I help kids and teens understand and manage their emotions, learn how to communicate effectively with others, and show up in the world as their authentic selves.
I help parents rediscover and heal their inner child so that they can lead their families from a place of strength and confidence. I work alongside parents to help them build an unbreakable bond between them and their kids, through helping them understand the healing power of connection.
For as long as I can remember, I was either around or working with kids. I grew up the second of seven children and helped raise my younger siblings. It didn’t surprise me that I began tutoring in my early teens and became a kindergarten teacher in my early 20s. I’ve always known my purpose was to work with youth. I feel my most authentic self when I’m around kids.
Becoming a mom brought with it so much joy but also a lot of confusion and questions. Like most new parents, I doubted my skills even though I had years of experience and knowledge looking after kids. As my kids grew older, I realized they were triggering unhealed parts of me that I could no longer ignore. This became even more evident when I remarried and became a stepmom. I knew something needed to change.
A big part of my story is that I am a survivor of the cult I was born and raised in: The Children of God. Having left in my teens, I had been living in a state of survival for many years. I was unaware how my past was still informing my present, showing up in my relationships with my family and friends.
I saw how my past hurt was leaking out onto people who had never injured me: my children. I made a decision that I would break the cycle so my kids would be free to grow into their potential, without the burden of trauma that wasn’t theirs.
What started out as a personal healing journey slowly morphed into my mission: bringing awareness, understanding, and skills to other parents who were looking to heal themselves and their families. I’m also passionate about bringing this awareness and these skills to kids and teens, our leaders of tomorrow, and our next generation of parents.
As part of my personal growth journey, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to study counseling, child psychology, neurolinguistic programming, cognitive behavioral therapy, youth mental health first aid, youth suicide prevention, and kids, teen, and adult life coaching.
Part of what makes me an effective coach is that I’m always learning new tools, skills, and practices to incorporate in my work. I believe that youth mental health and psychology is an ever expanding field of knowledge.
Being a parent and stepparent also provides me with ample opportunity to practice what I learn with my own family. My kids and stepkids, as well as my clients, are my greatest teachers.
Leila Schott
