About Amy
As a mother who experienced herself different from who she wanted to be as a parent and a person, Amy Bush Bradley became determined to make a change in her life. Little did she know exactly how that would transpire, yet she remained open for the journey of a life time.
During this transformational period, Amy met Christine Gulrajani and the two formed a deep, lasting friendship through their commitment to parenting with love and similar life principles. At first this brought them to create Green Seed Co-op, an organic food buying club offering local and national products at a significant discount to members. Working together, with children in tow, Amy and Christine began discussing their parenting experiences and found many complimentary themes. Their desire to live in harmony with their children prevailed, but it seemed there was some “business” to address along the way.
The more Amy and Christine spoke between themselves and other parents, the more they realized the trends of overwhelm in parenting that affect families in many ways. Both being La Leche League Leaders, trained and accredited to assist mothers with breastfeeding, as well as encourage sensitive parenting and loving guidance, Amy and Christine noted that often mothers were unsure of themselves. Yet they also both knew that parents really are the expert of their own experience. This seeming dichotomy sparked within Amy the desire to find the answers to the questions brewing inside.
Why do so many parents question themselves when it comes to their parenting? What is at the basis of the level of expected struggle in parenting? Why is it so often referred to as a job? What would happen if parents felt completely confident in their ability to parent their children in a harmonious manner that left both parent and child feeling happy, secure, and successful? How would parents, children, families, schools, communities… the whole world be affected if this were to transpire? And is it really about the way we parent, or is there something more to the picture?
To provide some relief in response to the barrage of questions she had, Amy initiated a self-led journey through her own feelings of inadequacy. Her journey started with an awareness that something was not working, a commitment to make a change, and a bold look at how her thoughts were playing into her experience. Through her own exploration, discovery, and willingness to do whatever it takes, she found what she had been looking for all along: the answers within herself.
In discussion with Christine, Amy formed this conclusion…
“The experiences we define as problematic or difficult with our children are actually opportunities in disguise. The act of parenting itself is a grand series of these opportunities encompassing one huge possibility: to realize our true nature, which is one of peace, love, and joy.”
Through her own transformations, ultimate realization, and the resulting peace, it became clear to Amy that it was part of her life’s purpose to assist other parents in remembering and living their truth as well. In a world where so often the focus of life, the role of parenting included, is on doing, the ability to be greatly enhances the parenting experience. Amy now lives and teaches the art of being in the context of the parent-child relationship. From the peaceful place of being, she supports the parent in achieving the desired parental transformations created through clear intentions and confidence.
Amy’s formal background includes college education focused on Social Work, Philosophy, and Communications, as well as volunteer work with Big Brothers Big Sisters, Hospice, Green Seed Co-op, and La Leche League. Through her work as a volunteer, Amy fulfilled the following roles:
- Big Sister providing friendship and mentoring for children
- Personal care and respite provider for individuals and families experiencing the process of death
- Coop Coordinator co-creating and growing a seven family, three distributor organic food buying club to include over fifty families in three counties, ordering with twelve distributors, training and supervising the efforts of job holders, and finally assisting the merge of the coop with an organic grocery
- Leader supporting mothers with breastfeeding and parenting through phone and email assistance, monthly meetings, awareness and fund raising, creating connections within the social and medical community, and training several other Leaders to do the same
Combined with various life experiences and Amy’s passion to read, write, and seek answers to life’s questions, Amy carries to Transformational Parenting a treasure of wisdom allowing those who work with her to benefit immediately. She likes to consider herself a Parenting Confidence Facilitator as she calmly meets each person where he or she is in life, believes each person is the expert in his or her own experience, and the answers reside within. Through her clarity, Amy is able to determine any beliefs standing in the way and shares tools to transform them.
As a Life Coach specializing in Transformational Parenting, Amy provides assistance to parents who wish to transform their parenting experience into one of harmony. Through various methods and ultimately presence, Amy guides the parent towards his or her own inner guidance, where parenting can be released from the usual overwhelm and literally transformed into an experience of harmony which blends acceptance, appreciation, joy, and enthusiasm.
Amy continually creates her own transformational life with her three children and two cats in the Great Lakes state of Michigan. She enjoys the outdoors, swimming, biking, playing, yoga, meditation, and anything that might equate to adventure. In addition to Transformational Parenting, Amy allows her creativity to flow as a freelance writer, provides an avenue for energy healing as a Reiki Master, assists those on their spiritual path as a Spiritual Mentor, and remains a Leader serving mothers with the La Leche League U.S. Helpline.
What Parents Say
“Amy has lots of good information and perspectives that make you think about things differently. She encourages you to take the bits and pieces that work for you and make them your own. Before talking with Amy I felt guilty and disappointed. I felt comfort in the peace Amy brought to me with her words and calmness. Even if I didn’t do something the way I wish I would have, Amy has a way of still making it into a positive. I knew the next time I would handle the situation better and I didn’t feel like I was a bad mom anymore. I ended up feeling good about myself. ”
~ Andrea, Mother of two
“I want you to know that our correspondence has had a positive impact. Since our first letters back and forth I have really made a conscious effort to rise in the morning, fully aware of my mood and outlook for the day. I also have also made a conscious effort to greet each of my children every morning with the positive expectation that it is going to be a good day. That’s not to say my expectations are that the kids will get along all day, or that they will behave perfectly or make the right choices all the time. My expectation is that I will be willing to give as many chances as is necessary to let them figure out what choices they need to make, instead of projecting onto them some undefined limit on my patience. The other thing I’ve been trying to do is truly listen to each of my kids when they come to tell me something. I’ve been trying to go beyond their words and their tone of voice, and give them feedback that I do understand what they are trying to say and how they are feeling at that moment. Just having their feelings validated has resulted in more peaceful kids because they realize that someone is listening. Thanks for your input, Amy. You, and your wisdom, are valued!”
~ Kara, Mother of three
“Amy, it’s two days after our coaching session and I wanted to write and tell you how wonderful it was for me. After I hung up with you I felt clean - light - crisp - and brimming with energy and love. When my son woke up I playfully chased him around the room and we played like little puppies. This is not something I usually do but my son and I both loved it. It felt so good - like everything was clear between us. The issue that you and I talked about never even came up the entire day. That evening I reflected upon it and it felt miraculous - like he had been listening to us (he hadn’t) and he somehow decided to just make sure that we never had that ‘problem’ again. lol. I’m sure we will, but I already feel the shift inside of me that will make it less of a ‘problem’. So, I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really enjoyed talking to a real live person who understood what I was going through, who wanted to help me, and who could help me in a way I wanted to be helped!”
~ Lisa, Mother of 5 year old