Media
Biography
Neil McNerney is a Licensed Counselor, Professional Trainer, Community Speaker, and Author.
He has worked with parents for the past 25 years as a school counselor and in private practice in Reston, VA.
He serves on the faculty of the Virginia Tech Graduate School of Marriage and Family Therapy, where he teaches courses on counseling children and their parents.
Neil is author of Homework – A Parent’s Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out! which is a guidebook based on his 25 years helping parents become the best leaders they can be.
Neil speaks nationally on many family and school topics. His activities have brought him to 30 Loudoun County schools, where he has spoken to parents and staff on the topics of parenting, discipline, homework, the teenage brain, and leadership.
Neil and his wife, Colleen, have two children, Max 14; and Shannon 12, who attend Blue Ridge Middle School. His kids provide him with plenty of opportunities to be humble and to remember how hard parenting can be.
Industry Expertise (10)
Health and Wellness
Women
Childcare
Training and Development
Social Services
Religious Institutions
Education/Learning
Mental Health Care
Professional Training and Coaching
Health Care - Providers
Areas of Expertise (7)
Children
Parenting With Purpose
The Five Secrets to Disclipline
Parenting
Homework
Leadership
Recruitment
Accomplishments (3)
Adjunct Faculty Member at Virginia Tech's Graduate Marriage and Family Therapy Program (professional)
Keynote Speaker - Virginia Association of Specialists in Group Work (professional)
2010-04-14
"If You Build It, Will They Come? Increasing Parent Participation at School Programs"
Keynote Speaker - Virginia Counselors Association (professional)
2012-11-08
"Burnout Prevention - It's More Than Just Self Care"
Education (2)
James Madison University: Counseling Psychology, M.Ed. 1988
Virginia Tech: LPC, Licensure Certification in Marriage and Family Therapy 1994
Links (2)
Testimonials (2)
Hal Runkel, Author of ScreamFree Parenting | The ScreamFree Institute
"Neil is a gifted communicator, able to introduce ideas in a way that make perfect sense out of complicated dynamics, and leaves parents feeling renewed and ready for action. Neil is a professional worth watching and learning from. I know I have." - Hal Runkel, NY Times bestselling author of ScreamFree Parenting
Pam Brott, Immediate Past President | Virginia Counselors Association
An important consideration for me as I envisioned the theme and aspirations for this event was a keynote speaker whom the audience knew and would relate to at an early morning hour. The initial evaluations of you as the keynote speaker reflect a very high rating. Neil, you certainly delivered! Neil, I respect the work you are doing to provide professional development to professional counselors in a variety of settings. I have attended your sessions and find your presentation style engaging and informative.
Event Appearances (30)
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo Lanier Middle School PTA
2012-09-20
Reduce Homework Stress
Parenting Expo Mercer Middle School
2012-01-12
Westfield High School Faculty Training
Faculty Training Westfield High School
2012-01-24
Dominion High School Parent Presentation
Parenting Expo Dominion High School
2012-01-25
"Just Calm Down"
Training for Virginia Elementary Principals VA
2012-02-09
Homework
Loudoun Youth After School Presentation - "Homework" Loudoun Youth After School Presentation
2012-02-23
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo Bonnie Brae Elementary School
2012-03-01
"Homework Book Club" and "Leadership Through Admiration"
VASGW Conference Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Campus
2012-03-05
Staff Training
Staff Training Creighton's Corner Elementary
2012-03-08
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out
Parenting Expo Creighton's Corner Elementary School
2012-03-08
Helping Overly Anxious Parents
Staff Training Catholic Diocese of Arlington Counseling Staff, St. Timothy School
2012-03-09
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo Cedar Lane Elementary School
2012-03-13
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo Chantilly High School
2012-03-19
The Three Things Parents Can Do To Reduce Student Stress
Parenting Expo Langley High School, McLean, VA
2012-03-27
Just Focus! - Five Ways to Help Your Student Increase Willpower
Parenting Expo Westfield High School
2012-03-29
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo J Michael Lunsford Middle School
2012-04-12
"Just Calm Down!" Helping Parents Calmly Deal With School Issues
Parenting Expo NVCA - Paul VI High School
2012-04-26
Collaborating with Overly Involved Parents
American School Counselor Association Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN
2012-06-23
If You Build It, Will They Come? Strategies to Increase Participation For Your Program
National Association for Relationship and Marriage Education Baltimore, MD
2012-07-23
The Teenage Brain
Lunsford Middle School Faculty Training Chantilly, VA
2012-08-16
Homework Anxiety
Radio Interview AM 630, St. Louis, MO
2012-08-21
Counselor Self Care
Fairfax County Secondary Counselors Training Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax, VA
2012-08-22
Bullying and The Critical Need for Trust, Communication and Leadership
Radio Interview KSRR, Provo, UT
2012-08-23
Professional Training
Loudoun County Youth After School Professional Training Loudoun County
2012-08-23
Homework- A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo James Madison High School
2012-08-23
Exhausted Parents
Radio Interview - Exhausted Parents Network Radio Interview
2012-08-23
Radio interview for Grandparents Today
Radio interview Grandparents Today
2012-08-28
Radio Interview - Talktainment Radio
Radio Interview Talktainment Radio
2012-09-08
Radio Interview
Radio Interview BTR Long Island
2012-09-17
Homework- A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Parenting Expo Lanier Middle School
2012-09-20
Sample Talks (4)
Homework - A Parent's Guide To Helping Out Without Freaking Out!
Neil McNerney, a licensed counselor and parenting expert, will show you ways to help your child do better in school without arguments, yelling, or guilt. In his 25 years working with school-age children and their parents, Neil McNerney has developed a simple and powerful approach that will increase achievement and decrease aggravation! Neil will guide your group through a simple process to find a way to help your child based on which faulty coping pattern your child is using.
If You Build It, Will They Come? Increasing Parent Participation
You have developed your workshop, copied handouts, and prepared your notes.How do you fill the seats? Although there is still a place for one waycommunication, we now have more powerful ways of recruitingparticipants. This workshop will give school counselors a recruitmentmodel that goes beyond one-way communication.
Burnout Prevention - It's More Than Just Self Care
We have been looking at burnout prevention from the wrong perspective. Neglecting our self-care is just a symptom of other issues; it is not the cause of burnout. Focusing only on self-care will never get to the primary issue of burnout. Neil will share his model of burnout prevention that has its roots in relationship theory. When we can begin to understand our job through the lens of a relationship, we then have the tools to reduce burnout.
The Teenage Brain -Temporary Insanity?!
“What Were You Thinking?” That’s the thing…they weren’t thinking. At least in the way we understand “thinking.” Neil McNerney, a licensed professional counselor and parenting expert, will share with you an easy-to-understand model of what’s going on inside your teen’s head. Most importantly, he will give you specific ways to deal with your teen without losing your own sanity!
Style
Availability
- Keynote
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Author Appearance
Social