In addition to her role as Clinical Intake Director, Rebecca has been teaching and working with children for over 30 years. Rebecca works closely with Jennifer Kolari and has been dedicated to Connected Parenting since 2007. Drawing from 30 years in the classroom and many years of training in the Connected Parenting method, she supports families in a variety of ways.
Rebecca works with children individually offering a wide range of support from homework and school-based anxiety to social skills and social emotional health, and teaches parents how to implement the Connected Parenting model in their homes. Rebecca uses the Connected Parenting model to empower children and parents to be their best and happiest selves.
Barrett has been working with children and families for over 30 years. He began his career as a Child and Youth Worker where he and Jennifer first met. He has worked integrally with Jennifer on the Connected Parenting approach and has worked with children and families using this approach for many years.
Barrett also enjoyed a long, successful career in Education. His motivation stems from his belief that each child can be successful and a team approach between the family and the school is essential.
Most of his teaching experience centered on Special Education, working with children who are Gifted and children with Behaviour difficulties and Learning Disabilities. He also worked as an Itinerant liaison for the Toronto District School Board, helping teachers to cope and manage their most difficult students. He went on to become a Vice Principal and then an Elementary Principal. As a recently retired Principal, Barrett is focusing all of his experience on Connected Parenting and its clients.
Zoe is a board certified coach specializing in Adult and Paediatric Neurolinguistic Programming, TimeLine Therapy, and Hypnotherapy. Zoe helps facilitate positive change through a combination of NLP, TLT, Hypnotherapy and Connected Parenting techniques to help unlock inner potential and use the power of the brain to facilitate positive shifts within yourself. NLP and Hypnotherapy differ from standard clinical therapy because you are not broken, and don’t need to be fixed. You do need access to resources, resources you already have inside. The magic of change and growth is inside you. Your kids are magic. Zoe helps children access their potential by setting them up with the tools for a happy, healthy and wealthy future.
Zoe is Jennifer Kolari’s eldest daughter. She shares her passion for helping others. Having Jennifer as a mother inspires Zoe to continue the beautiful legacy of compassion and connection all over the world. Zoe specializes in working with kids. Her energy, rapport, and warm smile create an exceptionally welcoming environment. Zoe creates a space to have fun and explore the power of the mind.
In addition to one on one coaching work, Zoe works as a well-loved respite worker to children on the Autism spectrum providing in home support for parents. Zoe has also spent summers working at the beautiful Camp Kirk “Friends of the Learning Disabled.” Zoe has worked with a wide range of children and is sure to be a great fit for yours.
Natalie is a certified coach, educator, best-selling author, and speaker. With a background in psychology, business, and education, she has worked with 1000's of parents, teachers and children world-wide, using a variety of mind-body strategies that help rewire the brain and nervous systems.
With this neuro-biological approach, Natalie gently guides parents to break through generational patterns and bridge the gap between being the parent they’ve always envisioned with the reality of meeting everyday challenges. Working closely with anger, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and conditioned trauma has equipped Natalie to fully support her client’s needs, while building their confidence, even in the toughest parenting moments.
Parents that work with Natalie learn practical, every-day solutions combined with life-long practices, empowering them to be the change they want to see in their family. She helps families build resilience, emotional agility, and a conscious awareness that equips them with the tools to respond instead of react, resulting in a more calm, peaceful, and thriving family dynamic.
Natalie lives in Toronto with her husband, their two super-strong-willed gladiator kids and pup Zeus.
Tricia is a Registered Clinical Social Worker who has extensive experience working with parents, children and youth who may be struggling with an array of life’s challenges both big and small. Directly mentored by Jennifer, Tricia is a trained Connected Parenting Therapist. She is inspired by the effective and practical nature of the Connected Parenting model and has personally witnessed transformations in families that have embraced its core tenets. Tricia has a thoughtful, warm and responsive therapeutic approach. Her aim is always to create a safe environment that empowers clients to unearth their full potential. As a parent herself, Tricia has first-hand experience with the ups and downs of modern parenthood. Raising her two gladiator boys has taught her how integral it is to establish a warm, empathic connection so that a child can feel; seen, heard and understood. She has a passion for supporting parents to find their confidence so that they can establish a greater parent-child connection and be the leader that their kids need.
She lives in Toronto, with her husband, two children and their beloved pup, Humber.
Amanda graduated from Concordia University with a B.A. in Specialization Psychology, with a focus on attachment and child development. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from McGill University and has been working with children and families for nearly 20 years. Through her work at Jewish Family and Child Service of Greater Toronto, Amanda discovered the immense benefits of building connection within family systems to strengthen relationships and increase safety. She is trained in various parenting models and beautifully integrates them with compassionate empathy according to families’ needs. She has observed transformational success for those experiencing challenges with ADHD/ADD, learning disabilities, trauma, mental health diagnoses, emotional regulation and the general and often unspoken strain of parenting. In 2017, Amanda was introduced to the Connected Parenting approach and witnessed indescribable positive change in her own family. With an instant passion to learn more, she is now trained under the mentorship of Jennifer Kolari. Amanda’s own “gladiator” remains her best teacher and Amanda is dedicated to offering Connected Parenting services to help others. Amanda resides North of Toronto with her husband and three children.
Lisa has an Associates Degree in the Arts (American Academy in New York City), an Honours Degree in Psychology form York University. Her experience in pioneering Drama Therapy programmes since 1986 for children with various emotional, social and behavioural needs was the springboard for founding her own ‘Saturdays only’ theatre school in 1987. The Yonge Street Players provides a creative outlet for hundreds of young children and teens in Toronto and was recipient of the YTV Comedy Award. Lisa has been in private practice since 1997 and specializes in children experiencing difficulties from Autism, Aspergers, Selective Mutism, LD & Behaviour therapy. In addition, Lisa facilitates corporate sessions in Improvisation & Creativity through TEAMWORK, a division of the theatre school since 1999.
Ulrica is a passionate educator, counsellor, coach, speaker and workshop facilitator who works with children, families and educators. At Connected Parenting, Ulrica’s warmth and compassion set the stage for parents to feel at ease, gain trust and be motivated to explore new perspectives. Through Ulrica’s coaching, parents will be encouraged to celebrate their successes while embracing the messiness of parenting. (
Ulrica has worked as a Sexual Health Educator facilitating workshops with children, adolescents and parents. She has also enjoyed working as a senior executive in the not-for-profit sector, nurturing complex stakeholder relationships and negotiating inspirational, philanthropic gifts. Ulrica has been trained in the Centred Leadership model and obtained her MEd in Developmental Psychology and Education with a specialization in Mental Health. Trained and mentored by Jennifer Kolari, Ulrica brings valuable skills, knowledge and experience to her work with Connected Parenting. She believes in the Connected Parenting philosophy because it is inclusive and accessible. Ulrica loves that the philosophy is heart-centred while also grounded in brain science, highlighting the brain-heart connection. Parents who work with Ulrica will leave their sessions with confidence, applicable strategies to communicate effectively, and practical solutions to learn, grow and thrive as a family.
Ulrica lives in Toronto with her partner, Dan, and her daughter, Caia.
Andrea is an academic at heart. After she finished her degree in Clinical Psychology at Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala City, she stayed for 8 years as a Professor of Developmental Psychology. At the same time, she worked in her private practice where she gained experience and noticed the lack of psychoeducation in the general public. At this time, she became a mom and experienced how incredibly rewarding but difficult this role is. Because of this discovery, she continued her studies at Ball State University in a distance program and achieved a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology specializing in Child Development. In 2019, she founded Con.ciencia, an organization that fuses psychology, development and education to support and educate anyone who is in contact with children. Her purpose is to help create a more peaceful world, one family at a time. Now, she is part of the Connected Parenting team as a bilingual therapist, hoping to connect with more families around the world.
Andrea es académica de corazón, desde que puso pie en la Universidad Francisco Marroquín en el año 2007 para estudiar Psicología Clínica. Siguió por los siguientes 8 años, ejerciendo como catedrática del curso Psicología del Desarrollo. Paralelamente, ha llevado su práctica privada como Psicóloga Clínica, que la llevó a notar la carencia de psicoeducación que existe en la población en general. En este tiempo, también se convirtió en madre y se dio cuenta lo gratificante y difícil que es este rol. Por esto, decidió enfocarse más en la psicología del desarrollo y educación. Sacó una maestría en Psicología de la Educación, especializándose en Desarrollo Infantil a distancia de Ball State University. En 2019 fundó la empresa CON-CIENCIA con la idea de fusionar los conocimientos de psicología, desarrollo y educación, para brindar apoyo y educación a cualquier persona que trabaje y conviva con niños. Su principal trabajo consiste en asesorar a familias en su desarrollo integral. Su propósito es trabajar por un mundo más pacífico, una familia a la vez. Ahora, se une al equipo de Connected Parenting, como psicóloga bilingüe, logrando conectarse con más familias alrededor del mundo.
Jessie is a certified Parent and Pediatric Practitioner who brings her warm-hearted nature to her practice. It is her mission to empower others through a whole-person approach rooted in neurobiology and science that is built on her extensive knowledge and training. Jessie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Emory University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and a Master’s degree in Integrative Health Studies & Behavior Change from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Her thesis focused on cultivating social-emotional well-being and emotional resilience in children. Jessie has wide-ranging experience working with children from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of needs (learning disabilities, special needs, physical disabilities, gifted, HSP). She has learned the value and importance of the intricate relationship between parent and child, which led her to Connected Parenting. Jessie is directly trained and mentored under Jennifer Kolari. She supports both children and adults helping them to unlock their potential to become the best version of themselves in order to happily and healthily integrate as individuals within their family systems, which also extends to their communities at large. In her work, Jessie provides each of her clients with an individualized toolkit of proven strategies. Jessie was born and raised in Boston, MA and currently lives in Tel Aviv.
Carolyn has been a Social Worker and Family Therapist in the Niagara Region for 12 years and she is now thrilled to be bringing the Connected Parenting Model to Niagara. She has been utilizing this approach for a number of years with many clients and with her own children and has much confidence in how well it works with families. Carolyn has been working at the Family Counselling Centre of Niagara for 10 years and will now be offering Connected Parenting services through her private practice.
She has an extensive background and training in the therapeutic use of Mindfulness and in Narrative Therapy and believes that these theoretical approaches work well within the context of the Connected Parenting Model. She has experience working with children, youth and adults in a variety of different social service agencies and has a special interest in parenting issues and working with children.
Carolyn lives in St. Catharines with her husband and their two young children.
Sonia Cacciacarro R.P. is a dedicated Registered Psychotherapist and Connected Parenting Coach in private practice based in Toronto, Canada. She emphasizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship, establishing safety, trust and connection as the foundation for clients to achieve meaningful success in their therapy practice.
She integrates holistic and conventional therapies, drawing from her extensive experience in supporting others in areas including anxiety disorders, OCD, ADHD, Anorexia, caregiving, death and dying, bereavement and grief.
Her approach is underpinned by a unique blend of professional expertise and personal insight. As both a widow and mother of three, Sonia’s work is grounded in deep empathy and understanding, enriching her ability to connect with and support her clients.
Sonia’s parenting philosophy is attuned to the evolving dynamics of modern society, offering a supportive and adaptive framework that resonates with today’s changing perspectives on parenting. Her dedication to her clients and passion for her work make her a trusted and influential voice in the fields of parenting and psychotherapy.
