Coaching
My Practice
I have four specialty areas that cover a lot of ground:
- Reinvention
- Recovery
- Relationships
- Spirituality
Reinvention
Clients often come to me feeling stuck, lost, losing hope and wondering, “Is this all there is? And who am I, really?” Many people, at some point in their lives, find themselves feeling empty, depressed, unreal, stuck, unhappy and yearning for something more. I see this is an important call from our souls to go in search of our authentic self.
Sometimes this happens at work when a job or career is no longer satisfying. Sometimes the discontent shows up at home, in a difficult love relationship, or in difficulties finding someone to love. Either way, there is a real you that’s trying to surface.
To paraphrase Carl Jung, one of the fathers of modern psychology: we spend the first thirty-five years of life being socialized and the remainder of life undoing that. This “undoing” is the most important, most spiritual journey we can take. True freedom and joy in life come from living from that authentic self. I help people bridge the gap between their old, “influenced” self to their new, authentic self and a new, amazing life.
Recovery
I work with people in a number of 12-Step programs (AA, OA, SLAA, CODA, etc.) to help support, ease and facilitate the recovery process. My Awareness Approach is a perfect companion to the 12-Step way of life, helping people move more quickly and powerfully through the difficult task of sobriety.
As a graduate of 12-Step myself, I have a deep respect for what my clients are going through and first-hand knowledge of how to help them achieve their goals. I believe that recovery can be an amazing opportunity for spiritual growth and access to a whole new and magnificent life.
NOTE: Though many of my clients are in a 12-Step program, I am aware that it is not for everyone. I also work successfully with people who prefer not to participate.
Relationships
Couples, singles, work situations, friends and family — it’s all the same. Our internal beliefs, fears, and feelings guide our external actions, experiences, and results. And they guide the success or failure of the relationships we have with others. Our inner distortions create the pain we experience, and the healing of those distortions not only helps us to find our true self, it results in a life of joy, peace and powerful connections.
My motto is, “The quality of our lives is directly related to the quality of our relationships.” Want an awesome life? Create awesome relationships. What a wonderful journey!
Spirituality
For those on a journey to health, happiness, and wholeness, a clear connection with one’s Higher Power is an essential component to success. However, we cannot ascend beyond our current definition of that Higher Power. In other words, as we rise higher in conscious awareness, we must change our understanding – of ourselves, life and God. For many, the religions they once new, those of their upbringing, are somehow not as helpful or fulfilling as they once were. This is an indication of that need for new understanding and new awareness. With a little guidance, it is easy and possible to find a new path.
My Process
Life coaching mainly focuses on making practical changes for creating a new future.
Therapy and counseling primarily focus on your past and deal with personal issues.
Religion and spirituality address your connection with Spirit/God/Higher Power.
I use all three.
My Awareness Approach combines practical, personal AND spiritual aspects to help clients powerfully achieve healing and wholeness.
1. Practical – Having spent many years in the corporate world, I take a very practical approach to spirituality, success, relationships, healing, growth and development. There are everyday, on-the-court things you need to do to expand your awareness and improve your life. That’s an important starting point.
2. Personal – Most of the obstacles to having an awesome, soul-satisfying life are internal. I help my clients explore such things as personal myths, blocking beliefs, and unproductive thought and behavior patterns so they can clear the space from which their authentic self can arise. This is key to the unfolding of a life worth living.
3. Spiritual – I believe that the foundation for a profound and rewarding life experience is based on spiritual faith and knowing one’s God (or whatever you choose to call that Higher Power), one’s place and one’s purpose in the world. Over the past 10+ years of coaching and counseling others, my experience has shown that spiritual direction is the most important, and often the most overlooked, aspect to healing, personal growth and a happy life.
