There is undoubtedly something special about capturing families through photography.
Every expression - from the unexpected burst of laughter, the jokes and side eyes between siblings as they jostle each other getting into the right poses before the click of a camera - tells a story of relationships, pausing time just for a moment to carve out a new memory in portraits.
Kristene Geering serves families in the Bay Area as a parent coach and is the owner/founder of Let Us Learn Together. When I met Kris, I immediately appreciated her funny and warm personality and how one can see she was clearly an expert in her field. It was no surprise to see what a great mother and wife she was to her own family.
Truth be told, I feel as if I hardly did much during the Geering family photoshoot except occasionally steer them to different locations and press my camera shutter button.
Why do I say this? Well, simply put, they just have a natural ease and playfulness with one another that was so easy to capture - it was a privilege for me to get to witness firsthand their loving family dynamics.
I am proud to share with you all this special feature celebrating not only Kris and the work she does but also a handful of favorite images from her own family photoshoot.
Happy Friday!
Images by Heartbox Photography
Can you share a little bit about yourself? I'm an author, speaker, parent coach, early interventionist, and ADHD Certified Educator...but what I'm most proud of is being a mom to amazing teenage twins. They keep me grounded and remind me what's really important every day.
What was your career journey like that brought you to where you are today? That's a very jumbly path! My B.A. was in theater and I did a lot of original work, usually focusing on social issues. I then went on to live in Japan for four years, teaching English and continuing to do theater independently. All of that lead me to study counseling psychology (dramatherapy) in a master's program, but I wasn't able to finish that program due to some major life experiences-- my mother was dying during that time, and I went back East to take care of her for a while.
Once I returned to the Bay Area I moved forward with a different master's program, this time in early childhood special education. I completed that program, and got my level I and level II credentials, all while working in an amazing early intervention program with families of kids 0-3 with special needs. I absolutely loved that job, and used everything I learned in my psychology program to connect with families and support them in meaningful ways.
Fast forward a few years, when my husband and I wanted a child of our own. That was its own learning journey (5 years), but when it finally happened we were blessed with twins. Healthy, huge twins that were 7.5 lbs each. Long story short, the pregnancy did some damage to my pelvis and hips and when we came home from the hospital my husband suddenly had not one but two newborns plus a disabled wife. He handled it like the champion he is, but it was really hard. It was also one of the most joyful times in my entire life, because I got to spend every day with my babies! Once the twins were in Kindergarten, I wanted to start working outside the home again. By that time, I realized that ALL families could use in-home support, not just those with special needs, so I started parent coaching.
Early on I started consulting with a small startup on a parent education app, ended up joining them full time for several years, and learned a massive amount about content creation. I also got to consult with some truly amazing folks in the parenting/psychology world like Dan Siegel, Larry Cohen, and Patty Wipfler.
While that startup did eventually go under (like most do), I was able to take all that I'd learned and created my SCUBA Approach framework and then write a few books to use with families as they worked with me.
What or who inspires you and why? I'm deeply inspired by Dan Siegel and his work with interpersonal neurobiology, and use his insights as well as those of Mona Delahook in my personal and professional life. And when it comes to personal heroes, I've always been partial to Rosa Parks. I feel she was the epitome of one person making a difference - she literally took a stand while sitting.
What inspired you to do the work that you do? Even with all of the knowledge and experience I had, being a mom and raising humans 24/7 is...daunting. I mean, you read how hard it can be, but WOW. It's also absolutely amazing and a source of joy that never ends. I wanted to share what I'd learned with other families so they didn't feel alone, and also to help create a world that's more compassionate and connected for my children (and everyone else's) to grow up in.
Knowing what you know now, what would you tell your 18 year old self? Kris, honey, you have raging ADHD! (It will explain a lot, trust me.) Breathe and have the same compassion for yourself that you have for others, and look at each failure as a learning opportunity.
What do you appreciate most about your life today? I truly can't wrap my head around how lucky I got in finding a life partner.
