The Outgrowers
We (Anne and Courtney) met while pursuing doctorate degrees in human development and family studies at Iowa State University. This meant a lot of sipping tea while studying theory, advanced quantitative methods, and preparing for qualification exams. And also supporting one another when we questioned why we chose to go after a doctorate degree to begin with (seriously, what were we thinking?!). But the shared experience bonded us for life, including a common desire to contribute to the world in a positive and tangible way. Be Outgrowing weaves together our different areas of specialized knowledge to offer courses and other content that we want to reach beyond the norm. That’s why we integrate topics like self-regulation, executive functioning, and self-efficacy, along with important topics like spending, saving, motivation, and time management. The more people understand the how’s and the why’s of their relationship with essential skills, the more they can adapt as they grow throughout their lives. We consider the developmental tasks of our learners (e.g., cognitive, socioemotional) along with essential skills, such as financial literacy and time management.
Anne Branscum, Ph.D.
Hi! My name is Anne Y. Branscum, Ph.D., CFLE, CNFE. I graduated from Southeast Missouri State University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Studies and in 2003 with a degree in Human Environmental Studies. In 2010, I graduated from Iowa State University with a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Studies. In 2005 – 2006 I worked as a Bankruptcy Legal Assistant. From this grew a passion to help others get their finances in order before it would reach a state in which bankruptcy was the solution. Many clients that I had, had never been taught personal finance, had no idea how to save or manage a budget, and without intervention, would most likely end back up in bankruptcy in their future. In 2010, I started teaching and still teach to this day, a Family Resource Management course at the university level. During the financial unit, I continue to find that many students also have not had the essential skill of personal finance taught to them. My new goal is to reach more than just college students. Personal Finance Education should be available to everyone. Beyond financial literacy, I am an active member of several organizations including National Council of Family Relations, American Association of Family and Consumer Science, and Gerontological Society of America. I am a trained facilitator in a program to help family members with caregiving stress and caregiving issues, Master Reviewer for Quality Matters, and became a Certified National Financial Educator (CNFE) in 2021.
Courtney Behrens, Ph.D.
A little about me . . . I earned a Master of Science in Human Development and Family Studies (specialization of Marriage and Family Therapy) and a Doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies from Iowa State University. Between these two degrees, I worked in the clinical world, first as a substance abuse counselor, working with both adults and adolescents, and then as a therapist in a dual therapeutic-educational intensive outpatient setting, working with children ranging in age of 5 years to 18 years (K-12). I often reflected on my experiences in the clinical world, driven to connect my understanding and experiences with the children and adolescents I worked with as a therapist, and how to support them in a classroom setting. Later, I developed and facilitated from-scratch research-based courses for educators, to help kids navigating emotional, social, and cognitive struggles in the classroom. Topics included anxiety, disruptive behaviors, relational aggression, cyberbullying, and motivation. I am excited to weave my specialized knowledge into the Be Outgrowing content, including topics like emotion regulation and self-efficacy. After earning my doctorate, I began teaching college-level psychology classes and have been doing so for over 10 years. I’ve taught courses such as abnormal psychology, human sexuality, and developmental psychology in face-to-face, hybrid, online, and virtual formats. As a creative soul, I’m always up for learning something new. This creative spirit has led me to being professionally trained in voice over (yes, that’s me you’re listening to throughout the courses) and play in stories that I craft as a children’s writer. I am an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and have written progressive muscle relaxation scripts for children with anxiety. Writing for children incorporates my educational background in human development and my love of play. Seriously, play is an important part of development—no matter your age!
Based on the bios, you may be able to see the complementary relationship of specialized knowledge between each of our backgrounds and experiences. We blend our knowledge to create content we think matters. Essential skills matter. Your essential skills matter.
Are you still reading? Like, you read all of our bio information?! Well, thank you! In all seriousness, we like to be transparent so you know exactly who develops each and every one of our courses, workbooks, and planners.