About Me
This sh*t is hard
Let’s be honest—nothing about parenting is linear. There is no manual to reach for when the plan goes sideways. I had a very nice plan and then — PLOT TWIST — I found myself parenting through an unexpected international move with an infant, a global pandemic, major career curveballs, a series of serious family illnesses, and many deep personal reckonings. I looked, but could not find a pause button. On the outside, I seemed fine, but inside, I was drowning and my family was taking the toll.
Sound familiar?
“STOP YELLING AT ME!”
Despite consuming stacks of parenting books and endless podcast episodes, I was stuck in a cycle of yelling and guilt. I didn’t have a model for another way of parenting. My parents did the best with what they had, but it’s not like their parents were gentle or compassionate. I know they loved me, but I did not want to raise my kids using fear, threats, punishment, and yelling like how I was raised.
But guess what? When you are dysregulated and just trying to survive, you reach for whatever you have.
I was dying for something better: connected, intentional, peaceful, meaningful. That’s what led me to parent coaching.
Enjoy the wild ride of parenting
Our family story is full of pivots, meltdowns (theirs and mine), detours, and drama. Parent coaching helped me find the pause button. Slowly, I replaced reactivity with regulation, yelling with connecting, threats with play. My coach helped me turn parenting theories into practices, experience healing insights about how I was raised, and provided support along the way.
Now, I apply my professional learning and facilitation skills, education in family psychology, and training as a certified parent coach to help other parents and caregivers. I started Good Roots to help you stabilize yourself with deep roots so you can weather the parenting journey and enjoy the ride.
The Greenhouse
A parent coaching group for women.
Meet Tara
“ Hi, I’m Tara—a certified parent coach, international development professional, and mom of two fierce, funny girls. I have a Master’s in Sustainable International Development and a Bachelor’s in Family Psychology and am pursuing a Master’s in Social Work to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.
My coaching style reflects my experience. I have designed and led global programs rooted in collaboration, learning, and social impact. Throughout it all, I’ve remained committed to human-centered, equity-driven approaches to change.
I blend training with real-life experience—from burnout as a working mom to the transformative journey of breaking generational cycles in parenting. I bring curiosity, compassion, and a belief that growth is always possible. I offer a whole-person approach to parenting support—one that meets you where you are and helps you grow deep, strong roots for the life you want to build.
I know firsthand how hard parenting can feel—I’ve yelled, bribed, threatened bedtime, and sat in that defeated place of “this isn’t how I want to do this.” This is a judgment-free space. Coaching helped me shift, and now I help others build the strong, grounded roots they need to thrive.
Parent coaching with me is about transformation through practice. I am here to walk you through the literature and science, provide supportive exercises and questions, keep you accountable to practicing the values-aligned parenting you desire, and help you build a foundation for lasting personal growth.”
A plant lady with 90+ houseplants and a thriving little urban garden.
Mother to two elementary age daughters, who self-identify as the sporty one and the artist.
Though usually in pajamas by 7:30 pm, I still love a dinner party that lingers way too late into the night and going out dancing to a loud, sweaty, live music show.
I get centered by walking my poodle Nori, swimming in the ocean, or finding strength and stillness in yoga.
“Where are you from?” is complicated. I grew up outside of Oklahoma City, my adult home is in Boston, and I then moved to Lebanon and Jordan while working in international development. Now I’m in the Washington, D.C., area, based in Arlington, VA.
Coffee must be black and HOT. There is rarely an exception.