Life Coach.  If you Google “Life Coach” you’ll find the definition stated as a wellness professional who helps people make progress in their lives in order to attain greater fulfillment. Life coaches help their clients improve their relationships, careers, or day-to-day lives.  This can be done in many different ways, and there are many different types of coaches out there.  Some focus on health and wellness, while others focus on financial coaching. If you are looking for spiritual guidance, you would be able to find a coach to support you on that journey.

I am a Life Transition Coach.  I partner with adults experiencing life transitions to help them cast a vision and create a plan for the life they want.  I partner with teens to assist them in envisioning a future career by assessing their strengths and assisting them through the college search and application process.  I initially assess your strengths, hear your story, determine where you are currently, and help you visualize where you want to be on the other side of your transition. Together we will make a concrete action plan to help you reach your goals. You do the work…I support you through regular coaching sessions, tracking sheets, individualized training, and any other tools needed to assist you in reaching your goals.

So why would I need a Life Transition Coach? Life transitions occur at predictable as well as unpredictable times.  We all experience the similar transitions of graduation, entering the world of work, moving out on our own, possibly settling down with a partner, maybe having children, and so on through the duration of our lives. Some move through these transitions with ease and settle into their new roles without much thought or anxiety. But sometimes even seemingly small transitions like getting a promotion, moving across town, or suddenly needing to work from our dining room tables, knock us out of our groove.  We might not have the necessary tools in our toolbox for navigating these transitions. Or maybe we have become weighed down with the stressors of life that a seemingly simple transition has become a huge obstacle to our happiness. And let’s face it, sometimes change and transitions just suck!  Sometimes we didn’t ask for things to change (hello 2020 and 2021 so far). We didn’t ask for our life to be disrupted. We didn’t plan for a big change. We want to kick and scream or lay on the sofa in a fetal position and binge Netflix.  That’s where I come in. 

But sometimes we DO ask for a change. Maybe you aren’t satisfied with a part of your life or career but aren’t sure what direction you want to go. Maybe your job is unfulfilling and you just know there is something else you are meant to do.  Maybe you’ve always wanted to move across the country or live by the beach but it seems like a huge insurmountable feat. That’s where I come in. 

So why choose me as your coach?  I have spent the past 20 years working in the fields of education, counseling, and behavior management. As an educator I am a skilled training facilitator and can provide valuable workshops and individualized support to help you build the personal skills necessary to navigate your transition. I also consider myself a life-long learner and am always looking for ways to hone my skills and knowledge through continuing education. 

As a counselor I spent time working in both school and community clinical settings. I was a School Counselor for several years, and the mission of a school counselor is to help remove barriers to learning. I like to think of coaching as the adult version of school counseling, helping to remove barriers to success and happiness. I am a National Certified Counselor which means I have the necessary training and experience to pursue a license as a professional counselor, however I don’t want to work in a clinical setting providing diagnoses and therapy. I want to work on practical problem-solving and action plans from the perspective of a coach. I will listen to where you are and where you want to be. I will help you see the barriers in the way of your success and help you to plan a way around those barriers. I will help you create a plan to move forward successfully through your transition.   

And finally, my super power. I geek out over behavior analysis. I have an advanced certification in Applied Behavior Analyis and worked as a behavior specialist with children with a variety of developmental delays and behavioral health diagnoses. I love to figure out why people do what they do, because it’s these motivations that drive behavior. Everything you do happens because you're getting reinforced in some way for doing it. I can help you analyze these rewards (or punishments) that keep your unwanted behaviors going and make necessary changes to increase desired and successful behaviors. How will this help you?  I can assess your current environment and help you increase desirable behaviors and habits to form successful routines. I can also support your parenting skills. We can look at how you might be inadvertently reinforcing your child’s negative behaviors, and we can make a plan to help you increase the behaviors you want from your child.

When it boils down to it, I love to help and support people. I want to hear your story and support you through your journey. So let’s talk today!