~ Bailey Shawley, M.Ed, CCTS-F, Parenting and Educational Consultant
Did you know that some people approach a puzzle by matching piece colors instead of by finding all of the edge pieces and putting together the outside first? I don’t know how they do it, but they do it. I definitely am a find the outside edges, make the perimeter, and fill in from there puzzle person. It’s neat, tidy, and organized.
And that’s how I tried to approach life. Get degrees and certifications, get hired to do the job that matched those qualifications, build a life around work, and keep doing the thing that was neat, tidy, and organized. The problem was, the neat and tidy thing wasn’t doing it for me. Teaching became too burdensome when my students and I had to focus on standardized tests instead of on learning how to read and write and love it. The bureaucracy ruined the joy of it for us all.
So, I made a small break in the perimeter of my puzzle and did the thing that made the most sense, the thing that was the neatest and tidiest. I kept reading and writing – this time as a blogger and as a freelance writer. I loved it, and one of my very first posts went viral. I was doing my favorite two things while working from home and raising my two favorite little men. And then new taxes and insurance costs made it financially unfeasible to continue. And I was devastated because I loved my work, especially because the bulk of my writing involved parenting, education, and mental health.
I went back to the puzzle and broke apart the perimeter a little more and did the next thing that made the most sense in an effort to keep it all neat and tidy: I became a mental health and drug and alcohol counselor. I educated people on coping skills and substance abuse and mental health, and I helped them do the most difficult work of their lives. Then, when the opportunity to move to a school-based mental health counselor position became available, I jumped at it. I had missed working with kids and wanted to guide them through stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma to improve their lives. And again, I loved my job. I worked with kids, tweens, and teens and helped them implement healthy coping skills, improve their self-care, strengthen their communication skills, and heal their trauma. I jumped again when I was offered the chance to direct the school-based program, as I wanted to solidify our team, align our philosophies and approaches, implement evidence-based practices, and provide quality care for our clients. And once again, I loved my job. But then agency goals changed, I was spread too thinly, and I could not involve parents as much as I had hoped to effect change for families because there just wasn’t enough time or enough of me to go around.
That’s when I decided to do one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I took the puzzle apart and threw all the pieces in a pile and started at square one. I started developing my own parenting and educational consulting business – the first of its kind in our area – and jumped into the pile of scattered pieces feet first. And for the first time in my life, I am loving putting the pieces together as I grab them instead of worrying about making it as neat and tidy as possible from Day 1. I picked an office theme and color that were not my style but that felt right. I picked decor that I never would have in my own home and loved it. I started listening to healing music and focused on self-care instead of caring for everyone else – and about what everyone else would think or say. And that led to Reiki, which has changed my life in the best ways possible and made me realize it’s not how you approach the puzzle but how you continue working to put it together that matters the most.
“… it’s not how you approach the puzzle but how you continue working to put it together that matters the most.”
And so, it is with great pride, that I introduce B Connecting, LLC to you. I’ve taken my degrees in English literature and education; my lived experience as a teacher, instructional coach, mother, counselor, and director; my certifications in teaching, trauma-informed practices, trauma healing, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral intervention for trauma, and Reiki healing; and the expertise I gained through research and writing, and put it all into a small business designed to support and educate clients, and to hold them accountable for reaching the goals they set for themselves.
- I provide parenting and educational consulting services for individuals ages five and up, families, and parents/foster parents/ guardians/caregivers, and I utilize evidence-based and trauma-informed practices. Consulting sessions are available in-person and online.
- I consult on goal setting, burn-out, emotional regulation, trauma, communication, routines, co-parenting, foster parenting, healthy conflict resolution, appropriate expectations and consequences, self-esteem, challenging behaviors, and social, educational, emotional challenges, and other topics.
- All consultations are confidential and judgment-free.
- I proudly provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ clients.
- I provide half-hour chakra readings for adults, in person only.
- I practice half-hour and full-hour Reiki healing sessions for individuals ages five and up, in person only.
- Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the session.
- I maintain all clearances and remain a Mandated Reporter.
- I am fully insured.
If you’re ready to see how I put all of the pieces together at B Connecting, LLC, reach out to schedule a consultation, chakra reading, or Reiki healing session. I have limited evening and weekend times available as well.
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B Connecting, LLC 