Rob Owen Santa Cruz, California

Listen to Noomii's interview with Rob Owen

About Me

I've spent 25 years working with teenage boys. Raising my own made it personal.

I'm Rob Owen—an educator, mentor, author, coach, and father of three, including two teenage sons. I've taught middle and high school students, founded a nonprofit middle school, written two books, and mentored boys and families.

You'd think all that experience would make raising my own sons easy. Nope. Being a dad has humbled me.

That's part of why I do this work.

I coach dads who love their sons but are tired of the same arguments, the lectures they didn't mean to give, or the silence that follows. You want to be a strong father without turning every disagreement into a tug-of-war. We look at what's happening, including your own patterns, and find ways to respond instead of react. You don't have to bring your son to get started.

I also coach teenage boys—on their own or alongside their dads. Maybe a boy is struggling with confidence, school, motivation, friendships, or frustration. Maybe he's doing okay but could use another steady guy in his corner.

I don't start with what's wrong. I start with what's strong.

The restless kid might be a creative thinker. The quiet one may have plenty to say once someone earns his trust. I don't expect a teenager to show up ready to spill his guts. We start where he is. Trust has to be earned.

I'm not here to hand you some advice and send you on your way. I'm here to listen, ask honest questions, and challenge you when needed. I draw on 25 years of teaching and mentoring, along with mindfulness, Polyvagal Theory, and Qigong. We work on real situations—handling frustration without losing your cool, having tough conversations without turning them into arguments, setting boundaries, building confidence, and making better decisions when things get tough. Practical changes you can put to work in everyday life.

This isn't therapy or a parent coaching. It's honest conversations about what's happening in your life—and what you can do differently.