I'm a bridge builder. I build bridges that are sustainable through life's toughest storms. These bridges have a sturdy foundation and anchors to support enduring relationships. Today, parents and adolescents need such bridges more than ever, as they navigate a world that feels divided and unyielding. I teach and facilitate the tools for building these bridges—tools grounded in healing, communication, and connection.

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The Power of TAO
The Adolescent Opportunity—TAO—is the perfect name for what I do. Adolescence is a transformative time, often marked by emotional upheaval and family discord. But what if this seemingly chaotic stage is actually a hidden opportunity for growth and connection? I believe it is. The acronym TAO emerged naturally, and it couldn’t be more fitting.

Martha Beck uses TAO to represent Transparency, Authenticity, and Openness—values that align with everything I teach. The Tao, in its traditional sense, is the Way—the natural path of life that is understood through lived experience. It’s about non-dualism, embracing the whole, and seeing beyond binary thinking. When we adopt this lens, we begin to see and love one another through a contemplative mind and heart.

Water, often used to symbolize Tao, also reflects our emotional lives. Just as water flows, our emotions must be understood and channeled mindfully. Yin and yang, core Taoist concepts, teach us that all things contain both light and shadow—complementary forces that enrich our understanding of self and others. Moving from either/or to both/and is the cognitive shift we need to thrive in relationships and community.

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Why Dialogue Matters
The skills I teach are deeply aligned with Dr. Daniel Siegel’s framework for adolescent brain development. His four key needs are:

• Emotional Spark

• Social Engagement

• Novelty

• Creative Exploration

My coaching provides all of these. Adolescents find this work invigorating—it gives them a "banquet" for their brains. It also helps parents restructure old patterns and expand into healthier, more conscious ways of being. Emotional Spark is rekindled through new relational tools. Social Engagement is strengthened through empathy and connection. Novelty is introduced by learning new communication skills. Creative Exploration comes alive as adolescents challenge old norms and build new pathways.

The result is often leadership—teens stepping into roles of influence among peers, with greater compassion and resilience. They stop feeling like victims of miscommunication and start leading dialogues that reflect emotional intelligence and empathy.

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The Tools

• The Ladder of Inference: Helps identify faulty assumptions that derail communication.

• Sales & Customer Service Tools: Intentional communication strategies that foster connection and reduce conflict.

• Empathy and Anger Tools: Empower emotional regulation and meaningful connection.

• The Second Look: Encourages a non-judgmental lens that respects the dignity and humanity of others.

These tools aren’t abstract—they’re transformative. They help families break reactive cycles, reclaim connection, and discover their True Selves.

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The Bounce and the Infinity Loop
Adolescents are searching for transcendence, often through fame or risky behaviors. But the True Self is already extraordinary—it just needs space to emerge. Through Connection, Awareness, and Inquiry, we can create new brain pathways, forming life-giving habits that replace old, limiting ones. That’s the Bounce. And The Infinity Loop is the flow of ongoing development—spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and relational—that makes life abundant and fulfilling.

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For Parents with Adolescents
I often reflect on what I needed most as a teen: an Older Krista. Someone to guide, understand, and reflect back my value. That unmet need fuels my passion today.

The wisdom parents hold can get lost in translation—often because of emotional history or relational wounds. My job is to build the bridge so that wisdom can be received, and relationships restored.

I've coached thousands—first in the corporate world and now in family systems. My approach to communication and leadership development is rooted in Connection, Awareness, and Inquiry. It’s mindfulness in action. Sometimes a teen needs to hear a truth from someone else for it to click—that's okay. Together, we make a powerful team.

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I offer a free, one-hour consultation to explore how we can work together to bring transformation, healing, and true connection to your family.

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