WELCOME TO THE FAMILY (ROOM). Local Kennedy Halling's small business has a large goal: supporting the families of the Chippewa Valley. (Photos by Images by Nic)

It’s never been harder to be a teen nor harder to be a parent of a teen. Thus, Kennedy Halling, a parent and teen coach, hopes to help families of the Chippewa Valley and beyond in this unique era of teenage life through her brand new business, The Family Room. 

“I created The Family Room because of the lack of services for teens and parents of teens,” Halling explained. “There is no family-life and teen-centered business in town that focuses on parenting teens specifically.”

The Family Room is a teen and parent coaching program that helps families navigate the struggles of teenage years together, with tools and strategies like open communication, strong boundaries, and goal-oriented progress. While similar to therapy services, Halling’s coaching is different in that it focuses on both the present and future, and can be more short-term compared to mental health therapy and diagnosis. 

“i have the tools and strategies to help (families and teens) in a nonjudgemental, caring, (and) open setting.”

KENNEDY HALLING

FOUNDER OF THE FAMILY ROOM

“I offer two main services: parent coaching and teen coaching,” said Halling. “With parents, we work on connection, communication, and boundary setting along with any other areas of struggle or concern that parents of teens have. With teen coaching, we set goals and focus on areas of struggle.” Sessions can also be joint, with the parents and teens working together.

The majority of Halling’s clientele is virtual, which makes it convenient for her to help families beyond the Chippewa Valley region. But for any families wanting in-person coaching, Halling is headquartered at the CoLab (131 S Barstow St., Suite 202, Eau Claire), a communal office building for a variety of local individuals and businesses.

Kennedy Halling.

Growing up in a family of teachers, Halling always planned to follow the same path. After teaching Home Economics for four and a half years, she saw how much her students dealt with daily as teenagers. Seeing a need for a close-knit level of care to benefit both sides of the family – parent and teen — Halling returned to college for a master’s degree in family science and certification in family life education. She resigned from teaching just this month to commit fully to her new business after receiving funding from the Red Letter Grant, a nonprofit that curates support for female entrepreneurship throughout Wisconsin.

“I hope to help parents and teens strengthen their connection and navigate this tricky time of the teenage years with confidence, and in the best way for their family,” Halling said. “I have the tools and strategies to help them in a nonjudgemental, caring, (and) open setting.”

Learn more about The Family Room and founder Kennedy Halling on The Family Room's website and Facebook. You can reach out directly to Halling via email at kennedy@thefamilyroomec.com.