Helping You Raise the Kids You Were Told Not to Be
Evidence‑based, connection‑centred support for parents, educators, and professionals ready to move beyond sticker charts and sleep schedules.
Who Am I?
I’m Jess. A mum, a child development PhD, and a former sleep scientist. I’ve spent years deep in the research and in the real-life trenches of parenting too.
My work supports families and professionals who want something more than sleep training scripts and sticker charts. Something more connected, more respectful, and actually grounded in how kids develop.
Where It All Began
When I became a mum, I knew I wanted to be responsive. I had studied child development. I believed in connection. And in those early months, I followed my instincts. I held my baby, fed her to sleep, and stayed close.
But by around six or seven months, the pressure started creeping in. My daughter was sensitive and intense. She needed a lot. Even though I was doing what felt right, I started to wonder if I was getting it all wrong.
I tried "gentle" sleep training. Just for a few days. Everything in me said no. This wasn’t what she needed, and it wasn’t what I needed either.
That experience led me to start asking bigger questions not just about sleep, but about the way we’re taught to understand children and the kinds of support we offer the people raising them.
What started as a personal moment became the foundation for everything I do now.
What I Stand For
💛 Connection over compliance
I support approaches that strengthen relationships, not ones that prioritise obedience at the cost of trust.
🧠 Science and lived experience
I value both peer-reviewed research and the wisdom that comes from being in it. We need both to truly understand what works.
🌱 Responsiveness is not weakness
Being attuned and adaptable is a strength, not something to train out of parents and ther babies or children.
🧩 Difference is not dysfunction
I don’t pathologise sensitivity, intensity, or neurodivergence. I see them as part of the full range of human variation.
🔍 Curiosity before correction
Behaviours are communication. Instead of jumping to fix, I ask what’s underneath.
🫂 Parents deserve support, not shame
No more “rod for your own back” messaging. You deserve information and tools that help, not pressure or guilt.
🌈 Care for the carers, too
Your nervous system matters. You can show up for your child and honour your own needs. It doesn’t have to be either-or.
No regulatory body is checking credentials in this space, but you deserve to know who you’re learning from. Here’s what I bring...
In addition to being a late diagnosed AuDHD mum to a sensitive child who woke every hour as a baby (so, yeah, I genuinely get it), my educational background and professional experiences include:
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PhD in Psychology (2018–2024; with a focus on 0–8 years' learning, social and emotional development, and parent-child interactions)
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Certified Infant and Family Sleep Specialist (2021; with Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum)
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Bachelor of Arts (Hons) - Psychology (2010–2015)
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Former clinical sleep scientist (2014–2016)
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Various research, lecturing, and tutoring roles at Swinburne University (2012–Present)
Other Relevant Certifications and PD
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ADHD Conference May 2025
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Yellow Ladybugs Conference 2025 (autism in girls and women)
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Certified in the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions Model Advanced Training (2024; CPS; with Dr. Ross Greene)
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Understanding the interplay between neurobiology, attachment,
trauma, and mental health workshop (2024; Australian Childhood Foundation) -
Certified Possums & Co Parent Mentor (2021)
I’ve worked in research labs, clinical settings, and now directly with families and professionals. I’m deeply committed to helping parents, and those working with them, feel confident, informed, and supported without pressure to follow outdated rules that don’t fit.