What Changes When We Work Together?
Change is inevitable, and often uncomfortable—especially when it involves your relationship with your teen or young adult.
When parents come to me, they're often feeling stuck: caught between wanting to support their child and knowing they need to step back, unsure whether what's happening is "normal" or concerning, and exhausted by the patterns that keep repeating, and repeating, and repeating…
Here's what shifts:
**You'll feel more confident in your decisions.**
Instead of second-guessing every boundary or conversation, you'll have clarity on when to scaffold support, when to nudge, and when to let go— based on your child's developmental stage and your family's values.
**Communication improves**
We will focus on reducing the family’s reactivity, building emotional awareness for everyone, and creating space for difficult conversations that bring you closer rather than push you apart.
**You'll understand the developmental context.**
With my background in clinical psychology and adolescent research, I can help you see what's typical, what's concerning, and what's just part of growing up in today's complex world.
**Connection can be rebuilt.**
Even after distance, conflict, or rupture, intentional work can restore your relationship. I've seen it happen— both in my professional work and with my own kids.
**You won't be alone in this.**
Whether your child is exploring new identities, navigating neurodiversity, transitioning out of residential care, launching to college, or simply pulling away, you'll have a grounded partner who's been there both professionally and personally.
How we’ll work
Change is inevitable, and often uncomfortable.
I started Hello Changes with the goal of helping my coaching clients navigate the uncertainties and uncomfortable challenges the inevitable changes of life bring.
As a coach, I leverage over ten years of working therapeutically with families in agencies assisting with family crisis and conflict, divorce and separation, adolescents with struggles that have included residential supports, transition to college and adulting, mental health difficulties, aging parents and more. I have a doctoral education in clinical psychology with a focus on the impact of traumatic experiences.
When setting change-oriented coaching goals with my clients, I will work with you to consider:
Your Relationships - How are you staying connected and communicating about the emotional impact of the change process.
Your Environment - How are you holding in mind the multiple spheres of influence involved with the change process.
Your Agency - Are we working effectively toward you making the change you want.
Your Self-care - Change is hard, adapting, being flexible, and being able to think clearly require self commitment.
For young people, figuring out who you are and what is important to you, can shift a lot, and might be different from your parents. The path to college, or work, or a gap year can present many choices to work through and the pressure can be immense. At the same time you might also be navigating your social relationships, who are also going their own changes. As a not-your-parent adult in your corner, we can work together to set goals that set the steps to a path for you take where you want to go.
Who I am
My family has been in California since the Gold Rush. I grew up on the beaches of Southern California and moved to San Francisco to study Rhetoric at Cal, (I chose the BART commute from the Mission where I found my SF heart). In my move to Northern California I found endless places for curiosity, outdoor invigoration on hiking trails, cycling routes, plenty of water to play in, culture to enjoy, and delicious food to savor.
I have neurodiverse family members who have taught me the values of perseverance, compassion, patience. I learned what love really was the day I held my first child. Wow, talk about changes… The experiences raising three wonderful humans has taught me more than any books ever can, and I am fortunate to have the books help me better understand why the bumps were hard, and how the healing happens. I had a thriving artisan soup business until I realized from life experiences I wanted to learn how to contribute to healthful system change and pivoted to pursue my doctorate to do so. All of the above informs the work I do and how I show up. Most of all it informs my meaningful desire to stay grounded knowing where and who I come from, where I have chosen to be, and how I have learned and continue to learn about who I am and want to be.
Susan Carroll
Founder
Contact
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly. I can’t wait to hear from you!