When I was a teenager, I tried stupid stuff to help me with tough issues. At age 13, I had adult mentors who knew exactly what to give a struggling young adult: respect and the autonomy to make their own choices. It wasn’t until my twenties that I discovered the tools to create and meet my own goals. It took even longer to learn how to quell my anxiety, boost my self confidence, and find genuine contentment.

Emulating my mentors, I earned a Master of Education degree and spent 17 years teaching in schools across the country. When I realized that as a life coach for teens, I could support kids without taking attendance and giving tests, I knew I’d found my calling.

While studying adolescent psychology and the evidence-based life coaching approach, I found proof that my mentors were onto something. Research shows that in order for kids to create positive change, they need attentive listening and guidance on developing and meeting their own goals.