Welcome to
The Connected Family

Creating families kids want to come home to

A collaboration between:

Kerry Stutzman
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Parentologist and Parent Coach for 25+ years

Palmer Skudneski
Youth Vision Coach and Northwestern University Masters in Family Therapy Graduate Candidate

Your teens: You want them to thrive. And you’re trying to survive. 

Welcome to The Connected Family. We’re a mother-son duo collaborating to help you navigate your kids’ tricky teen years and create a close, connected family where everyone feels loved, known, and honored. A family where your grown kids want to come home for the holidays. 

We're so happy you're here! 

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Join our Sunday newsletter

Hear from Palmer and Kerry on Sunday mornings with stories from the heart, and thoughts about parenting teens, creating strong family relationships, and taking care of yourself in the process. 

We'd love to have you join our community 😊

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A Seemingly Unfixable Relationship...  

Kerry and Palmer had some years where things were about as bad as they could be. In an interview with CNN, Catherine Soichet dives into how a once seemingly unfixable relationship between this mother-son duo is now stronger than either of them ever imagined. While their relationship really turned around when Palmer was 16, COVID shed light on how close they could truly become. 

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Join us in a movement where both parents and teens are honored and seen as learners in the process of navigating the adolescent years

here's how we work with parents 

The Parent Coaching Group

Kerry and Palmer's signature offering for parents of tweens and teens.

Therapy for Individuals and Families

Work individually with Kerry or a licensed therapist on her team to create more connection in your family.

Tween and Teen Coaching

Have your kiddo work individually with Palmer to navigate the road ahead. For ages 9-22.  

here's how we work with schools, organizations and groups

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Public Speaking and Workshops

Kerry and Palmer bring parents and teens together with too-real stories and proven parenting skills that foster closeness. 
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There’s another side to those slamming doors and silent treatments

#wepromise | 

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"Kerry, your parenting strategies helped bring connection back to my kids and I! You helped me see things through their lenses, and see a different perspective... I still hear your words, "where can you give up control and let them feel like they have control in their lives?"
-TERESA

Closeness and Connection Are Possible

On a real note, your teen is struggling to figure out who they are in the world. And family conflict precedes suicide in roughly 40% of cases. We’re not saying this to scare you, but to be aware that your relationship with your teen isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s a way to help them feel secure, loved, and safe as they navigate these tough years.

Through skilled parenting focused on secure attachment and attunement – you can show up as the parent you want to be. This way, they’ll see you as a safe space to open up to. And you’ll navigate these complicated years together instead of at odds with one another. 

Meet Kerry and Palmer

We may look like a sweet mother-son duo now, but it wasn’t always pretty during Palmer’s teen years. You’ll hear more about that, but first here’s a bit about us. 
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About Kerry

As a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Parent Educator, Public Speaker, and Clinical Supervisor, I’ve dedicated my life to helping parents be the best version of themselves so that their children feel seen, cherished, and loved.

I have 3 boys, and am the stepmom of 2 boys and a girl. When it comes to raising kids, especially navigating the teen years, your mental health is important. And it’s easy for that to fall by the wayside if you’re giving, giving, giving, to a teen who won’t budge.
Let’s work together to help your teen feel closer to you. It’s time to create a loving relationship that brings the family together.
LMFT, MSW, AAMFT Fellow/Supervisor, EMDR certified

About Palmer

Hi there! I’m a 25-year-old Teen Success Coach who attends Northwestern University’s Graduate School of Marriage and Family Therapy. And I have to tell you a little secret.

I was ‘that kid.’ The one who broke rules for the fun of it and rebelled (hard!) against his parents. I have ADHD and a knack for creating mischief. Sometimes I marvel that I survived some of those crazy teen-year decisions that I made.

After a big interruption in life, I made it my life’s work to help teen boys navigate their path through adolescence with success and better decisions.
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It’s time to develop PQ aka your parenting quotient 

You have IQ and even pretty good EQ, but PQ – it feels like you and your teen are speaking different languages 90% of the time. We’ll help you increase your PQ so you’re always one step ahead, instead of flailing behind wishing you were fluent in 14-year-old. 
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Do you long to feel more FULLY ALIVE? 

Are you seeking a closer, more connected family? 

We'd love to have you join us!

The Connected Family is deeply committed to promoting inclusion and the affirmation of diverse identities. We place a high value on the dignity and worth of all people. We embrace the richness brought by identities and expressions at the intersections of ethnicity, race, nationality, sexual/affectional orientation, gender, size, age, physical and mental abilities, religion/spirituality, socioeconomic status, and immigration status.
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Kerry Stutzman, LMFT, Parentologist and Palmer Skudneski, youth success coach, have teamed up to help parents bring their best selves to family life. Through their work together, they will help to re-wire the frayed connections that too often trip up communications during those challenging years as our youth navigate the path to becoming adults. 

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