Washington
Briana Bennitt
Parent Educator
Certified Simplicity Parenting Group Leader Coach©
briana@simplicityparenting.com
Seattle / Eastside, WA
www.simplicitylearningcenter.com
425 638 2716
Briana has been leading parenting groups for twelve years including Simplicity Parenting© Information Evenings; Simplicity Parenting discussion and integration groups; “circle of support” meetings for students, teachers and families; and both home and school-based parent-tot playgroups in Redmond and Bellevue, WA. An experienced mother of six children, working mom partnered to an at-home-full-time-parenting-husband, and co-parent with many other community members over the years, she was thrilled to see the emergence of the Simplicity Parenting© movement and to participate in the pilot training program for Group Leaders in Bellevue, WA.
Briana holds a bachelors degree in English Literature, is a former Certified Compensation Professional with WorldatWork, and a former Executive Director and Licensed Child Care Center Program Director at Three Cedars Waldorf School. She enjoys working with parents who value the protection of childhood and mindfulness to each unique stage of the child’s life — and she supports a wide variety of family structures as all co-create shared community, collaborative parenting, deep respect for diversity of belief, and peaceful home life.
Judy Erbe
Parent Educator, Counselor
Simplicity Parenting Group Leader©
judyerbe@comcast.net
Medina, WA
425-890-8996
Judy has been working to help and support parents for 20 years. Her experience includes leading support groups for new moms, working as a parent educator at Bellevue College, and working as a therapist with clients around family and parenting issues. She has a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Seattle University and completed a 2-year certificate program in Infant Mental Health at the University of Washington. She has additional training in child development. She enjoys being the mother of two adult children, a step-mom and grandmother. She believes that the Simplicity Parenting© movement is very timely. She is a staunch advocate of parents being thoughtful about their choices, making sure those choices reflect their values, and working to help their children develop a strong sense of who they are as parents make space in the busyness of their lives for strong family connections.
Vanessa Kohlhaas
Certified Simplicity Parenting Group Leader and Coach©
butterflygarden@gmail.com
Langley, WA, USA
360-221-2270
Vanessa offers support to parents and early childhood programs through adult education, mentoring, site visits, observations, and parenting groups.
Vanessa has worked as an early childhood educator for the past ten years. She has a Master’s in Education, as well as certifications as a public school special education teacher and Waldorf early childhood teacher. In addition to these trainings, she has studied at the Pikler Institute in Budapest, Hungary and Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) in Los Angeles, CA.
Vanessa and her husband have two young boys and are expecting another baby this fall. She has found parenting the most humbling and inspiring path of learning.
Kimberly Lacy, MA
Counselor
Certified Simplicity Parenting Group Leader©
info@simplicitylearningcenter.com
Seattle Area
www.simplicitylearningcenter.com
425 638 2716
For over 20 years, Kimberly has been raising up, caring for, and learning with children, including her two daughters, many children of the co-parents in her Buddhist sangha and Waldorf communities, and her homeschooling students. Her work experience includes four years teaching in the kindergarten and elementary programs at Three Cedars Waldorf School in Bellevue (where she remains a dedicated supporter), and over ten years as a counselor and social worker.
Currently, Kimberly works with Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Behavioral Health in Family Preservation Services where she and her colleagues provide “Strength Based Active Efforts” that are family-centered in the family’s home. Kimberly holds a masters degree in psychology and clinical counseling and is a veteran facilitator of “circle of support” meetings for Waldorf school students, faculty and parents, having trained with Kim John Payne for over six years in the Center for Social Sustainability’s Social Inclusion, Collaborative Counseling, and Simplicity Parenting programs. Kimberly participated in the pilot training program for Simplicity Parenting group leaders in February 2010 and is an advocate for no-blame approaches to conflict resolution, building up every adult’s and child’s listening skills, and keeping the focus on what is truly healthy and beneficial for children according to their ages and stages of development.
Martha Swain
Certified Simplicity Parenting Group Leader and Coach©
martha.swain@hotmail.com
Seattle, WA
206 782 3768
As a parent of a teenager and a teacher of three year-olds, Martha is reminded daily of the importance of routine and keeping life simple. After a satisfying career in social services, being a parent inspired her to a second career as a Waldorf early childhood teacher. She has been at the Seattle Waldorf School since 2002. She loves her work because the children discover the magic of play and share their enthusiasm for life and she finds parents of young children to be open, curious and dedicated to their children’s well-being.
As a coach and group leader, I want to bring the valuable work of Simplicity Parenting© to reach as many people as possible. Please contact Martha for 2011 dates for Simplicity Parenting Groups© and individual coaching.
Jessica Spring Weappa, M.A
Certified Simplicity Parenting Group Leader
MA, Human Development Consultant, Doula©
wholehumandevelopment@gmail.com
Bainbridge Island, WA
612.229.1384
Mindful parent to two kind sons, Jessica looks forward to working with families who seek to nurture the wonderment of childhood and strengthen family connection. Her personal and professional experience inspire her support for traditional and non-traditional families, honoring the unique phases and stages of development throughout the lifespan. Jessica has worked in public and independent school settings as a teacher and faculty administrator. Specializing in Human Development, Jessica has led parenting groups and facilitated community and family meetings for 12 years. These include Social Inclusion meetings with students, adult education events with parents and caregivers, Simplicity Parenting discussion and integration groups, and home visits with families as a doula. Jessica trained and volunteered with Turtle Women Doula Project, a culturally specific program in Minnesota, providing free doula support for American Indian mothers. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Arts and Dance, a master’s degree in Human Development, and having participated in the Waldorf Collaborative Counseling Program, Jessica brings creative richness and a capacity for deep listening to her work. She has been excited to watch the Simplicity Parenting movement grow following her participation in the pilot training program for Group Leaders in 2009