What type of coaching do you offer and to whom?

Who among us has not had a Taylor Swift moment where we realized that “Hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” We all encounter moments of feeling stuck and finally realizing that it’s our own limitations that are holding us back. This is where I come in. My coaching supports goals for personal growth – learning to say no or set boundaries, take risks and tolerate worry, get a grip on what you need to learn to be ready to take on a new relationship, new promotion, or new phase of life. I can provide not only strategies and resources but structure and accountability to keep you moving towards your goals.

Why did you get into coaching? What motivates you?

I am a licensed mental health counselor and have worked in inpatient, outpatient, residential, college, and community settings. One shortcoming of using the medical model to frame therapy is that it does not create space to address pure personal growth goals, growth in the service not of escaping untenable suffering but in the pursuit of becoming more and better, seeking the refinement of self, shaking loose of your limitations and striding into your future. Many people do not meet criteria for diagnosis of a mental health disorder but still feel limited by their worry, self-doubt, fear of making mistakes, or belief that they are an “imposter” who might be found out at any moment. Seeing people break through the obstacles that have always held them back and begin to see themselves as they truly are – bright, capable, loveable, inevitably flawed, resilient – motivates me to keep doing the work.

What differentiates you from other coaches?

I come armed with a highly diversified tool bag that allows me to identify what is getting in the way of moving forward. We can then develop specific, pragmatic strategies to practice first small and then progressively more challenging steps to inhabiting your self in more spacious ways. I am trained in mental health and bring all the tools and approaches used to navigate acute distress and build healthy habits, but also have the experience to tailor those strategies to fit your specific needs.

It’s important to me that you are able to identify and assert what you need, so my support is open ended and flexible. Meetings are billed individually so there is no commitment to a package, and our work remains open ended. If you want to meet weekly, then shift to biweekly, and then try monthly for a bit to make sure the changes are locked in, that’s fine. If you feel you gained a lot from three meetings then we can terminate at that time. You are in control of determining what you need and I will be responsive to your goals. I also have a policy that former clients always move to the top of the wait list, so if you have finished your work with me but something comes up and you want to touch base, just reach out and I’ll find a spot where we can reconnect.

What values are important to you when working with clients?

My foundational approach is always grounded in mindfulness, and for most people some amount of time and effort goes into learning to peel back your judgment of your own thoughts, feelings, and experiences and begin to see the choices that you (and others) have made with kindness and compassion. When you are able to do that, there is more room to explore without constant fear of failure. Once we can access nonjudgment we have space for creativity, experimentation, and change. I believe in everyone’s innate capacity for growth and change, but understand that like climbing plants, we all need some kind of scaffolding to shape and facilitate our growth. Sometimes we don’t know how to manifest change without that guiding structure, and that is what I’m here to provide.

What do you do for fun?

I built my own house ten years ago so obviously I’m still tying up loose ends! I live in southern Vermont and spend my weekends finetuning built-ins, walking in the mountains or meadows with my pup, and driving around on an endless search for peculiar museums and the best smashburger in the state.