Rooted identity
Reconnect with your values, culture, strengths, and sense of self. Make room for who you are beyond your caregiving role.
PERSON FIRST PARENTING™
Before you’re a parent,
you’re a person.
You deserve care, too. Healing-centered coaching that makes room for your identity, your emotional wellness, and the life you’re building.
Find your supportExplore our approachRooted in supporting Black Mamas.
Welcoming caregivers of all backgrounds.
A little support. A stronger foundation.Kenya Gaines-Brown · Founder & Certified Parent Coach
Caregiver-centeredCulturally affirmingStrengths-basedWisconsin · Virtual services available
THE PERSON BEHIND THE PARENT
Parent from wholeness.
Grow with support.
Parenting asks so much of you. Person First Parenting™ creates space to reconnect with yourself, strengthen your confidence, and bring more intention to your family relationships.
Emotional wellness
Explore stress, overwhelm, triggers, and self-compassion. Build ways to care for yourself as you care for others.
Relational alignment
Practice boundaries, communication, repair, and advocacy. Strengthen the connections that matter to you.
SPACE TO EXHALE
You’ve been showing up for everyone.
Let someone show up for you.
Our work begins with listening. Your lived experience, your strengths, and your goals guide the conversation.
THE JAFS COACHING APPROACH
A path shaped
around your family.
Coaching is a collaborative, non-clinical space for reflection, practical strategies, and growth. Sessions are typically 45–60 minutes, with a pace shaped by your needs and goals.
Person First Parenting™
The first phase of coaching focuses on you. We center emotional wellness, identity, and support to help you reconnect with yourself and build a strong foundation for parenting.
Sessions may focus on:
- Emotional wellness
- Self-care and burnout
- Identity and confidence
- Parenting stress and overwhelm
- Building support systems
When caregivers feel supported and grounded, they are better equipped to support their children.
Child Focus Support
Once the caregiver foundation is built, coaching may shift to focus on your child’s development, behavior, and emotional needs.
Sessions may focus on:
- Behavioral challenges
- Emotional regulation
- Developmental concerns
- Parenting strategies
- Diagnosis support
- Advocacy and school support
This phase helps parents better understand and respond to their child’s unique needs.
Ongoing Growth and Support
Coaching continues with ongoing support designed to strengthen both the caregiver and the family as a whole.
Sessions may focus on:
- Life transitions
- Family dynamics
- Long-term parenting strategies
- Continued emotional support
- Maintaining caregiver wellness and connection
Coaching typically lasts 3–9 months, with flexibility based on your family’s needs.
Our coaching approach aligns with 90-day care planning cycles commonly used in community and Medicaid-supported programs.
Coaching and therapy serve different needs.
Parent coaching supports goals, skills, and caregiver confidence. It does not provide mental health diagnoses or clinical treatment, and it can complement other supports.
MEET YOUR COACH
Hey family,
I’m Kenya.
Kenya Gaines-Brown
Founder & Certified Parent Coach
“Parenting is never just about the child—it’s about the person doing the parenting.”
I’m a mama, advocate, and Certified Parent Coach. I became a mother at 17 while growing up in Milwaukee’s 53206 neighborhood. My own seasons of caregiving shaped my belief that parents deserve support that honors their whole lives.
Over the past three decades, I’ve supported families across early childhood education, mental health, disability services, long-term care, and juvenile justice. I created Person First Parenting™ to bring caregiver identity and wellness into the center of that work.
Read my full story
Hey Family,
I built Johnny’s Angels Family Services to give Black Mamas something we’re rarely offered—healing-centered support that honors the person behind the parent.
I’m Kenya Gaines-Brown—a mama, advocate, and Certified Parent Coach. I became a mother at 17 while growing up in Milwaukee’s 53206 neighborhood. Since then, I’ve navigated motherhood as a teen mom, a wife, a single mama, and a stepmom. Through every season, I learned something important:
Parenting is never just about the child—it’s about the person doing the parenting.
Over the past three decades, I’ve worked across early childhood education, mental health, disability services, long-term care, and juvenile justice system partners—supporting families navigating complex challenges. Across every setting, one truth kept showing up:
Most parenting programs overlook the PERSON to get to the PARENT.
That’s why I created Person First Parenting™—a healing-centered coaching approach that supports caregivers first, so families can thrive.
While my work is rooted in supporting Black Mamas, Johnny’s Angels welcomes caregivers from all backgrounds seeking support, growth, and community.
You’ve always been the backbone of your family. Now it’s time for someone to have your back, too.
Welcome to Johnny’s Angels.
Let’s build your village—together.
Kenya Gaines-Brown
Founder, Johnny’s Angels Family Services
THE LEGACY BEHIND THE NAME
His love.
Our foundation.
Johnny’s Angels Family Services is built on the legacy of my father, Johnny, who gained full custody of me when I was a toddler. As a single father, he showed me what stability, love, and commitment could look like, even in the face of challenge.
Being raised by a father who consistently showed up shaped my understanding of caregiving, resilience, and the power of having someone in your corner. His legacy lives on in how I support caregivers and families today.
— Kenya Gaines-Brown
ROOM FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY
Rooted in culture.
Built on connection.
Johnny’s Angels intentionally centers and uplifts Black Mamas while welcoming caregivers of every background and family structure. Your experiences, identity, and values belong here.
A FEW THINGS TO KNOW
Let’s make the
first step easier.
What happens in my first session?
We’ll get to know each other, explore your Parent Superpowers, recognize your strengths, review intake forms, and create a first Soft Goal to gently guide our work together.
Do you offer virtual sessions?
Yes. Virtual appointments offer the comfort and flexibility of meeting from home. Sessions typically last 45–60 minutes.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is required for private pay coaching. For services funded through the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program or another community program, speak with your care coordinator about eligibility, authorization, and referrals.
What are your rates?
Private pay is $100 per virtual session and $125 per in-home session. Limited sliding scale spaces may be available. Group sessions for organizations are quoted based on group size, length, and training needs. Contact Kenya to discuss the right option.
How long does coaching last?
Coaching typically lasts 3–9 months, with flexibility based on your family’s needs. Sessions are usually scheduled weekly, and goals can be revisited as you grow.
What if I need to cancel?
Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. This time is set aside just for you.
LET’S BUILD YOUR VILLAGE
You don’t have to
figure this out alone.
Ask a question, explore coaching, or submit a referral.
We’ll start with a conversation about what you need.
Please share only what’s needed for an initial conversation. Do not include medical records, diagnoses, Social Security numbers, payment details, or sensitive information about a child. This form is not monitored for emergencies. See our Privacy Policy.
About our coaching services
Johnny’s Angels Family Services provides non-clinical parent coaching for caregivers. Coaching does not replace therapy, mental health diagnosis or treatment, medical care, or emergency services. Individual experiences and outcomes vary. Sending an inquiry does not establish a coaching relationship; services begin after arrangements and a client agreement are completed.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. For crisis support in the United States, call or text 988.