LDS
Parent
Coach

There is help!

The principles and skills presented here are only discussed briefly. The books on the Parenting Resources page are much more thorough. These Parenting Skills are simple, but sometimes tricky to apply. If you need help applying them, or if you have concerns not discussed here, you can get personal help through Parent Coaching.

This site is brought to you as a public service of Tom Dozier and Guaranteed Parent Training. We hope that you find the information here helpful. Helping parents is our mission.

Testimonials

The following testimonials are from individuals with whom Tom provided parent coaching.  With this service, Tom meets with the parents (either in person or by video-chat or phone).  The parents describe their concerns, Tom provides an understanding of the behavior issue including tools to address it, and then they jointly develop a plan to address the issue.  This process is then weekly for large and small behavior issues until all are resolved.  This usually takes 5 to 10 weeks, and the typical result is great improvement in child behavior and  happiness for everyone in the family.

"I had the occassion to use Tom Dozier for a parenting course. Tom had an insight into what our family was experiencing. He was excellent, listenened and adjusted content to our situation. His course is structured, however he is able to quickly adjust on delicate points as encountered. In our case it was finding a way to positively reinforce preferred behavior, and increase the harmony in our household through adjustments based on behavioral science. It worked. We acheived both of these, with sustained results. The one thing I’d really like to point out is the level of engagement - Tom takes into consideration the entire family dynamic. This was very helpful, as the adjustments I made were mirrored by other family members with gradual, and favorable results. I highly recommend him without hesitation.” -Scott H

I am sure that every parent with a struggling teen or adult struggles on how to cope and what to do to help their child. It becomes a daily battle and a wearying one at that.  During such a time as this I was able to connect with Tom Dozier from the comfort of my home; living outside the US, on a regular basis.  He was dependable and available with practical and grounded advice which helped our family to cope with the challenges we were facing with our teen.  He understood where we were and non-judgmentally guided us on which path would be best to follow.  I am very thankful for his online parent coaching program and my only regret is not having discovered the program earlier as I feel it would have made a significant positive impact on our family.
Tomica
Southern Africa

Tom Dozier has been an invaluable resource to us as parents of a rebellious and defiant 14 year old boy. We did not know how to handle depression, anxiety, cutting, threats, alcohol, promiscuity, marijuana, drugs, truancy, flunking out of high school, and juvenile court, but Tom did helped us through it all. It was horrible and we needed lots of help, which typically took the form of a weekly phone call. He would help us stay calm and focus on what we could do, and surprisingly, there is always something. We found ourselves searching for positive ways to interact with our son while he figured out that he was headed in the wrong direction. Should we send him to wilderness or a residential treatment program? Not yet, suggested Tom. Should we kick him out of the house? No, that almost always makes things worse. His experience is extensive and his approach always serves the long-term interests of the child. We tried to hold our son responsible for his actions while at the same time trying to maintain the most positive parent-child relationship possible. It works! Our son is now 17, he is not using marijuana, drugs or alcohol, he is about to graduate from high school, and has been working about 30 hours per week and saving almost all of the money. His turn around is miraculous. We thank God for answering many prayers, Tom for guiding us, and our son for making good choices and working very hard.

We give Tom our highest recommendation. Grateful parents.

     Time outs and punishment based parenting were not working for our strong willed kids, and we needed to find a new way to bring about positive change. As we incorporated Tom Dozier’s creative and innovative techniques, we noticed a huge shift in our family dynamics. With an emphasis on what the children were doing “right” and “ignoring” the annoying and inconsequential behaviors. We gained a new “sense of peace” in our home. One of my favorite sayings of Tom’s is “Ask, Don’t Tell.” A simple question like, “What are you suppose to be doing right now?” has allowed our children the opportunity to do their own thinking and get themselves back on track!
     One of my favorite activities we shared with our kids when they were younger was to have a picnic lunch set up under the dining room table. They thought that was so funny to eat “under” the table, instead of “on top” of the table. Mixing things up a bit is always fun for kids. The “mystery envelopes” were also well received, as after a chore or activity was completed or mastered, they were rewarded with a surprise envelope that had a fun treat, i.e. a trip to the ice-cream store, staying up 1/2 hour later, or having an extra 15 minutes to play on an electronic device. We highly recommend Tom Dozier who has given us many new and practical tools to work with and incorporate into our parenting strategy.
     Linda

     Tom Dozier came to my church to talk about parenting skills. He is an effective communicator offering useful exercises and tips to help frustrated parents. I walked away from his program with many useful strategies and techniques!
Lance Choy, Fremont, CA

     Tom was so helpful to us at a time when we were tearing our hair out because we didn't know how to help our 4 year old son toilet at a new preschool (he had already been toilet trained for 1.5 years and was fine going to the toilet anywhere else). He was having multiple toileting accidents on a daily basis. We tried several strategies for months with no success and then briefly talked with Tom and our problem was solved within 3 days. It felt like a miracle. He uses positive strategies that work.
-Lisa in Pleasanton, CA

     Even after consulting other experts I still could not effectively communicate with my children or get them to behave the way I knew they could. With children split between households it was difficult keeping rules straight and keeping the kids from playing one parent against another. Tom was amazing at helping me to understand how children hear what we say and how to be consistent without nagging. Tom really helped me to turn things around with my kids. One of the most helpful methods was role playing on problems I was having so that he could provide feedback on word choices. It was a huge help to be able to say things so that I could get a more positive response from my kids. I would highly recommend Tom and the amazing services he provides. He was a huge help to me and my family.     - K, Livermore, CA

We met with Tom Dozier for help with our four year old son who was struggling to obey and was being aggressive towards his one year old brother. When my son dropped his brother on purpose causing a small fracture in his little leg, I knew we needed some help. Tom gave us clear practical advice, explaining the realities of what my older son did and didn't need from us as parents. Tom shared tactics with us to use with our son to help him self regulate. We participated in two sessions with Tom plus a follow phone conversation to check our progress. His work with us helped to change our approach to discipline which led to better behavior and no more broken bones.  - A grateful mom

“Sometimes people think that having five kids must mean I have parenting down pat, but it really means having more occasions to realize that I don’t! Fortunately, I happily accept help when I need it, and I have been thrilled to have the support and guidance of Tom Dozier as my parenting coach. Working with Tom over these last several years has genuinely transformed the atmosphere of our home. He listens to where we are stuck and he models the way to positively turn things around. He has taught me, the parent, sound principles by which the whole family runs more smoothly. I now have a tool box of practical skills that I use regularly to help my kids through tough times, help them understand what I expect of them, help me to be able to empathize more effectively and to praise them more appropriately. Even though my kids are all still school age, Tom once reminded me to treat my kids the way I want my grandkids to be treated! That is one tip that will have multi-generational impact. Tom’s approach is warm, compassionate and action oriented and he is available when you need him by phone!”

Claire B – Walnut Creek