Disclaimers

Last updated October 14, 2026

I'm not a clinician

I'm an educator. Nearly three decades as a secondary school teacher, guidance counselor, and school administrator. What you get from me is practical guidance from that experience. It is not medical, psychological, clinical, or legal advice, and it is not a substitute for any of those. If your child needs a therapist, a psychiatrist, a physician, or an attorney, I'll say so plainly, and I'll help you find one.

This site is not an emergency service

Nothing here, including the Need Help Now page, replaces emergency services. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. If your child is talking about suicide or self-harm, call or text 988. If your child is being exploited, groomed, or sextorted, the NCMEC CyberTipline is 1-800-843-5678. Those numbers answer 24 hours a day. I do not.

The step-by-step guidance on Need Help Now was drafted from published guidance by NCMEC, the FBI, ICAC, and standard suicide-prevention practice, and reviewed by me. It is general guidance for a frightened parent at 11pm. It is not a protocol tailored to your situation, and following it does not create a professional relationship between us.

A referral is not an endorsement of every outcome

The professionals in the Family Network are independent. When I refer you to one, I'm telling you that in my judgment they're worth your call. I'm not guaranteeing your result, and I don't manage your case once you're connected; that relationship is yours. I can't always help, and when I can't, I'll say so rather than send you to someone at random.

Confidentiality has one exception

What you tell me stays with me, with one exception I'll be straight about. I'm a mandatory reporter. If I learn that a child is being abused, neglected, or is in immediate danger, I'm required to report it, and I will. I'll tell you when that's happening. What you share with me is not legal privilege, the way it would be with an attorney or a therapist.

No guarantees

Every kid is different and every family is different. I'll give you my honest read and the next two or three steps. I can't promise a particular outcome, and you're the one who decides what to do with what I tell you.

Outside links

I link to organizations and resources I trust, such as NCMEC, 988, and Teen Lifeline. I don't control those sites and I'm not responsible for their content. Phone numbers and links on this site were verified against the source organizations when the site was built; if one has changed, tell me and I'll fix it.

My day job

I work for a school safety company. The views on this site are my own, and nothing here is on behalf of my employer or any school or district I've worked with.

Questions

If anything here is unclear, the Connect page reaches me directly. The Privacy Policy and Terms pages cover the rest.