EPISODE · Feb 15, 2026 · 26 MIN
The Parent Ecosystem: A Foundation for Your Child's Mental Health
from What Great Teachers Know That All Parents Can Use · host Peyten Williams, Bowbend Consulting
In this episode, we're joined by educator, author, and consultant Lori Cohen to explore a topic that is foundational to a child's well-being: the power of a parent's well-being. Drawing on her extensive experience as a teacher and her work with educators, Lori uses the metaphor of an "ecosystem" to help us understand schools—and how the adults (educators and families/caregivers) are a crucial part of their child's emotional landscape. Lori will share practical, proactive strategies parents can use to create well-being, from simple mindset shifts to everyday habits. This conversation is an essential guide for any parent who wants to be a strong, steady anchor for their child and create a healthy ecosystem at home.Lori Cohen has worked in education for over 25 years, serving as a teacher, instructional coach, site leader, professional development facilitator, and published author. While working in schools, she developed a Teaching Fellows program for new teachers, in-house professional development tailored to the needs of the staff, built instructional coaching programs, and served as the Dean of Faculty where she oversaw the overhaul of teacher growth and evaluation. She also supported new teachers across the state of California as they developed their skills as early-career educators. Lori has also served on independent school boards and served as board chair.In 2019, Lori began working as an independent consultant and has worked with clients all over the globe. She has worked with the Eastern Education Resource Collaborative (East Ed) and as the Developer of People and Programs for Bright Morning Consulting. She is a contributing author of The Art of Coaching Workbook (2020), co-author (with Elena Aguilar) of The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (2022), and co-author (with Elizabeth Denevi) of Integrating Educator Well-Being, Growth, and Evaluation: Four Foundations for Leaders (2025). She is currently working on a book on transformative lesson planning, due out in 2026.
What this episode covers
In this episode, we're joined by educator, author, and consultant Lori Cohen to explore a topic that is foundational to a child's well-being: the power of a parent's well-being. Drawing on her extensive experience as a teacher and her work with educators, Lori uses the metaphor of an "ecosystem" to help us understand schools—and how the adults (educators and families/caregivers) are a crucial part of their child's emotional landscape. Lori will share practical, proactive strategies parents can use to create well-being, from simple mindset shifts to everyday habits. This conversation is an essential guide for any parent who wants to be a strong, steady anchor for their child and create a healthy ecosystem at home.Lori Cohen has worked in education for over 25 years, serving as a teacher, instructional coach, site leader, professional development facilitator, and published author. While working in schools, she developed a Teaching Fellows program for new teachers, in-house professional development tailored to the needs of the staff, built instructional coaching programs, and served as the Dean of Faculty where she oversaw the overhaul of teacher growth and evaluation. She also supported new teachers across the state of California as they developed their skills as early-career educators. Lori has also served on independent school boards and served as board chair.In 2019, Lori began working as an independent consultant and has worked with clients all over the globe. She has worked with the Eastern Education Resource Collaborative (East Ed) and as the Developer of People and Programs for Bright Morning Consulting. She is a contributing author of The Art of Coaching Workbook (2020), co-author (with Elena Aguilar) of The PD Book: 7 Habits that Transform Professional Development (2022), and co-author (with Elizabeth Denevi) of Integrating Educator Well-Being, Growth, and Evaluation: Four Foundations for Leaders (2025). She is currently working on a book on transformative lesson planning, due out in 2026.
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The Parent Ecosystem: A Foundation for Your Child's Mental Health
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