About the host: Tracy Newbill-Etheridge

 Alopecia doesn’t just affect your child, it impacts the entire family and outlying community. Coaching is an effective way to find ways to support your child as they look to you for guidance. Parents are often looking for ways to raise awareness, connect with local support groups, or become more fully informed of the available resources. 

As a coach, mother, and someone who has lived through the phases of alopecia – I totally get it, and I look forward to helping you and your family find the answers you need to take the steps to achieve your goals.

Sometimes children don’t realize they have alopecia, especially if they were diagnosed at a very young age. There’s an awareness that happens for most at some point during school, organized sports, or from an observant friend or rude classmate. Other times, children are hyper-aware of their hair loss, especially if that loss happens in the middle of a school year. They often want to talk with someone who looks like them, make some changes in what they wear on their head, or want to know how to tell their friends in a way to help them understand what alopecia is. 

Coaching works for children of all ages, especially if they want to figure out a way to do something bold, share their diagnosis with their class, or even have their school start an awareness day. During coaching, kids may also express they would prefer to wear a hat, buy a wig or hair system, or talk about the loneliness they are feeling. Sessions with kids are very casual in nature, and 9/10 times they spend a little time introducing me to their favorite pet, which is the perfect ice breaker.

The teenage years are undeniably challenging. When being a teen is combined with an alopecia diagnosis, fitting in, and the sensitive nature of who they are becoming, coaching becomes a practical option for your teenager. 

If your teen is feeling stuck, sad, pissed off (Yes, I have teenagers, and I completely understand this mindset.), or uncertain about what they want to do, coaching will help them discover ways to be and feel more independent and in control of what is perceived as an out-of-their-control situation. It’s also a great way to develop more interactive dialogue with parents, siblings, and friends.

 If you are an adult and living with hair loss, the challenges are real. If you find you are struggling with moving forward after being diagnosed, life coaching is a good way to identify hidden obstacles that are holding you back.