--- title: About My Family Touchstone description: "My Family Touchstone uses decades of field experience, scientifically based research, an\napproach based on the fundamentals of child development, and specific key principles to serve families" --- ![My Family Touchstone logo](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-23%20at%2011.12.45%20AM.png "my family touchstone logo") My Family Touchstone - [Home](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com) - [About](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/about) - [Services](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/services) - [Resources](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/resources) - [Contact](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/contact) ![My Family Touchstone logo](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202022-05-23%20at%2011.12.45%20AM.png "my family touchstone logo") My Family Touchstone - [Home](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com) - [About](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/about) - [Services](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/services) - [Resources](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/resources) - [Contact](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/contact) My Family Touchstone - [Home](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com) - [About](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/about) - [Services](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/services) - [Resources](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/resources) - [Contact](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/contact) [Toggle Menu](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/about#nav) # About Us ## Meet Bess ![Bess-Headshot](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Bess-Headshot.jpg) **Bess Windecker-Nelson Ph.D.**, has supported families for over 20 years and feels honored to work with diverse populations of parents and children. With a quest for science-based practices and a doctorate in Human Development and Family Relations, her background includes experience as a Child and Family Therapist, Head Start mental health consultant, educator for people of all ages starting from infancy into adulthood, and a Washington State Early Childhood Education Certified Trainer. Bess is also the creator and facilitator of a coalition of community organizations offering support to children and parents, and she has personally experienced the joyful and difficult work of growing together in a family.      ## Our approach #### Development is contextual and complicated. There is much to learn about development, why we do what we do, and the influence this has on a family unit. Sharing important information about development in context with how we live, helps uncover root causes of behavior and allows for easier access to the right strategies. #### All behavior means something. Some behaviors are easy to understand, yet some are difficult to interpret. Shedding light on some of the less obvious (and often more challenging) behaviors reduces power struggles, increases compassion, and promotes calm. #### "We do the best we can with what we know, and when we know better, we do better" ‒ Maya Angelou When families are supported to develop tailor-made plans that include everyone’s roles, perspectives, and priorities, they can more effectively align and move forward. ## Key principles at My Family Touchstone ### A parent is a child’s greatest advocate. When parents or primary caregivers realize that their family needs guidance, it’s often difficult to find a beneficial resource. The gap of support between confiding in friends or perusing the internet and trying to schedule with an over-booked professional can feel daunting. My Family Touchstone bridges this gap with consulting from an available professional who can offer support you can trust when you need it. ![Rock-formation](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Rock-formation-1.jpg) ### Exploring family dynamics with a research-based approach leads to positive changes, stress reduction, and tailored solutions. Learning about each family member’s intentions helps develop perspective, compassion, and understanding which lessens strained relations. When caregivers and their children are invited to learn about their present state, how they became stuck, and where they hope to go, families can begin to move forward. ![family-skipping-stones-at-lake](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/family-skipping-stones-at-lake.jpg) ### Gaining education, tools, and support should not add stress to your family. Parenting is hard work, and families deserve to have a place where they can explore unhelpful patterns or perspectives while strengthening what works. At My Family Touchstone, families are invited to check in when needed and even shift approaches or strategies to navigate developmental phases or transitions more smoothly. ![Family-together-in-mountains](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Family-together-in-mountains.jpg) ### Parenting support should be value-neutral and judgement-free. Families should be free to identify unique values in a judgement-free environment. Using a research-based understanding of development, dynamics, and context, we help align your family’s values with your choices and behaviors. ![View-of-mountains-and-water](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/View-of-mountains-and-water.jpg) ### Hope is a basic ingredient to family health. Expectations of what “an ideal family” looks like have left many feeling resentful, stressed, and disconnected. My Family Touchstone infuses hope by reframing why family members are stuck, capitalizing on their individual inherent goodness building empathy, and returning to original family goals. ![path-on-beach-highlighted-with-hands-in-front-of-camera](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/path-on-beach-highlighted-with-hands-in-front-of-camera.jpg) ### There may be various factors contributing to family turmoil. To understand challenging family dynamics, we first must explore the impact of behavior, emotions, development, and biological factors upon our children. Identifying these aspects with a neutral, trained guide will help untangle competing needs within a family. ![Stones-stacked-in-front-of-water](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/hubfs/Stones-stacked-in-front-of-water.jpg)   [Contact Bess](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/contact)   My Family Touchstone. Copyright 2023.   [Privacy Policy](https://www.myfamilytouchstone.com/privacy-policy)