About Parent Trainers
Meet the team behind Parent Trainers and learn the philosophy guiding our work with families.
Our Approach
Parent Trainers Mission
Our mission as parent trainers is to improve families’ lives by empowering parents.
Our core philosophy is that to get results, parents must be trained.
After a decade of serving families nationwide, we put our parent-intensive training into comprehensive videos that equip parents and caregivers with the skills they need to support their loved ones before, during, and after a mental health crisis. With these trainings, alongside a supportive community and trainers, you will finally have the tools, skills, and support to create the change you want. No more guessing. No more reading another book only to find yourself frustrated in the moment, again. We will train you in an action-oriented way to apply a process with your family.
Robert’s hope is to serve individuals and families that are struggling and to teach the skills he has gathered over a long career to anyone who is ready to learn. He believes that the family system is the key to long term success to support the whole family during crisis and mental health challenges.
With a Masters in Counseling and extensive experience in treatment programs over his career Robert has one of the most extensive backgrounds in training staff and now parents to better understand and work with their kids.
With over 20 years of experience in group facilitation, rites of passage, experiential therapy and treatment practices, Robert uses his depth of knowledge in these areas create trainings that challenge parents to see beyond their own limitations of belief and to foster new ideas in their lives and within their families and communities. He utilizes his study of metaphor, experiential practices, life skills and therapeutic programing to influence and work with people’s belief systems to create a supportive environment so they can choose to grow and change.
Paul brings a wealth of experience to each family having worked in therapeutic treatment settings for over eleven years. As a Professional Life Coach in private practice, Family Wellness Counselor and Master Wilderness Field Guide in Wilderness Therapy, a Counselor with a Home Transitions program, Mentor and Clinical Staff in Aftercare Settings; Paul continues to work passionately to support individuals and families on their path of healing and personal growth.
Having worked extensively in various treatment settings, Paul offers as a trainer the teachings and skills that he has gathered throughout his career. He supports families in finding the balance within relationships, responsibilities, and a settled home environment through collaboration with clients. This includes developing individualized plans and supporting structure that honors each family member.
Paul brings a unique perspective to this work having gone through his own journey of growth and self-discovery. Having had the experience of placing a family member in wilderness therapy and then integrating her into his home to provide post treatment stabilization and structure, Paul understands and can also relate to the family perspective in his work.
With a desire to help others find their path of health and belonging, Mary pursued a career in counseling and coaching, where she has supported adolescents, young adults, and their families in a variety of settings. She earned a Master’s of Science in Counselor Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and has since traveled west, where she has supported others in both wilderness settings and residential programs. She passionately integrates alternative and creative training approaches unique to the needs of the individual or family.
Throughout her career, Mary has worked as a primary therapist, family therapist, and parent coach. Her work with young adults and adolescents covers issues ranging from substance use, attachment issues, depression and anxiety, troubled relationships, and grief and loss. She values working with the family system, providing support and guidance so that families can experience more effective and healthy communication and connection.
Her straightforward training approach focuses on authenticity, accountability, and action. With compassion and support, Mary creates space for deep reflection and meaningful growth.
Mary believes that everyone is capable of growth and success in life, and her hope is for others to experience that belief in themselves. Her work empowers families to explore meaningful alternatives to past patterns, thoughts, and behaviors. Through this work, they cultivate healthy relationships, communication, and life skills for the future.
Kyle brings over 20 years of experience and a never ending curiosity for growth to EHI. Starting his journey as a Wilderness Therapy Field Guide, he quickly discovered his passion for helping others. It wasn’t long before he worked his way up the ranks and became a Lead Clinical Therapist at one of the country’s most respected treatment programs. His years in the field filled him with a sense of authenticity and rooted his practice in the power of transformational processes. Fire, water, wind, rites of passages and true connections were all in his tool kit. These are all resources that are still fundamental for him now.From here his path took a turn. He left the residential setting and his focus shifted to serving the communities where he lived. It was through these years that his therapeutic capacity grew and his understanding of how to support a wide range of people blossomed. He worked in the frontlines of low-income homes to Native American reservations schools, from hospitals to boardrooms. Over these years his ability to truly understand and connect deepened.
Eventually, this evolved into a private practice that focused on supporting those going through major adjustments and transitions. His desire to be the expert waned and a real sense of curiosity about others took its place. Now he sits humbly, open hearted, wanting to help create a world where those who are suffering can find peace and ultimately connection. You’ll quickly discover that he values approaching his clients with a sense of respect, open-mindedness and desire for co-facilitation within the process. Helping others remember and develop their own expertise is a gift of his and one that has been carefully crafted.
As a husband and parent himself he also understands that life can be messy and imperfect. Out of all his years of clinical training these roles are the ones he pulls from the most. Yes some days getting his kids out of bed is hard too and no they don’t always eat their veggies either. He comes to this work knowing that he doesn’t always have the answers but he does have perspective and maybe a couple tricks up his sleeve.
Monica began her career in mental health as a Master Wilderness Therapy Field Guide in Utah and Colorado. Monica spent 7 years in the field working with teenagers guiding them through the therapeutic process of self-discovery and learning new skills to manage mental health issues and family stressors. She then spent an additional 2years working in residential programs for adults with PTSD.
Monica graduated from New Mexico Highland University with a MSW in Clinical Concentration, and received her Integrative Health Coaching certification from Duke University.
Monica’s passion is bringing her life experience, Wilderness Therapy skills, clinical knowledge, and mindfulness together to support people connecting to their wholeness, self-compassion, and authenticity. She coaches with this gift by supporting parents in finding new ways to engage in parenting in a compassionate and authentic way while being honest about areas of growth.
Monica has been practicing mindfulness for 15 years and is currently receiving training on teaching mindfulness to others. Experience has shown her that as people become more self-aware of their own states of mind and being, the more capable they are for showing up and being centered when holding space for loved ones who are struggling with anxiety, depression, autism, substance abuse, and life stressors.
With parents who were both Marriage and Family therapists, Penney began learning the ways of a therapist early in life. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and then went on to earn her master’s degree in counseling psychology from Adams State University. She is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor.
Penney began her psychotherapy career a number of years ago as a wilderness therapy field guide in Utah. In this work, she witnessed the beauty of the way mother nature brings issues to light. Prior to joining the 360 Transitions team, Penney worked at Open Sky Wilderness program where she continues to provide Family Therapy. Penney also has worked extensively in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, exploring the power of working with a horse as a co-therapist. Equine therapy and wilderness therapy showed her the way that experiential therapies can access the right brain and thus lead to lasting changes.
Early in her career, Penney also worked with adults who had severe and persistent mental illnesses. In this work, she assisted individuals in regaining their independence and managing their illnesses on their own after treatment – much like what she does with her 360 Transitions clients. She also worked in a Therapeutic Foster Care system as well, through which she gained an understanding of adoption and attachment issues that often go together.
Penney’s strengths as a Mentor at 360 Transitions lie in establishing a trusting relationship with the families and individuals that she works with. This enables her to help them see where some of their patterns interfere with their values and relationships. As a mother, she knows what it is like to get stuck in negative patterns with her own children and move beyond these patterns into a healthier relationship.
Penney has been a long-time show boarder and when she’s not working, she loves to spend time with her family up in the mountains. Animals are also very important to her and are part of the family. She enjoys traveling to places off the beaten path and traveling the world, as well.
Over 40 years of experience serving families
The Parent Trainers team came together after years of witnessing both the transformation and ongoing struggles of the families they served. While young people often left treatment feeling healthy, motivated, and ready to take on life, many would struggle again upon returning home to the same family system dynamics.
One day a parent asked Rob, “How do you do it? Can you train me to do what you do?” Parent Trainers was born out of a realization that for true transformation to last, parents need guidance and support in taking new, intentional actions. Real change happens when the whole family grows together.
At Parent Trainers, we believe that everyone is capable of growth and success in life. Our work empowers families to break old patterns, explore new ways of relating, and build stronger communication and life skills. Through training and coaching, parents cultivate the confidence and clarity to support lasting change for themselves and their children.