The Nurtured Life

When I founded the early childhood program, I figured I would start fresh with the little ones. I would serve them so they could grow up and be strong and good and well and true. Through that I started serving families. I started being called into peoples’ lives at times and in ways that were sacred and sometimes traumatic- I wanted to make sure I was always as prepared as I could be to serve them. This is when I decided to move forward with my MA in Health and Wellness Coaching.

I saw so much needed healing in the world and I knew I could not address all of these issues, but I could serve people as a personal wellness coach who were then going out into the world and each following their own calling of service. This seemed a good and comfortable place for me. As a certified health and wellness coach, I could put my natural talents of curiosity and unconditional positive regard towards each individual I met with, serving them to reach their goals through coaching workshops. They in turn could put their talents towards solving the other complex issues in the world.

Then something interesting happened. I started to notice that no matter which “issue” brought people to coaching, they all had very similar spiritual wounds. These wounds manifested as physical symptoms, emotional symptoms, relationship issues, work/life imbalances- when we used coaching to go through to the root of the issues, we found the same foundation.

Dominant American culture severs us from ourselves, each other, nature, and the divine. The elements of wellness rest on the foundation of culture and ours is not well.

I coach clients through the barriers of dominant culture towards greater clarity, fostering healing of the severed bonds between self, community, nature, and the divine. When we do this, well being starts to organically generate in all elements of life.

I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach with specialized training is in integrative health practice, wisdom traditions, and peace studies. I am especially talented at recognizing the connection of the individual self within our collective self. I assists clients in noticing the ways the details and big picture influence each other and our wellbeing. Healing our individual wounds and barriers to wellness facilitates us being more mature, capable, and compassionate community members.

Clients agendas have focused on:

• Stress/Anxiety Management

• Changes with Diet & Exercise

• Optimal Lifestyle for Chronic Conditions

• Personal and Interpersonal Communication

• Boundaries/Relational Behavior Change

• Time Management

• Self-compassion/Vulnerability

• Adjustments to Life Stages/Changes

• Grief and anticipatory grief

• Spiritual Wellbeing

• Meditation and Mindfulness

• Wholehearted Conscious Living

How does coaching work?

Coaches do not give advice. Coaches use deep listening skills, authentic curiosity, unconditional positive regard, and illuminating questions to guide clients towards clarity and action.

Is it like therapy? There are some similarities to psychotherapy and some coaches are especially trained to understand psychology. There are a few major differences. Coaches do not diagnose conditions, though we NB-HWC are trained to identify when clients need referrals to other professionals. Coaches also focus on where you are now, including where you have been, and moving forward. We ask you to focus on goals and the changes you want to see in your life, then foster supports and structures to lay the path for success.

How long does it take? That depends. Some clients have very specific goals and some hope to make broader changes. Some clients move directly towards their new goals and others like to warm up for a bit and get comfortable with a new way of being. Coaches offer a discovery session in the beginning of coaching to get an idea of what the client hopes to accomplish. After this discovery session, I offer my client ideas about how we can make a coaching plan that is relevant to them and what they want to accomplish.