Parenting Is Hard
But, you are NOT alone
As caregivers, we can find ourselves drowning...
Amidst feelings of frustration and self-doubt, we often find ourselves sinking, overwhelmed and exhausted. For those of us caring for children with brain-based differences and backgrounds of trauma, loss, abuse, or neglect, this journey can feel even more daunting. Without a conscious and mindful approach, our parenting strategies may foster distance rather than connection. The conventional parenting techniques many of us grew up with can result in conflict and frustration, creating endless power struggles and ultimately leaving us with fractured and distanced relationships with our children.
Hope is on the horizon!
No matter what your relationship with your child(ren) looks like right now, I want you to know THERE IS HOPE! My mission is to meet parents and caregivers in those lonely, turbulent, and deep waters and help them rise towards hope and healing. By using science-based, trust-centered, attachment-focused, and developmentally respectful caregiving strategies, we CAN find hope and healing for ourselves and our children.
Hello! I'm Michelle Ammerman
In 2008, I took the first steps of a journey that would forever change my life: I became a foster parent. That one decision ended up challenging everything I knew about myself and the human experience. Since that time, I have been unwavering in my pursuit to understand what it truly takes to help children and families heal. I have dedicated my career to serving children and families in a variety of roles, including foster parent, child protection caseworker, post-adoption caseworker, parent & professional trainer, and parent coach. While I have served families from all walks of life, I am most passionate about serving vulnerable children and families. This includes those with histories of adoption, trauma, loss, and hardship and those who are living with brain-based differences such as FASD, autism, and ADHD.
On the academic front, I hold a B.A. in sociology from the University of Northern Colorado. Additionally, I have pursued various certifications, including Family Wellness Instructor, Certified Child Protection Caseworker, Trust-Based Relational Intervention Practitioner® (TBRI®), and Jai Certified Parent Coach.
While my professional experiences have played a significant role in shaping me, the most profound insights I have garnered have come from my journey as a parent. I am fortunate to be a biological, adoptive, and step-parent to eight extraordinary children, one of whom is a teenager with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). My children have consistently served as my greatest teachers.
My Approach
Parenting children with brain-based differences can be exceptionally challenging. Many traditional parenting strategies—rooted in punishment, shame, control, or fear—often create relational wounds and fall short of helping children build the skills they truly need to thrive. As parents, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by loneliness, frustration, fear, and even helplessness.
My approach is grounded in meeting you exactly where you are. I walk alongside you, offering co-regulation, practical education, and support in integrating new tools into your daily life. Together, we focus on strengthening connection, building understanding, and creating lasting change that supports both you and your child.
I understand how hard it can be to ask for help—I’ve been there. Reaching out is often the first and most difficult step, but it’s also the beginning of hope and healing for your family. You don’t have to do this alone. When you connect with me, you’ll be met with compassion, respect, and zero judgment. Together, we’ll create a supportive, effective plan to help you move from survival to a place of confidence, connection, and growth.
"It was comforting to know why or how I have come to the place of parenting I was in and that it could be changed and overcome and made better. It was incredibly helpful to analyze it and not just study it academically. I really enjoy the brain science behind all of this."
-Parent Coaching Client
"The most helpful part of the training was knowing that there is hope for struggling children and parents/siblings."
-TBRI® Training Participant
"I am so happy that I am learning new ways to interact with children, learning that I need to use all the engagement strategies, to give them choices, and to compromise. Thank you so much for changing my ways!"
-TBRI® Training Participant
How Coaching Works:
When you schedule a call with me, we’ll sit down together and talk so I can get a sense of what’s going on for you and your family and where I can offer support.
I’ll explain my approach and the options we have for working together. You can ask any questions you have and see what type of support would be the best fit for your life and schedule.
If it feels right to you, we can book our first session and get started. If it’s not a good fit, I will do my best to offer alternative resources or suggestions for support, wherever possible. There’s no pressure of any kind, simply an opportunity to see if we are a good fit to work together.
Let's Connect!
Ready to shift your experience of caregiving to connection, empowerment and healing? Set up a time for us to chat, so that together we can explore the first step on your journey...
