Live Accompanied

Healing Families Through Compassionate Connection

Welcome to Accompanied

We're dedicated to empowering parents, caregivers, and mental health professionals with the tools and practices needed to boost the well-being of both ourselves and our loved ones through:

Bridging the Gap with Research and Compassion

Today's youth are the canaries in the coal mine. Children, teenagers, and young adults are suffering. In the US, 1 in 6 kids aged 6-17 experiences a major depressive episode each year, and suicide has become the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-14.

These distress signals are warning signs of a deeper crisis of connection. People are increasingly disconnected from themselves and each other. We've shifted from "we" to "me," where individual needs, wants, and desires precede the collective.

Using Love as the Solution

Love is the remedy. If we can learn to love better and be loved, not just as individuals, but as a community, we have the medicine for which our bodies, minds, and hearts are wired. Humans are biologically designed for connection; we long to be deeply seen with love and acceptance.

The strongest taproot of love lies within parents and caregivers for their children. By nurturing this love, tending to ourselves, and learning to open our sometimes traumatized hearts within a supportive community, we possess a powerful tool to change the tide of the current despair epidemic.

Addressing a Crisis of Connection

Accompanied merges the latest research, timeless contemplative wisdom, and the power of human connections to tackle the disconnection crisis affecting families and our broader community. We offer classes, workshops, retreats, and speaking engagements to help families enhance mental resilience and emotional well-being.

What is Accompanied?

Learn to live accompanied, and shift from surviving to thriving.

  • Offerings

    Courses and workshops to enhance the well-being of you and your loved ones.

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  • Events

    Events and retreats that guide you to flourishing.

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Nahal

“I would recommend Accompanied to every parent interested in improving the relationship with their kids.”

Kiki

“Investing this time in myself resulted in becoming a better partner, parent, friend, and, at the end of the day, a better human being.”

Our Story

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

“Pooh,” he whispered.

“Yes, Piglet?”

“Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw,

“I just wanted to be sure of  you.”-

-AA Milne

In 2015, while serving as the Director of Counseling and Learning Support for a middle and high school system, I was invited by an organization called Call to Care to bring my team on a retreat. During this retreat, I met John Makransky, a Boston College professor in Religious Studies and the founder of Sustainable Compassion Meditation. John’s work with Sustainable Compassion Meditation profoundly impacted me, awakening a deep sense of abiding love and realizing I was loved. This experience went beyond my lifelong meditation practice, revealing the "me" underneath the stories and trauma.

Completely committed, I immediately enrolled in the yearlong training led by Makransky.

Eager to share this transformative work, I initiated a small practice group at my school after completing the training. Initially, the parents were strangers, but quickly they formed a tight bond. When the class was over they asked if we could continue meeting, everyone had found salve and comfort in being together, learning to deepen in care and compassion, and felt safe to show up authentically.

I began adding more classes. And they quickly filled. Clearly, there was a need I was filling. 

Parents said things like:

"This has changed my life."
"I realize I’m not alone."
"I am finally able to open up."

Recognizing the magic of community, they urged me to make these classes available to a wider audience. Before expanding, I wanted to incorporate concrete skills for caregivers dealing with challenges in parenting. Around this time, I discovered Dr. Adele Lafrance and her emotion-focused family therapy (EFFT), which was the perfect addition to creating a genuinely useful program for parents.

Training a select group of parents from the original cohort as facilitators, we birthed what we then called "Parent Care" – a 10-week social-emotional curriculum that combines relational science, contemplative practices, and practical skills for caregivers all within the safety of community. This year, we have changed the name to Accompanied for Caregivers, but the heart and soul of our original curriculum are the same. In changing our name, we hope to widen our umbrella of services and the populations we serve in the future.

Leadership

  • Dr. Kelly Moore, PhD, LISCW

    FOUNDER AND FAMILY THERAPIST

    I have dedicated over 35 years to the field of adolescent and family mental health. As the Director of Counseling and Learning Support, I crafted social-emotional curricula for grades 5-12, established a comprehensive parent education program, and developed a well-being curriculum for faculty and staff. My passion lies in working with parents, as I've witnessed firsthand that enhancing the well-being of parents and caretakers is the most impactful way to support children and teens. I developed Accompanied to provide parents, caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals the tools, practices, and information needed to support youth and improve their well-being.

  • Julie Jiang

    DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS and FACILITATOR

    My journey with Dr. Moore began at EPS, where Accompanied was being offered. Facing challenges with one of my kids, I joined Accompanied seeking solutions. Unlike other programs, Accompanied focuses on "ME" first, offering a unique perspective on parent-child relationships. It emphasizes establishing a grounded self before connecting with kids and developing effective parenting techniques. I'm absorbed in its wisdom till today. Now a proud facilitator, I hope more parents embrace this transformative approach. Accompanied isn't just about parenting; it's a way of living, teaching valuable life lessons beyond traditional methods.

Our Facilitators

  • Image of facilitator Stephanie Brown

    Stephanie Brown

    FACILITATOR

    I am dedicated to supporting youth and families' mental well-being. With a background in applied mathematics, I value data-driven approaches, but my true passion stems from aiding children facing mental health challenges.

    Practicing Accompanied techniques for a decade, I've witnessed its transformative impact on my kids and relationships. As a facilitator, my contemplative practice allows a mindful "pause" between events and reactions, fostering self-resourcefulness. What sets me apart is building a supportive community around Accompanied. I believe in vulnerability, connection, and the importance of creating communities across cultures.

    For self-resourcefulness, parenting tools, and a supportive community, trust me as your Accompanied guide—grounded, committed, ready to transform your parenting journey. Join us for a life-changing experience.

  • Jo Denney

    FACILITATOR

    As an Accompanied facilitator, my passion for improving the mental health of parents and children has been a guiding force in my career. Too many parents feel overwhelmed and show up for their kids from a reactive place rather than one of intention and connection. This is exactly how I felt when I found Accompanied for Parents nearly a decade ago, and from the course, I learned how much more I can hold within myself and for others and I now enjoy paying forward these learnings to other parents. In my downtime, I enjoy movement and all moments of connection and laughter with my friends and loved ones.

  • Francine Dunnigan

    FACILITATOR

    Accompanied for Caregivers has taken my relational skills to the next level.  I am more conscious of my own emotions and disposition especially when I interact with others.  I am better able to understand their experiences and validate their emotions and perspectives while still holding my own experience.  It has helped me grow into a better parent to my 3 kids and has improved my relationship with my spouse. I am also a non-profit fundraiser, working predominately with schools. I love to spend time outdoors in our wet and wild Pacific Northwest.

  • Shairose Gulamami

    FACILITATOR

    Inspired to enhance my parenting journey, I joined Accompanied, seeking a supportive community amid shared parenting challenges. Stories and wisdom from fellow parents transformed my self-criticism into compassion. Accompanied emphasizes self-care, recognizing that optimal parenting stems from valuing personal well-being. It promotes responsiveness to children's cues, fostering flexibility and positive parent-child relationships. I stay committed and motivated by love, responsibility, and belief in my children's potential. A supportive parent community provides the strength and resilience needed for occasional bumps. My deepest nourishment comes from the emotional connection with my children and the shared experiences within my support systems. As a certificated coach, I value the work we do in accompanied as it fosters generative and emphatic listening, welcoming diverse viewpoints and being authentic and vulnerable to share.

  • Etsuko Haring

    FACILITATOR

    Etsuko has worked in product design, community development, and health coaching. She believes that personal growth and self awareness are the first steps toward external social transformation. Working with Parent Care was a natural fit that further enriched her knowledge of emotion regulation techniques and the practice of relationality. Learning effective techniques for stress management within the family is an essential skill in today's world. As a participant and facilitator, Etsuko is excited to share and explore emotional wellbeing through the contemplative practices and modern psychology as taught by Dr. Kelly Moore.

  • Bonnie McDanieL

    FACILITATOR

    I'm a parent coach, and educator an the mom of three young adults.   Accompanied for Parents helped me understand myself in a deeper way which has profoundly shifted how I'm able to show up for my kids.   It gives me great joy to support parents on their own unique journeys.    I am an avid reader, and I enjoy gardening, painting and having adventures with my family and my dog, Scout.

  • Photo of Polina Mokshina

    Polina Mokshina

    FACILITATOR

    Since my late teens, I delved into personal development, voraciously reading books to be a "better version of myself." When I became a parent, I eagerly embraced parenting books, seeking advice from external experts. However, the constant changes and conflicting tips left me feeling I had failed. In 2017, a shift occurred when I joined Dr. Kelly Moore's early Accompanied programs. It wasn't about failure; instead, I explored internal barriers to parenting from a loving place. I discovered I was the right parent for my kids, and the best expert resided within me. Accompanied fostered a supportive community, transforming my worldview. Now a facilitator, I believe parents need support, not more advice. Dr. Moore's approach changed how I navigate challenges, emphasizing self-connection and shared experiences. What keeps me going? My innate curiosity and awe for life's expressions, fueled by the support of my husband and two sons. I’m nourished by deep conversations, nature walks, and piano improvisation. My guiding wisdom is: "What we pay attention to grows."

  • Jacki von Allmen

    FACILITATOR

    Welcome to Accompanied! I initially was drawn by Accompanied's promise to expand my support network in raising my family. Accompanied doesn't aim to fix children but uplifts the entire family through genuine communication, care, and compassion. Supported by research, it equips you with practical tools for the present and future. Community and support are vital to me, and Accompanied provides a nurturing space where my authentic experience is embraced. Applying these skills, I foster similar environments elsewhere. Embracing the mantra "Mine is not the only way," I strive to listen with an open heart, finding awe in the diversity and commonality of our experiences.

  • Shuang Hou

    FACILITATOR

    I joined Accompanied for Caregivers when my family moved from Beijing to Seattle. With my kids entering high school and middle school, I sought ways to support them and connect during their teenage years.

    Parent CARE's focus on receiving care, combining mind, body, and heart, and fostering self-exploration in a group setting sets it apart. Transformative and supportive, the community inspired me. Joining the facilitator group was rewarding, and I've learned from others. I’m grateful for my children pushing me to be a better parent, I embrace life's unpredictability.