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Is Hard Conversations, Handled Well: Aging Parents Edition, right for you?
– Every time I try to talk to my parents about the future, it turns tense. I’m walking on eggshells, afraid I’ll say the wrong thing and damage the trust we’ve built. But ignoring the risks they’re facing at home feels just as painful.
– I lie awake at night imagining them falling or forgetting something crucial—and yet, when I bring it up, they get quiet or change the subject. I feel stuck between deep love and total helplessness.
– I want them to feel safe and supported, but the moment I suggest any change—like hearing aids or grab bars—it’s like I’m attacking their independence. The resistance hurts, and I don’t understand it.
– I’m terrified of overstepping, but also terrified of doing nothing. I don’t know what help they truly need, and I don’t want to wait until a crisis forces us into decisions we’re not ready for.
I’m Tami,
I’ve heard stories like this many times—heartfelt and heartbreaking. If these words resonate with you, know you’re not alone. I’m here to help you navigate these conversations with communication that connects.
How I Help
With over a decade of experience using motivational interviewing—a highly effective, evidence-based communication tool—I help families navigate difficult transitions, from “We need to talk” to meaningful decisions.
My background spans 15+ years in senior living, corporate leadership, and communication coaching, giving me a unique lens to support you as you navigate senior living options and have conversations about change. Let’s get you and your parents aligned on what matters most—without pressure, shame, or guilt.
Why I do this work
In 2011, I learned something that changed how I see every hard conversation.
I was working with a senior living company that wanted to help older adults make values-based decisions about where and how they’d live next. That’s where I found Motivational Interviewing — and I fell in love with it.
Not because it was a sales technique. Because it was altruistic. It didn’t push people toward a decision. It helped them find their own.
I still think about one couple. They weren’t fighting with each other — they had a disagreement about next steps. He wanted to move. She didn’t. Nothing moved until we sat down together and worked through a simple values exercise.
Partway through, he turned to her and said: “It is my duty to take care of you. That’s why I want to talk about this.”
They had been married for decades. They had never said that to each other.
That’s the moment I understood what this work actually is. It’s not persuasion. It’s giving people a way to hear themselves — and each other — so they can build a life that’s genuinely values-aligned. Not a life they’re pushed into. A life they choose.
Work with me
1
Hard Conversations, Handled Well: Aging Parents Edition
A 5-week program for adult daughters who are ready to talk with an aging parent about change, without it turning into a fight. Get 5 weeks of tools and practice to enter the conversation with confidence.
2
Consulting/custom support
Here to help families and organizations learn Motivational Interviewing skills to better connect, communicate and discuss change.
3
Speaking
I speak to senior living organizations, care teams, and community groups about connection over control — helping rooms full of people see “resistance” for what it actually is, and how to work with it instead of around it.
5 Star Reviews
Invaluable Skills and Ignited Commitment
Tami’s approach goes beyond communication tactics; it’s about becoming compassionate guides through change. Her passion and authenticity shine through in every aspect of her work, reshaping the way we approach caregiving and aging. Tami has not only equipped me with invaluable skills but have also ignited a commitment to empathy and continuous learning.
“… All About Teaching Human Connection …”
Most training is about numbers and analytics, but this one was about teaching Human Connection.
One curious conversation can change the entire direction of a relationship. You don't need all the answers before you start. You just have to start.
Hard conversations about aging and life transitions don’t have to push you apart—they can become catalysts for deeper connection, honest reflection, and stronger relationships.
Let’s get you the tools to speak with clarity, listen with compassion, and show up as the advocate you truly want to be.