Community Highlights: Meet Sara Whaley of Joyful Toddler Parenting

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Whaley.

Hi Sara, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I have spent my career working with families as a developmental therapist and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). I’ve always enjoyed working with children but once I became a mom, I knew I wanted to save my energy for my own children.

At the same time, I kept seeing a recurring theme with the moms of my clients: burnout, guilt, lack of self-care, and marital stress. And those things were increasing the behavior issues of my clients and decreasing parents’ capacity to implement effective strategies.

I am now the mom of two toddlers and have found so much joy in motherhood. While my behavioral background helps tremendously, what really makes the difference is parenting without constant mom guilt and burnout. I knew I wanted to help moms. Because by helping moms, I’m able to help the whole family. And that is my ultimate goal.

But I knew I couldn’t do it within the confines of my certification as a behavior analyst.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest obstacle was my board certification. Our ethics and insurance standards require us to treat only the client. What I realized was that behaviors went so far beyond just what I was seeing with my clients. So much went back to parenting and to the issues that most affected moms: guilt and burnout. And that was something I couldn’t address as a BCBA.

I worked so hard for my title as a BCBA and worried about what colleagues would think. I worried that I would discredit myself without that certification. So I’m still officially a BCBA but I now practice only as a parent coach.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve combined my 15+ years of behavior therapy experience as a developmental therapist and Board Certified Behavior Analyst and my own experience as a mother of 2 toddlers to offer to coach for parents of toddlers.

While I educate parents on behavioral strategies, my work now goes way beyond that. I focus on helping parents address their own behavior. I help them understand why their self-care time doesn’t recharge them. I help partners talk through their parenting values and get on the same page.

I help moms learn how guilt is getting in the way of their parenting in line with their values. And I help parents find more joy in the rollercoaster stage of toddler life.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Coaching is a popular and growing industry right now. As with any industry, there are great professionals and not as great so it’s definitely important to do your research on anyone you choose to work with

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @joyfultoddlerparenting
• Facebook: Facebook.com/joyfultoddlerparenting