What I Help With
Stress is a dynamic felt experience that results from the mismatch between the real or perceived demands of our environment and our real or perceived ability to adaptively and successful cope with those demands. Stress can be experienced in an acute and time-limited way and it can also be experienced in a chronic, persistent, and unrelenting way. Regardless of whether you are experiencing stress acutely or chronically, it will likely show up in one or more of the following ways:
Work Stress
If you are feeling overburdened and overwhelmed at work, you are not alone. Increasing demand, the accelerating pace of change, interpersonal conflict, office politics, the stress of leadership, role transition, massive uncertainty, and too much complexity leave many people feeling drained, depleted, and in over their heads. Despite checking all the boxes, many of my clients feel like they can’t keep up this frenetic pace. Importantly, they can’t let others know of their struggles lest they be seen as incapable or incompetent. This leaves them feeling more isolated, more alienated, and more disconnected than ever. Unrelenting work stress leads to disengagement, emotional exhaustion, and burnout.
Life Stress
Stress is not limited to the workplace. Bills and financial uncertainty, family conflict, relationship strain, childrearing and parenting, cooking and cleaning, moving, changing jobs, health challenges, illness and injury, and political and cultural stress are just a few of the many demands we have to juggle in order to live and adapt successfully. High levels of stress and adversity in your personal life can exacerbate stress in your professional life and vice versa. Stress at home and at work is not only emotionally distressing; it puts you at increased risk for illness and can worsen chronic pain and disease.
Inner Stress
It is often said that we can be our own worst critics. Inner stress can result from internal conflicts, unrealistic expectations of yourself or others, unfavorably comparing yourself to others, negative self-talk and criticism, limiting beliefs, limited perspectives, lack of purpose and meaning, and unresolved fear, anxiety, guilt, and shame. Inner stress increases reactivity and can trigger unproductive and unhealthy behaviors leading to even more stress. The struggle with inner stress is that you don’t need the external circumstances of your life to be falling apart; you can create and sustain the stress in your own mind.
Who I Work With
I work best with busy professionals who are curious about their own personal and professional development. My clients want a partner and a guide to help them manage and work through their stress, think through difficult decisions, face challenging situations, and navigate their way forward. They see that coaching is not merely a process of problem-solving and goal-setting; it is a journey of self-discovery and insight. Coaching helps them develop the courage, confidence, and creativity necessary for their success and the self-compassion necessary for their inevitable struggles. Importantly, coaching connects them to what and who is most meaningful in their lives.
Why Work With Me
In my academic career, I was trained as multi-disciplinary stress researcher. I learned to understand different kinds of stressful experiences and how those experiences influence behavior and impact health. In particular, I studied and taught about how stress affects susceptibility to sickness and disease. When I stepped into my first leadership role, I learned firsthand what it was like to bear the weight of responsibility for managing other people in a complex and dynamic organization. I had to learn how to integrate my academic learning with practical applications. Without coaching, I would not have been able to manage that successfully. For more than a decade now I have worked both nationally and internationally to help leaders to become more effective in their roles and in their lives. An important first step in this process is to help them manage their reactivity so that they can communicate more effectively, build better relationships, and find more meaning.
How I Work
Coaching is a sustained conversation, a generative dialogue between fellow human beings that helps a person discover where they stand and what they stand for. Through reflection and insight this conversation is meant to open new possibilities for learning, action, and growth. The result is a well-lived and meaningful life.
Coaching is by appointment only. I usually work via telephone, but we can also work by Zoom (video conference) if you prefer.
Confidentiality - Please know that our coaching relationship is completely confidential. I will not reveal the content of our conversations to anyone. This is sacred. You, of course, are free to share whatever you choose. I deeply respect your willingness and openness to be truthful with me. Building and maintaining mutual trust is paramount in this relationship.
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed clinical psychologist nor a licensed mental health counselor. I do not offer psychotherapy or professional mental health counseling. I do not diagnose or treat mental health issues or mental health disorders. As a coach my role is to support my clients through the challenges of daily living in ways that help them realize their full potential.
