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ABOUT ME
Life definitely became easier when I started to take a few Positive Footsteps of my own! My own recovery from addiction began nine years ago. After working in a number of unsatisfying, unfulfilling jobs, I returned to study after a 10-year gap. I'd always been fascinated by the different ways people choose to live and, in studying anthropology, I not only learned more about different cultures but also accepting there are many different paths we can choose to take in life. I've worked in a variety of sectors with a huge diversity of people and respect for others is integral to my work.
Both my personal and professional experience opened up my thinking about what we consider to be "normal", about the pressure to conform to this ideal [from the family, partners, friends, the wider community, society] and the problems which can result from guilt and judgement of others and ourselves when we don't meet these high expectations. This affects the way we communicate with one another and the way we handle particular situations. It can bring us to a standstill - we get stuck and don't know how to move forward, often paralysed by fear and indecision. This certainly happened to me during my life! Thanks to a mixture of formal learning, personal development work and life experience, I began to move forward... a step at a time. |
Motivating others to find their best and true selves - the part which is often buried under a blanket of fear, indecision, anxiety, low self-esteem or poor self-confidence - is fundamental to my work.
During each session, my client chooses something she'd like to work on: having more fun time, greater independence, making new friends, exploring different perspectives on work or a relationship, being out in the world more - and through a combination of listening, questioning and observation, I assist her deepen her understanding and learning, allowing her to make informed choices before moving into action.
Clear, honest and direct communication, coupled with an intuitive and compassionate approach, form the basis of my practice. My questions tend to go to the heart of the matter and my approach is calm, as well as challenging, but always sensitive... and often fun!
We'll talk by phone (usually on a weekly basis) and explore what's important to you, what your hopes and aspirations are and then gradually work together towards achieving them. Our sessions can span the course of several weeks, months or longer - you determine what feels right.
Although coaching is NOT therapy and the focus is on now, today, and what you're willing to do to ensure a better tomorrow, clients have reported feelings of calmness, joyfulness, increased self-esteem and serenity which can come from the clarity and insight gained - and actions taken - during the process of recovery coaching. You are the expert on yourself, I merely assist you to unlock and tap into your innate knowledge and expertise which then assists you to resolve the issues you're dealing with. Finding this clarity then allows you to create and live a more fulfilled life.
My clients are primarily based in the UK, however they can come from anywhere in the world. I have coached clients from a variety of backgrounds, who are very often experiencing some degree of anxiety about a particular aspect of their life. They might have clear goals they'd like to work on - spending more time with family and friends, for instance but not sure where to start - or they might get in touch because they're feel stuck or confused and just know that they're looking for a way forward. I've worked with many people who have experienced depression, anxiety and fear. Some of my clients have no history of addiction yet still derive benefit from my coaching style and the techniques I use to assist them in moving forward.
Although I am not a therapist, I work with clients who might already have tried therapy or are in therapy [CBT/Counselling/Psychotherapy] and work with me simultaneously. The techniques I use allow you to move forward by taking a look at your life in a very different and much more positive way and by liberating some of those self-limiting views and beliefs.
I have trained with leading recovery coaches and programs around the world, building upon my existing skills as a coach and deepening my understanding of the nature of addiction and recovery. 
- Member, Recovery Coaches International
- Member, International Coach Federation
- Co-active Coach training with the Coaches Training Institute (CTI)
- Recovery Coach training with Alida Schuyler of Crossroads Coaching, also the founder of the Recovery Coaching profession
- Continuous professional development over the last fifteen years (including postgraduate study) with background in social anthropology
- Graduate Recovery Coach
- Qualified Adult Educator (PGCE FE)
Thinking about getting in touch? Please do! |
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