Part of my life’s path has been to foster my child’s autonomy, creativity, and learning while guiding her, using a non-authoritarian perspective. 

This page is all for you, parents!

This is deeply transformative work that required me (as the parent) to educate myself on the repercussions of authoritarian parenting, to experience the essence of who my child is, to foster ways of connection that shifted us from power-over dynamics, to mutual respect and care.

It turns out, there are rich, somewhat uncharted alternatives to mainstream parenting that bring profound closeness to the parent-child relationship.

Some call it collaborative, non-coercive, decolonized, or low-demand, and by whatever name it is, this non-authoritarian parenting philosophy has become a template, a north star, that has helped many parents find deeper, more easeful, and playful connection with their children.

I hope you find these supports just as life changing.

A mom and daughter are hugging and smiling, with eyes closed, outdoors on a sunny day.

1:1 Parent-Mentor Session

My half-hour phone mentor sessions are for parents who are interested in diving into the non-coercive philosophy and who need input on their stuck places.  

  • These sessions are oriented toward changing from a control-oriented approach to a collaborative/non-authoritarian approach with your kid(s).  

    You can be anywhere along the spectrum of interest in this.  And, even if you are already implementing non-coercive parenting, I am happy to help you dig into wherever you are stuck. 

    These mentor sessions are ideal for people who need input on their stuck places, and are ready to do their own deep work as a parent. These sessions are not intended to offer “tactics” or “behavioral advice” for your child.

  • Each session is a 30 minute phone call.

    I will listen to your issue and offer insight and mentorship based on my experience with non-coercive, collaborative, and playful parenting.

  • Sessions are $99 USD for a half hour session. Once you sign up for a time, I will email you payment information. I use Venmo and PayPal. 

    For low income and/or BIPOC individuals, I am keeping a weekly session open at a reduced rate.

    Please email me at rythea@crocker.com to coordinate rate and scheduling information.

  • I have been a trauma therapist for 28 years and am a parent to a thirteen-year-old daughter who was homeschooled most of her life (now she’s in school!) I was mentored by Vivek Patel in non-coercive parenting intensively for two years and have implemented that approach for about seven years with my daughter. I have been inspired by the work of many people, including Dayna Martin, Akilah Richards, and Yolanda Williams. 

    I am not an expert with autism or ADHD. I have some knowledge about neurodiversity but am still in a deep learning process with it.

    I have been divorced since my daughter was 2 1/2 and currently live with my new partner and daughter. We parent together with a non-coercive approach.

Resources for Parents

I’ve collected a list of resources that I value for my own development towards a non-coercive parenting philosophy.

  • My main non-coercive mentor.

  • An attachment-based and trauma-informed approach to parenting which does not use either punishments or rewards, based on the work of Aletha Solter, Ph.D.

    I find this best for parents with small children.

    Explore the website.

  • Hosted by Akilah Richards, this is oriented towards unschooling but has a ton of non-coercive thinking. Listen here.

  • Somatic Educator and body-based healer.

  • Family and relationship therapist and non-coercive parenting advocate.

  • Hosted by myself and Cara Tedstone, YKDS discusses cultivating closeness with your kids through non-coercive, conscious parenting. Listen here.

  • Here you will find long and short videos exploring many topics in the realm of non-coercive, collaborative parenting. Watch here.

Support Groups for Parents

— coming soon