Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Darlene Davis Goodwine. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Darlene, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Parents Zone was birthed from my personal experience of being overwhelmed in my role as a parent of a young Black boy. As an intentional parent, I have always leaned into my role as a parent. I approached parenting from the combined lens of a therapist, youth mental health advocate, child development expert, and a parent that decided to create a childhood experience that built on my upbringing and integrated my education and experience. So as a parent with all of this training and knowledge (child development, psychology) who looked for resources in the community and found none, I decided to begin this advocacy, support, and outreach journey. I sought to create a non-judgmental and affirming space for parents who needed help finding new ways to approach parenting. Over the years, I found that all settings (schools, community programs, institutions, hospitals, courts, DCBS) agreed that parents needed the support generally and specifically as it related to emotional wellness and behavioral health. I found myself shifting between a service approach (providing individual coaching) to an outreach/programmatic approach (networking with systems, providing consultation services). This past year, I have taken on the challenge of advocacy work on the state/political stage to promote awareness and understanding of “parent culture” and the importance of advocating for the engagement and support of parents and caregivers. When schools and program are designing programs and outreach projects, I ask them to consider “parenting culture”. To improve community emotional wellness and behavioral health support for families, direct engagement with parent/caregivers is imperative. Success flows through the path of parent coaching, creating a parent/caregiver support community, advocating for the specific needs of parents/caregivers in schools, hospitals, and community and state agencies.

Darlene , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Dr. Darlene M. Davis Goodwine

I am a clinical psychologist by profession and a parenting coach by passion. I founded Parents Zone, a parent coaching program providing support to parents and caregivers through outreach and community engagement events in Michigan, Ohio, and growing into Kentucky.

I promote a Compassionate Parenting style, helping parents/caregivers find effective responses to parenting challenges (e.g., emotional, behavioral, discipline) and daily parenting hassles with compassion, sensitivity and love. As parents/caregivers incorporate Compassionate Parenting practices into their daily experiences, there is a natural relief from parenting guilt, self-judgment, and stress.

Services: parent/caregiver coaching (TOPICS: academic support, behavioral health, emotional wellness), focus groups, support groups, advocacy (TOPICS: child abuse/neglect prevention, parent/caregiver mental health, behavioral health for youth, self-care & wellness)

The Parents Zone motto is “Parenting is about PRACTICE not PERFECTION.”

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

The most helpful tools for success in the parent/caregiver space are compassion, authenticity, networking, and connection. Compassion allows for the checks and balances of personal biases, using self-awareness to notice when personal values overtake the primary goal of this work (engagement and support). Authenticity allows for the checks and balances of mistrust when entering communities accessing parent/caregiver support services, allowing for truth and relatability to guide your presence in communities that value connection. Networking allows for prevention of burnout since there is so much work to be done in the strengthening families arena. Connection provides the checks and balance of reciprocity in service delivery, allowing for the focus to be reciprocity in the work of service.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My pivot story is very new, just this past year. Having started this business five years ago, my immediate approach was to mirror this business similar to a mental health practice. However, I’ve since realized how important relationships and partnerships are in the parent support service realm. For that reason, I paused on pushing for a caseload/recruiting clients and shifted towards networking and connecting with state and community agencies that align with my mission of parent advocacy, support, and engagement. As a result, I have acquired new skills and knowledge (advocacy, community psychology and engagement practices, federal/stage agency infrastructure) that inform how I approach program development for parents and caregivers supports and services.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.parentszonellc.com
• Instagram: @pzparentadvocacy
• Facebook: Darlene Davis Goodwine/Parents Zone, LLC
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darlene-m-davis-goodwine/