Adolescents today navigate a complex web of social pressures, biological changes, academic demands, and family expectations.
These factors can lead to feelings of inadequacy, increasing the risk of unhealthy behaviors like substance abuse, risky sexual activities, disengagement from school, and even criminal behavior. Left unaddressed, these behaviors often result in long-term challenges, including unemployment, poverty, and poor health outcomes.
Research highlights the importance of interventions that enhance adolescents' self-efficacy and resilience, such as the MI-via-CALC model. By emphasizing connection, self-discovery, and goal-setting, these interventions empower adolescents to move away from at-risk behaviors and embrace a more fulfilling life.
The ACORN Approach:
A Solution-Based Intervention
At its core, The ACORN Approach is a collaborative motivational intervention designed to unlock adolescents' potential. Grounded in positive psychology, it shifts the focus from fixing past issues to fostering growth and fulfillment. This approach emphasizes:
Connection and honest communication between adolescents and caring adults.
Proactive support that nurtures adolescents’ natural creativity and resourcefulness.
Practical strategies that replace advising and moralizing with collaborative exploration.
The ACORN approach aligns with a student-centric paradigm, emphasizing open dialogue and supporting adolescent autonomy
The ACORN Approach emphasizes open dialogue that aligns with the adolescent desire for autonomy, ensuring that students feel empowered to lead their journey while being supported by adults. (This approach was informed by Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior.)
A: Active Dialogue
Engage in meaningful conversations where the student's ideas, feelings, and goals take center stage. The adult's role is to listen actively, ask empowering questions, and facilitate exploration rather than direct the process. Adults affirm the student's unique voice, acknowledging their aspirations, concerns, and individuality without judgment. This step emphasizes creating a safe space where students feel heard and valued.
C: Co-Creation
Foster a partnership where the student and adult collaboratively design steps forward. Avoid the traditional "expert" role and instead create a shared space for brainstorming and decision-making, honoring the student's lead. This collaboration respects the student's autonomy while providing guidance and resources tailored to their needs.
O: Open Framework
Establish a flexible and adaptable alliance that accommodates the student's evolving needs, preferences, and goals. The framework should feel mutually empowering and affirm the student's autonomy in shaping their path. Adults present a spectrum of opportunities and facilitate exploration, empowering the student to make informed decisions that align with their personal values and aspirations.
R: Reflect and Reassess
Adults and students engage in reflective conversations, inviting the student to evaluate their progress, reassess their goals, and adjust their plans as needed, ensuring the approach remains adaptable and student-driven. Uphold the student's autonomy, potential, and perspective. Provide constructive feedback and support while ensuring their voice remains the driving force behind decisions and actions.
N: Nurture Inner Potential
Acknowledge that the student is naturally creative, resourceful, and whole. The best solutions often emerge when the student is encouraged to explore their intrinsic strengths and capabilities with supportive guidance. Adults nurture the student's growth by supporting their decision-making process, fostering self-efficacy, and celebrating their achievements. The focus is on guiding the student to take ownership of their journey.
Why Hire Me?
I’ve always been fascinated by the intersection of people and potential.
Over time, I’ve had the privilege of coaching leaders in global pharmaceutical and scientific organizations, helping them to step into their power, inspire their teams, and create meaningful change. It’s deeply rewarding to watch my clients transform—whether it’s becoming more confident in high-stakes meetings, communicating with clarity, or leading their teams with greater emotional intelligence.
My path to coaching started with a passion for understanding how people grow
I earned my PhD in Applied Health Science, focusing on Positive Psychology and Motivational Interventions, and Master of Science in Education with a concentration on motivation and learning styles. This combination of graduate degrees has given me a unique ability to blend the rigor of science with practical, real-world strategies. Along the way, I’ve authored peer-reviewed research, developed coaching curricula, and earned accreditations as a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). I also completed a rigorous 15 course program on Leadership and Executive Coaching.
What drives me is the opportunity to help leaders uncover what’s holding them back
Whether it’s imposter syndrome, personal saboteurs, a lack of visibility, executive presence, struggles with balancing pressure and poise, or additional blockades. I recently coached an executive client who felt stuck in her career, convinced she was doing everything right but still being overlooked for promotions. Through our work, she reframed her thinking about self-promotion, seeing it not as bragging but as a way to build authentic relationships. That mindset shift, combined with actionable strategies, led to positive behavior change resulting in a promotion to a senior leadership role; consequently, she’s making a bigger impact than she ever thought possible.
I also help leaders create more cohesive teams, generating space where collaboration flourishes and innovation thrives
One of my clients, a leader at a major pharmaceutical company, learned to embrace diverse perspectives and guide his team toward alignment. The result? A team culture of open communication, creative problem-solving, and shared success.
The thread through all my work is the belief that leadership isn’t just about driving results; it’s about growth—personal and professional. It’s about showing up as your best self, inspiring others, and navigating challenges with grace.
I’ve had the honor of working with many leaders and executives
from Bluebird Bio, Boston Scientific, Brigham and Women’s, Dana Farber, Harvard Medical, MD Anderson, Ochsner Hospital Systems, Renown, Salesforce, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, and Tableau, among others.
Each client’s journey is unique, and my goal is always the same: to provide the tools, strategies, and support they need to grow into the leader they aspire to be.
If my story resonates with you, I’d love to hear yours. Let’s explore how we can make your goals a reality.
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"This is a wonderful approach that I can’t wait to practice on my students. It’s humanistic, person centered and I believe it will help me as I coach the youth in my school."
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"Thank you for the fabulous workshop, knowledge, tools and insight! I heard the words co-active coaching, alliance, interactive coaching, saboteur. I hope that you will do a workshop at each school in my board so others can learn how to practice this approach and students and staff can benefit!"
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"Is it possible to do a workshop at my school? Teachers, administrators, and student support need this! It has great framework and modelling and I loved every minute of it!"
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"Inspiring discussion, hitting the nail on the head and providing us with strategies and practical tools to take back with us. I want more!"
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"When we “coach” our students using your approach we can help them with the stress and anxiety that they have over all of their responsibilities - and it will help us with ours too! These tools and learnings are a win-win for everyone!"
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"Excellent! Interesting! Very informative! I really like the “co” part - that we work together. We need this!!! Your workshops need to come to my board."
Guidance Counselor
WHAT CLIENTS SAY
"I enjoyed the Acorn approach presentation, and the practical tools that we practiced with you, and I am so hopeful in the application of these strategies that this will make such a positive difference when I apply them to counselling. Thank you!!!"
Guidance Counselor
The ACORN Approach Workshop for Educators: Empowering Adolescents through Positive Behavior Change
My workshops provide educators with the tools to inspire self-discovery and positive change in adolescents. Through informative, hands-on sessions and follow-up consultations, participants learn practical strategies to refine their approach to coaching and mentoring adolescents. The ACORN Approach enriches existing practices by offering a fresh perspective on guiding youth toward growth and resilience.
The Role of Guidance Counsellors
Guidance counsellors play a vital role in addressing adolescents’ needs for respect, support, and understanding; however, they face significant challenges in motivating youth immersed in social media stress, self-doubt, and external pressures. Adolescents often avoid goal-setting, grapple with low self-efficacy, and experience anxiety or depression, further distancing them from personal growth.
The ACORN Approach equips counsellors with a collaborative and motivational framework to address these challenges. It fosters positive behavior change by creating a supportive, strength-based environment where adolescents can thrive.
The ACORN Approach integrates Motivational Interviewing and Co-Active Life Coaching (MI-via-CALC), drawing from Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and Azjen’s Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behaviour. These foundational theories provide a robust framework, while clinical research affirms the efficacy of MI-via-CALC in fostering meaningful, positive behavior change.
Why Choose the ACORN Approach?
Educational leaders and guidance counselors seeking to make a meaningful impact on adolescents’ lives will find The ACORN Approach transformative. The methodology builds on proven motivational strategies, offering actionable insights and tools for creating robust connections and fostering positive behavior change.
Workshops are designed to equip participants with the skills needed to influence adolescents’ lives positively, helping them navigate challenges and develop into confident, successful individuals.
For educators ready to make a difference, The ACORN Approach is an invitation to empower youth and transform lives.