Who doesn’t want a closer relationship with their child? Most of us start out very optimistic about the journey ahead of us, but find out sooner or later that parenting is much harder than we thought it was going to be. Or at the very least, we’re not as good at this as we hoped. In over thirty years of working with families we have found that parents truly want close relationships with their kids but struggle to find a practical response to the arguing, yelling, and chaos that is so destructive to the very thing they value most.
Reset Families was developed in the field by a team of professionals who happens to be parents, a grandparent and adoptive parents first. As a team we have the opportunity to learn with parents from all walks of life. We have witnessed the resilience and resourcefulness of parents who have survived challenging beginnings and those who had more privileged beginnings. The common goal most parents share is the desire to become the best caregivers they can be for the kids in their care.
At Reset Families we are guided by these basic beliefs:
- All parents are worthy and capable of greatness in their own families and their communities. Parents have ideas about parenting and expertise on each of their children.
- Parents learn best in an environment where they believe they have something to contribute in addition to having things to learn.
- Leaders in parent education are most effective when engaged in ongoing learning about parenting and cooperate with parents and the materials they use to create a positive learning environment.
The Reset Families approach draws from research and best practices to help parents and caregivers create a family culture that nurtures connection even as we give our kids the redirection and support they need. Reset Families is based on Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports. When applied to the family environment, PBIS takes a proactive approach to establishing behavioral supports and skills while creating a family culture where children are able to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.
Reset Families prepares you to teach your kids the lifelong skills they need to manage their own behavior, to own their mistakes, repair damage done, and move on. The result is a balance between strong relationships and accountability for behavior choices that builds trust and strengthens relationships.
Our Team
Sharon Aller, D.T.L. has had a lifelong commitment to the needs of families. She has spent much of her adult life creating connections between parents and their communities, providing practical tools and creating networks that encourage families on their parenting journey. She served as executive director of a community agency for the past ten years helping vulnerable families navigate behavioral and emotional challenges. She conducts workshops for parents, educators and clinicians. She lives near Blaine, Washington with her husband Warren and shares in the lives of her adult children and grandchildren. She recently completed doctoral work in Transformational Leadership and piloted a Reset Families curriculum for use by schools and a variety of community agencies.
Gregory J. Benner, Ph.D is a Helen and Pat O’Sullivan Endowed Professor, Special Education and Multiple Abilities at the University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa. Dr. Benner specializes in preventive, systemic, and sustainable approaches for meeting the needs of the whole child, particularly those with emotional and behavioral disorders. He has a knack for collective impact—getting whole communities including families, child welfare, mental health, and schools on the same page to meet needs of the whole child. His book entitled Instructional Practices for Students with Behavioral Disorders: Strategies for Reading, Writing, and Math is part of the What Works for Special Needs Learners Series published by Guilford Press. He has a strong track record of sponsored research; serving as Principal Investigator on an Institute of Education Sciences (IES) funded Efficacy Study (R324A07183) from 2007 to 2011 and currently as PI on an IES funded Development and Innovation Study (R324A150059). He is an Associate Editor for Behavioral Disorders and on the editorial review board for the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. He has over 250 presentations and publications that reflect his ability to disseminate research findings and best practices to the field.
Angel Finsrud has spent her life investing in children and families. Though she has a degree in Social Sciences, her greatest teachers have been the children and parents she has walked along side as a foster parent for more than 13 years. As a speaker, trainer, and teacher she is passionate about equipping and inspiring people. Angel lives with her husband Kevin in Bellingham, Washington where life is an adventure with their five children, including three adopted.
