So… who is Traci?
I remember vividly all the struggles, heartache, and girl drama that I experienced as a preteen and teen. In 5th grade several of our classmates decided to group together and make my two friends and I the outcasts…excluding us from things, making fun of us, ganging up on us. In high school there was an older girl, and she spread horrible, nasty rumors about my boyfriend and me.
I know the challenges that go along with being a teen girl, and that is why I am so excited to be a part of the Teen Wise family; helping empower our girls with the tools, knowledge, and support to become confident young women!
So, who am I? My name is Traci Bakenhaster and I’m an Associate Coach with Teen Wise. I have worked with youth for over 12 years! I’ve been in higher education, career tech, and industry. I’ve been a mentor for teen moms, incoming college students, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and more. My certifications include Youth Mental Health First Aid and PAX Tools (a trauma-informed care program).
In the last four years, I’ve been empowering homeschool moms to prepare their teens for life after high school. I’ve been helping teens of all ages learn essential life skills, find their career path, navigate the college process, and be prepared for their career.
When not empowering families, I love to spend time with my wonderful hubby, two awesome kiddos, and three fur babies! Currently, we live in the good ole Midwest, with dreams of moving to the sunny south eventually! I love being adventurous and trying new things like ziplining, kayaking, and hiking. I love the ocean (mostly the Gulf Coast), the mountains, and even the desert. I just had my first trip to Nevada earlier this year and it was AWESOME!
Why Teen Wise?
1.Teen Wise’s Mission
I know how hard it is to be a teen girl, and especially in today’s world with technology, social media, and the societal pressure to be so many things. I wish I would have had Teen Wise to help me when I was a young girl. Someone who could have empowered me, shown me I was important, that I did have value. Someone who could have coached me to bolster my confidence so I could believe in myself more. Gosh, there are SO many things I would never have done or agreed to or fell “victim” to if I would have had that. This mission that Sheri and Teen Wise have created of empowering teen girls to conquer girl drama and establish healthy friendships and gain more confidence is AMAZING.
That is why it was a no brainer to join the team!
2. Synergy & Opportunity
The reality is Teen Wise and the work I’ve been doing with homeschoolers compliments each other so well! We really have the same or similar values, mission, and goals which is to empower our youth for life. My vision is to publish a book based on my own challenges as a teen showcasing my journey and how I became the person I was meant to be. Then I’ll go around the country speaking to groups of girls at schools and organizations. This powerful vision is becoming reality through this amazing opportunity at Teen Wise!
And Why Youth?
I get asked a lot, so why youth? There are plenty of adults that could use this support/help. And they’re right. Many of us were never equipped with the essential skills needed to succeed in life like communication, confidence, financial literacy, and so many more. AND that is why I chose to work with youth, well actually, it chose me! I realized just how much I truly enjoyed helping teens who were feeling lost, confused, or overwhelmed. They didn’t feel prepared to tackle life’s challenges, or weren’t sure of their direction in life.
When you are still a teenager in high school, living at home with your parents, there is still so much opportunity to learn the skills to succeed before you ever have a chance to fail. Now, don’t get me wrong, failure can be a great lesson, however, when you are failing in relationships, in money, and in your career that isn’t a lesson you want to learn the hard way. So if we can educate and empower teens BEFORE they leave home with these essential skills and tools, then they will be so much better off from the START, instead of falling face first as soon as they enter the real world where mom and dad aren’t there to catch them.
Conclusion
Again, I am so excited to be here supporting all of you and the amazing mission at Teen Wise. I look forward to walking with you and your teen girl through the challenges that she may be facing and help her come out stronger on the other side!
To find out if Coach Traci would be a good coaching fit for your teen, hop on the schedule for a free consultation: http://parentconsult2.youcanbook.me
