Guidance for True Change
Coaching Is A Forward-Focused Approach
Is coaching focused on delving into the past?
Coaching focuses on where you currently are and how we can move you forward. My clients often come to me with a lot of thoughts about why they are stuck. They will mention past trauma, diagnoses, hardships, challenging upbringings, undesired life circumstances, and more. In our society, when there is something “wrong” with you, with your past, or with your life, you are told to go to therapy. When my clients mention therapy they tell me one of three things:
1) They have done the work in therapy to heal and understand why they are where they are, but they are still stuck and wanting to move forward.
2) They tried therapy and it didn’t work for them.
3) They don’t want to try therapy, but they also don’t want to stay stuck where they are.
What my clients learn is that coaching is not therapy. Coaching is not about deep diving into your past, analyzing what’s wrong with you, or labeling you. My training is specific to approaching your challenges through a lens which helps bring clarity and effectively moves you forward. There’s nothing you can’t bring to a coaching session. If what you discuss is a “therapy” thing, we will view it through a coaching lens. We will discover how your challenge is currently getting in your way, process through it, and leave you with new skills and a new viewpoint that creates your steps forward.
What Does Coaching Change?
Clarity
Clearly see what you want in life and move towards it. Stop spinning your wheels and make actual, sustainable progress.
Confidence
Be comfortable with who you really are, how your brain is wired, and what works for you. Learn to trust this knowledge and develop your intuition to use as your guide.
Connection
Connect to your true self, to the important people and things in your life, and to where your life is headed.
Calm
Develop mindful awareness and self compassion, which quiets your self-doubt and allows peace to permeate your life.
Answering Your Coaching Questions
How does coaching actually work?
Everyone can get stuck in unhelpful ingrained patterns, wondering why, even when you know what to do and try so hard, you just keep getting the same undesirable results. In our coaching conversations, we venture outside of the typical talk therapy approach, shifting you out of unhelpful autopilot patterns and into new, effective ones that change how you experience every day.
As we engage in coaching conversations, my initial focus is on uncovering the autopilot patterns and mindsets that are wired into your nervous system. These are the patterns you automatically return to again and again, and are what are actually keeping you stuck in the undesirable results you continue to battle.
As we mindfully process these patterns, you will begin to understand the experiences that shape them, and the thoughts and emotions woven into those experiences. This exploration opens up fresh possibilities, empowering you to reshape your actions and attain different outcomes. Embracing this cycle in our coaching sessions nurtures the growth of new behavior patterns, with each session becoming a journey of discovery, inquiry, and a step forward on your unique path.
What’s different about this coaching approach?
The magic of coaching lies in the environment, focus, and direction. Coaching is a comfortable environment where you show up just as you are. As the work is forward facing, we focus on where you currently are, moving you toward where you want to be. My holistic coaching approach is rooted in mindfulness and applied neuroscience, which I embraced during my training at Duke Integrative Medicine and have continued to explore through further coursework.
During our sessions I will listen to you in a distinct way, tuning into meaningful phrases, body language, and patterns that often go unnoticed, but that hold important keys to getting you unstuck. Illuminating these aspects will help you gain a different perspective and open to new possibilities. Throughout our sessions, we will be processing your current challenges, helping you develop the skills to navigate them independently. This is an empowering journey and, as we progress, you'll find yourself needing less guidance and gaining confidence and autonomy in creating the results you’ve been searching for.
“Jen helped me identify what balance looks like for me and helped me define action steps to achieve better balance in my life. She helped me learn that self-awareness requires introspection and reflection, and has helped me work on building these skills. Jen creates accountability. I have an ally that holds me to my word and ensures goals important to me get pursued.”
~ Beth
“Jen is amazing to talk to and she draws out your inner desires and hang-ups by asking really great, thoughtful questions. Her insight is helpful but not pushy. I’ve treasured our talks. I knew in the chaos of my days that I could count on her to bring amazing value and calm to my life. Coaching is a good decision for everyone. Coaching with Jen is a GREAT decision.”
~ Shannon
How is this approach helpful?
Grounded in mindfulness, we will view every situation, thought, emotion, or reaction with objectivity, kindness, and non-judgment. We won't categorize things as good or bad, right or wrong, should or shouldn't. We don’t use labels or diagnoses, as these can create limits around what is possible. This approach differs from the medical model and is what attracted me to this coaching style after a career in physical therapy and growing up in a medical family.
You may be well aware of your life situations and recurring patterns. However, the actual challenge typically isn’t the situation itself, but what occurs inside of you because of these situations. The real challenge is getting stuck in the stories and judgments your mind creates about these situations, or the stories your mind creates about potential situations (often called anxiety). Your mind creates these stories to shield you from discomfort, but it also keeps you stuck in an endless loop.
Being trapped in these stories reinforces deeply ingrained thought and behavior patterns your brain has used for a long time. While at one point these may have been effective, now they may be just what is getting in your way. These ingrained patterns can be tricky to change and require a new viewpoint to do so. Using mindful awareness and processing allows us to break out of these old patterns and stories, developing new effective neurological pathways that lead to sustainable change.
Let’s Get Started
About the Introductory Session
As I believe in the importance of connecting with you to ensure a good coach/client fit, all coaching begins with a complimentary 45 minute session.
For individuals, I offer a Mind Shift Meeting. For couples, I offer a Relationship Connection Session.
These sessions are the place for you to:
• have a safe space to get in touch with the life and self you’ve been seeking
• stop spinning and start moving forward
• experience how coaching feels (the input I get most often after a session is that my client feels better, lighter, and things feel easier!)
• ask any questions about Jen and the coaching process
This session is about safe connection, with the outcome being:
• a nice chat where I am able to offer more fitting suggestions for you
or
• we realize working together is what you need and discuss options for continuing
Answers to Common Questions
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I coach here, there, and everywhere!
We can meet in my relaxed, plant-filled office in Wilmington, North Carolina, or connect remotely by phone or Zoom from anywhere in the world.
Whether you’re local or halfway across the globe, the coaching experience feels just as personal.
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I coach action oriented problem solvers, the ones who love figuring things out but sometimes get stuck when it comes to their own lives.
Client tend to come for two reasons: life has thrown a curveball and they are trying to adjust, or they’ve have noticed themselves getting stuck in the same cycle that they just can’t effectively change.
My clients range from stay at home moms to retired dads, from CEOs to administrative assistants, from lawyers to health care providers, from entrepreneurs to artists, and everything in between. I coach women, men, and couples who are 18 and older.
The thread that connects them all? They are great at showing up for everything and everyone else, but when it comes to creating change for themselves, they need a safe space to untangle the knots and move forward with clarity.
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Every coaching journey is unique, and ultimately you decide how long it lasts (don’t worry, my clients get really good at knowing what they need).
Some clients come for a specific reason and stay just a few months. Others find coaching so valuable that they continue longer term.
Most clients begin to notice shifts quickly, often within the first few sessions. By six to eight sessions, many are naturally thinking, feeling, and responding differently to situations in their lives, without needing to add more to their to-do list.
When a client chooses to complete their coaching journey, they often tell me they “keep me in their back pocket.” You’re always welcome to pop back in for a single session or for a longer stretch whenever if you ever need to.
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Most clients benefit from meeting weekly or every other week for the first three months.
During this time, we focus on building new mindsets and creating skills that help you approach your thoughts, experiences, and emotions in a different way. The more frequent contact in the beginning allows these shifts to become more natural and sustainable, leading to changes that ripple through many areas of your life.
After the first three months, you decide what feels right. Some clients continue at the same pace, others spread sessions out, and some take what they’ve learned and move forward on their own, knowing they can always return when they are ready for more support.
I also offer a single Map It Out Strategy Session for anyone who wants clarity on a particular pattern or situation without committing to ongoing coaching.
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Coaching is an investment in your personal and relational growth.
Individual coaching packages begin at $125 per session, and relationship coaching packages begin at $140 per session. Several package options are available so you can choose the level of support that fits your goals.Many small business owners bill coaching as a professional development or wellness expense, as it supports both personal and professional growth. Some clients have also successfully used their Health Savings Account (HSA) to cover coaching expenses.
If you’d like help finding the option that best fits your needs, I’m happy to talk through what would be most supportive for you. You can schedule a Mind Shift Meeting or a Relationship Connection Session to get started.
