a host of world class industry gurus.
Founder of The Feminine Gold World Summit & The Body Talk World Summit, who has birthed and owned multiple businesses and brands over the last 23 years, Tonia has styled & coached everyone from Grammy nominated, and up & coming artists, professional athletes’ wives, celebrity hairstylists, savvy CEOs & entrepreneurs, media personalities, stay at home mommas, and life lovin’ retirees; and has synthesized her decades of entrepreneurial know-how, years of formal training, and the wealth of wisdom acquired from her own ‘beauty from ashes’ experiences, into life-changing, private & group coaching programs, yummy luxury retreats, custom tailored VIP Days & deep and transformational live immersions that are championing women to claim their heart’s desires and LIVE the ABUNDANT lives they deserve!
Jo Langford is the author of Spare Me the Talk!, the only modern guide to healthy sexuality for boys and their parents. He is also a dad, a Master’s-level therapist and sex educator for tweens, teens and parents, in Seattle, Washington.
Jo uses information, education and humor to help families increase their knowledge and self-confidence as a proactive defense against the unfortunate consequences that sometimes accompany teen, sexual behavior.
Schedule Jo for your next speaking engagement, and learn more about him and his work with youth, parents and professionals to promote healthy, positive and safe sexual and social behavior at his website, Beheroes.net.
Tova Garr is the CEO of From Girls 2 Women a organization dedicated to strengthening the mother - daughter relationship, supporting and mentoring teen girls and helping mothers understand and support their daughters. Tova does this through teaching mothers and daughter to communicate successfully And yes Tova Helps Dad’s as well… Tova runs mother –daughter workshops, workshop and lectures for parents on all issues teen , runs group coaching programs and provides one on one coaching.
Tova has spent over 20 years working with teens and young adults around the world, in Israel, the US, Australia, South Africa, the former soviet union and more. Tova is committed to making sure every girl is raised in a supportive nurturing environment, allowing her to grow up and live her dreams while staying true to who she really is and is meant to be.
Interview Title:
Social Media + Sexuality: 3 Reasons Teen Girls Flirt + Flaunt Online
With Amy Lang’s support parents discover talking to kids about “it” doesn’t have to be scary or overwhelming. Her engaging, humorous and inspiring style shows parents how to turn conversations they dread into something they look forward to and embrace whole-heartedly. Though her business, Birds + Bees + Kids® Amy helps parents of all beliefs have easy, open and effective conversations about sex with their kids.
She is the author of Birds + Bees + YOUR Kids - A Guide To Sharing Your Beliefs About Sexuality, Love and Relationships and Dating Smarts – What Every Teen Needs To Know To Date, Relate Or Wait. Amy has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post Live and Babble.com. Learn more about her work at www.birdsandbeesandkids.com
Interview Title:
Creating Balance with yourself and your daughter through the Earth
Vanessa Tavernetti founded Mother Daughter Gardens to enliven relationships and encourage people to remember their connection to the Earth. For 15 years she has helped hundreds of children and adults do this by being a leader for the School Garden movement and Eco-Literacy in Sonoma County and the San Francisco Bay Area.
She currently assists mothers and their preteen and teenage daughters with their connection and communication through creating gardens at their homes that focus on holistic nutrition, herbal medicines, and natural beauty care. Vanessa feels passionately about people being deeply nourished by creating healthy relationships with ourselves, each other, and the Earth.
Interview Title:
Why Thinking "Not My Kid" is Putting Your Kid at Risk
Kim Estes is the founder of Savvy Parents Safe Kids and the co-founder of MamaCon. Kim has worked with parents for over 12 years, on various parenting topics.
Kim changed her focus to child safety, when a predator’s actions in her community brought to the spotlight the large gap in prevention education for parents on how to help them keep their kids safe. Kim designed a program that help provides parents with non fearful techniques and easy to apply parenting strategies that empower families to be safer.
Kim is a certified prevention educator through the National Security Alliance, the Kid Safe Network, a member of the APSAC, a Darkness 2 Light facilitator and a 2011 graduate of Leadership Eastside.
As a Child Safety Expert, Kim has appeared on local and national TV and Radio shows, helping to raise awareness on the importance of prevention education.
Interview Title:
Teens, Technology and Sex (education)
Mara Yacobi is a leading speaker and specialist in youth development and relationships. Drawing on her skills as a Licensed Social Worker and Certified Sexuality Educator, Mara's mission is to empower parents and young people with the knowledge and skills which are critical for health and developing positive relationships with peers.
As the founder of Askmaranow.com and JLoveandvalues.com, she leads educational workshops and presents motivational speeches to thousands of students in middle schools, high schools, colleges, camps, youth groups, and agencies.
Interview Title:
Teens & Social Media
Dr. Wendy M. O’Connor is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Professional Life Coach with a private practice in Brentwood & Encino California. She has worked in various settings with over seventeen years of experience in the community. While attending graduate school with an emphasis in Infant & Toddler Specialization, and becoming a preschool teacher for over 12 years, she dedicated herself to volunteer work in the community specializing in physical and sexual abuse with children as well as worked with “at risk” teens in the legal system, non-public schools and outpatient clinics. Her work focused on helping teens redirect their anger and create meaningful goals for their future. This important work in the community inspired Dr. O’Connor to participate further in the community by continuing her work for over 15 years at a well-known organization Vista Del Mar Child & Family Services. There she focused on individual, Couples and Family therapy with various emotional issues such as Bipolar Disorder, Self-Injury, Eating Disorders, Depression, Grief & Loss, PTSD, Substance Abuse, Anxiety, ADD, ADHD and Attachment Disorders.
She is an advocate for children struggling with learning disabilities coupled with low self-esteem. Early intervention, working closely with schools and parents and empowering and encouraging teens and young adults to verbalize their needs became an ongoing passion for Dr. Wendy O’Connor. In addition to her work with teens, couples and young adults, Dr. O’Connor works extensively with adult single women seeking love and relationships. Her new book Stay Open focuses on Attachment Style and helping others work towards a more secure, healthy attachment for self and others. Along these lines Dr. O’Connor facilitates The Women’s Empowerment group weekly on the West Side to provide support, empowerment tools and increase secure attachment for women who would like to work on social, emotional and relationship issues.
Interview Title:
How to Avoid Shaming Your Daughter When it Comes to Sexuality
Erin Delaney, professional coach, teacher, writer & speaker, has worked with hundreds of women & teens over the last twenty-five years, guiding them in the areas of self-expression, empowerment and sexual integrity.
With a background in dance & yoga, and a Master’s Degree in the Expressive Arts, she’s worked with children and teens in schools, youth programs and psychiatric hospitals in England, Mexico and across the U.S., and had the special honor of working alongside Mother Teresa in her summer camps for children in the Bronx, New York.
Erin lives in the Bay Area with her husband Dionisio Ceballos, artist & filmmaker, and their teenage daughter Emilia, piano player and baker extraordinaire!
Interview Title:
The Top Strategy to Get Through to Your Teen (Before It's Too Late)!
Leading Latina Expert on Teens, Linda Xochitl Avalos is a proven professional in guiding teens to take action in pursuing their dreams, transform all their personal and professional relationships now and in the future, starting at home.
Challenged by her own experiences struggling with suicidal thoughts as a teen and forced into becoming independent at the young age of 17, she is fiercely committed to empowering young women and men to become confident independent leaders. In the last 10 years, Linda has helped hundreds of women from the ages ranging 14 to 60. She has helped guide them to achieve remarkable success.
She’s been interviewed by Telemundo, Blog Talk Radio show hosts and recently on a radio station in Southern California where she shares her client’s success stories that have changed relationship dynamics for parents and their teens to stop “cutting,” running away, improving up to 2 whole grades in school, being grateful for their life and so much more! Linda’s mission is to invest in the younger generation so that they can leave a legacy themselves that impacts society and the world, for the better. LINDA, Welcome! It’s great to have you here… (smile)