Coaching others through their transitions is a passion of mine; I specialize in helping creative professionals. Working with a non-traditional, flexible, intuitive, open-minded, ‘tailor-made to fit you’ style is my approach…
Here’s how my interest in coaching began and evolved:
In 1991, I was considering going back to school to earn degrees in psychology – and thought it wise to get some experiences to see if I would like to work in the field of mental health. At the time I co-owned a restaurant in Southern California, and was growing tired of the business.
Opportunities presented themselves, and I volunteered with a couple different non-profits, doing coaching-type work. I loved it.
After finishing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, in January of 1995, I was hired by the University of California at Los Angeles – Neuropsychiatric Institute (UCLA-NPI) as a researcher and job coach. Put to the task of collecting data from the seriously mentally ill residents of Camarillo State Hospital, I enjoyed the challenge. I was also put to the task of job coaching in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, helping people with mental and emotional difficulties find jobs and keep them. I even had the great good fortune to assist in the development of UCLA-NPI’s “Workplace Fundamentals Module” workbook – and helped write and edit related articles.
I’ve continued to coach in various forms ever since. A natural at teaching and training, I love developing materials and helping people learn and grow – whether it’s one-on-one, with a couple, or with a group.
I always look at things through the lenses of communicating and organizing. Coaching people through transitions is about communicating compassionately and effectively to help folks organize themselves. To be effective through change, we need to understand how to physically organize ourselves – and also organize ourselves emotionally and mentally. In this way we can be focused, calm, and ready to greet the opportunities that come our way.