About Debbie Bushell
With more than 20 years experience working with teenagers and parents, Debbie has developed the unique program, 'Connect with my Teen', to provide parents with highly effective strategies...
Debbie Bushell, Med, Bed, DipT is a certified Parent Coach and Resilience Coach for teenagers and children. With several hundred of presentations to parent and professional staff and groups, along with extensive experience in the media – currently a fortnightly guest on 6PR, past appearances on ABC radio and centres for the School of the Air – Debbie has earned her reputation as a respected parenting specialist, coach, and speaker.
More than 25 years’ experience working with teenagers and parents has led Debbie to develop unique programs to coach parents and others in effective strategies for parenting, building relationships and relating to pre-teens and adolescents. Common elements in Debbie’s programs include: establishing consistent healthy boundaries, building confidence, self-esteem, resilience, listening, emotional intelligence, mutual respect, understanding teenagers and their relationships, open communication, and strong all-around support.
Debbie draws upon her academic background and current research in education, professional coaching, and positive psychology to offer up-to-date strategies for positively influencing pre-teen and adolescent development. Debbie holds a Master of Education in School Leadership, a Bachelor of Education in Career Education and Counseling, a certificate in Parent Coaching (ICF accredited) and was a trained facilitator of the How to Drug Proof my Child program. She runs a thriving coaching practice in Perth and is the mother of two amazing teens and significant aunty to seven others.
Recent Highlights
- Published her book Parenting from a Distance: positive ideas for parents of boarding school students
- Presented alongside Michael Grose at the Tranby College parent conference
- Keynote speaker at the WASSCO 2013 conference
- Presented a complete two-day conference program for staff of Macquarie Anglican Grammar School, Dubbo, NSW
- Invited as regular guest on Perth’s only talk back radio station 6pr
- Nominated in the 2013 Westpac 100 Women of Influence awards
- Presented a complete two half day program at the Catholic Schools’ Conference in Perth; 2011 and again in 2012
- Presented for the WA branch of the Australian Head of Boarding School Training Day
- Presented alongside Steve Biddulp and Michael Carr-Greg at the WA Positive Schools Conference
- Presented two training seminars to Fosters Carers for the Department of Child Protection
- Presented a series of eight training seminars for staf at Glovetrotter Corporate Travel
- Presented two series of four seminars for the City of Stirling (on various topics associated with parenting teenagers)
- Presented a series of three seminars for the Geraldton Gifted Children’s Association
- Presented seminars over two days for the Shire of Lake King
- Invited to appear as a fortnightly regular guest on Perth radio Station 6PR
