No parent starts out

knowing exactly what to do.

We step into parenting with love, hope, and a deep desire to get it right—yet so many of us quietly wonder if we’re failing. That pressure is even heavier for adoptive and foster parents, who are often navigating trauma, attachment challenges, and complex behaviors without a clear roadmap.

Most of us parent the way we were parented. For many, that means relying on authoritarian approaches rooted in control, compliance, and “because I said so.” When those strategies don’t work—or make things worse—we’re left feeling confused, frustrated, and ashamed. Instead of cooperation, we find ourselves stuck in constant power struggles. Instead of connection, our relationships with our children feel strained or distant.

What makes this even harder is that these patterns aren’t random. They’re generational. When we don’t have the tools or support to unpack our own childhood experiences, stress responses, and beliefs about parenting, we unintentionally repeat the same cycles we promised ourselves we’d never recreate. Even with the best intentions, those unresolved patterns show up in our reactions, our tone, and our expectations.

The result? Parents who feel overwhelmed and disconnected, and children who feel misunderstood or unsafe. It’s exhausting, discouraging, and lonely—and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent. It means you were never taught a different way.

It’s Never Too Late to
Turn Things Around

No matter what your relationship with your child looks like right now, there is hope.

When a child has experienced trauma, it can feel hard to believe that anything will truly make a difference—especially when you’ve already tried so much.

Most parents begin with good intentions and big plans for the kind of parent they want to be. Then real life takes over. Stress, exhaustion, and daily pressures can quickly push those ideals aside, leaving you feeling stuck, discouraged, or in survival mode.

Struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means you don’t have the right tools yet. There is another way forward, and meaningful change is still possible.

Hi! I’m Melissa Morrison

I became a parenting coach because I am committed to giving parents the tools they need to help them in their own journey, so that others don’t have to struggle the way I did trying to find help and support.

I don’t just have professional training, I have, and am, living the foster parent and parent journey. As a single foster mom, I quickly learned that love and good intentions weren’t enough to support my children.

I am parenting kids with complex histories, big emotions, and deep needs—and I didn’t yet have the tools to respond in ways that built trust and safety.

I wanted something different, something better for my family. I wanted a relationship with my children based on connection, understanding, and mutual respect, not fear or control.

I was also determined to break patterns from my own upbringing and become the parent my children needed—especially in the hardest moments for them and me.

Through my own journey, I discovered how possible it is to create meaningful, respectful relationships with children, even when things feel overwhelming. That realization changed my parenting and my family and shaped the work I do today.

All children deserve to be guided and loved by the best version of the adults in their lives. I also know that most parents want to be calm, confident, and connected with their kids—but often feel unsure how to get there or repair it if you don’t succeed on the first try.

My work helps parents reimagine and rebuild their relationships with their children, especially teens, so home can become a place of trust, and emotional safety. You don’t need to be perfect—you just need support, practical tools, and compassion for both your child and yourself.

How It Works: