BODY POSITIVE PARENTING
Sarah Thunell | Body Liberation-Oriented Parent Coach
Connecting through Play, Liberating Every Body: A Path to More Embodied Parenting
a space that invites wonder without demanding cheerfulness, that honors complexity without collapsing into hopelessness
I'm Sarah, and as your parent coach, I'm here to be your trusty guide through the dense undergrowth of parenthood.
I'm all about creating a nurturing and inclusive environment for families, where every dino, big or small, is respected and celebrated. So, let's venture forth into the jungle of parenting, armed with compassion, understanding, and maybe a few toy dinosaurs for good measure.
What I Offer
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4-Session Package: $500 (a $100 savings)
This package includes four personalized video coaching sessions tailored to your parenting needs. Each session is 1 hour long and designed to address a wide range of topics for parents or caregivers of children from newborn to preteen. You can use the sessions at your own pace, with no expiration date, allowing you to schedule them as needed to best support you.
Single Session: $150
If you prefer to start with a single session, I offer one-time consultations designed to provide immediate support and insights into specific parenting concerns. While this option provides flexibility, I encourage viewing coaching as a collaborative process rather than a quick fix. The ongoing relationship and continuous support are key to making meaningful progress.
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Flexible Scheduling: I understand that parenting can be unpredictable, which is why I offer flexible scheduling options. Whether you need a session once a week or once a month, we'll work together to find a schedule that fits your needs.
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Support Between Sessions: While I maintain boundaries to ensure the effectiveness of our coaching sessions, it's important to me that our coaching relationship supports your real life, communication, and learning preferences.
"At our request, Sarah has developed a few "mini-workshops" for my husband and I, so we have also gotten to know her in her capacity as an educator and parenting consultant. The workshops have covered some of the regular growing pains of toddlerhood, such as separation anxiety and picky eating. My husband and I are both college professors, so we know good teaching. We've loved being Sarah's "students." She's keenly intelligent and infinitely patient, and has deep expertise in her field. She is always reading a new book on early childhood education, child development, or caregiving. Having such extensive knowledge and experience means she has a variety of tools and ideas ready to mind, and can recommend approaches that honor our family's unique dynamic. In short, she meets parents where they are."
WHAT IS PARENT COACHING?
It’s a collaborative space where we work together to understand what’s going on in your family and what matters most to you.
Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or just unsure how to handle a particular stage, I bring tools, insight, and compassion to help you move forward — in ways that feel true to your values and your child’s unique needs.
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Parent coaching might be right for you if:
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You want to stop yelling but don’t know what else to do.
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Your child’s big emotions leave you feeling helpless (or triggered).​
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​You're constantly negotiating between your child's needs and your own— and it’s wearing you down.
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You’re navigating a transition like a new sibling, preschool, or developmental leap.
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You’re overwhelmed by the stuff — managing your child’s belongings, clutter, or the endless to-dos and paperwork of modern parenting.
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You’re weary of the moral panic around food and bodies — and just want to raise kids without passing on that stress.
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You’re ready to try something new — but not alone.
CERTIFIED
Positive Discipline
PARENT
EDUCATOR
ACCESSIBILITY
Cost
I understand that the cost of coaching services can be a barrier for some. Please reach out if the listed options are not within your budget. I will be transparent about the factors that contribute to this pricing, including my own energy and capacity needs. I appreciate feedback from the parenting community about how I can better serve you with this platform.
Access needs related to the presence of the child during the session
As part of the intake process, we can discuss and make a plan for situations where the child needs to be present during coaching sessions. By addressing this upfront, we can ensure that our sessions remain productive and meaningful, even when unexpected circumstances arise. Your comfort and accessibility are important to me, and I'm dedicated to finding solutions that work for you and your family.
Paperwork Fatigue
I understand that paperwork can be daunting. As part of my commitment to accessibility, I offer assistance with my intake process.
I don't assign "homework" unless you've communicated the capacity or need for it and expressed interest in a particular growth area.
Session time can be used for parenting admin whenever helpful. Whether you need a body double to tackle the paperwork pile, a cheerleader while you schedule the dentist, or a sounding board as you navigate school forms and systems — I’m here for it. Sometimes the “work” of parenting is this behind-the-scenes stuff, and we can do it together.
Body Positive Values
When I say Body Positive Parenting, I’m rooted in fat liberation — not diet culture in disguise. This is a space that actively resists anti-fatness, healthism, and shame-based narratives. That said, parent coaching doesn’t have to be about body size at all. We can talk about screen time, transitions, parental burnout — or whatever is most pressing for your family.
Approach to Inclusion
Inclusion is a practice. It means recognizing that parenting support often centers white, thin, nondisabled, neurotypical, and economically secure families — and actively working against that.
It means:
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Welcoming fat parents and kids without pathologizing their bodies
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Making space for disabled families, sensory needs, and shifting capacities
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Affirming queer, trans, and nontraditional family structures
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Acknowledging how racism, ableism, and poverty shape parenting stress
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Understanding that asking for help doesn’t always feel safe — and honoring that
And — because I live at the intersection of disability, super fatness, neurodivergence, trauma, and caregiving myself — I also acknowledge the pressure that can come with trying to do this work “right.” I can’t promise I’ll get everything perfect, but I’m committed to making this a space that invites feedback, values boundaries, and supports your family’s wholeness — without requiring my self-sacrifice.
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You don’t have to prove you belong here. If you're tired, tangled, unsure, or just want parenting to feel more possible — that’s more than enough.
Parents® Magazine online
Featuring Sarah Thunell of Body Positive Parenting!