About Coaching
"I think our "sessions" are really pushing me to get out there -- to break my habit of isolation -- to talk about my work, and thus to regard my work as a conversation. Thanks!" --H.G.
A.P. sought coaching during a job search to lift her spirits and keep her focused. I was so proud of her when she transformed her "job search" to include a search for something meaningful to occupy her time.
Jennifer's coaching has helped me bring about positive results by guiding me to look at my strengths instead of my deficits.
Her infectious enthusiasm for my journey has propelled me to find answers within myself that had previously been hidden.
Her focus on goals helped me to make rational rather than emotional decisions, and helped me prioritize my time.
It only took six sessions for me to internalize this feeling that I had a partner in achieving my goals. Then I was ready to continue my job search with a new confidence.
C.P. had been out of the job market for 9 years. She wanted to find a job. She did it after our third meeting! All credit to her. We are still working on that dream job. She wrote:
When I reflect on why I looked forward to speaking with my coach every week, I believe there are several reasons. First and foremost, Jennifer is blessed with gifts which make the process fun, engaging and inviting. She has an intuition for helping people find meaning in their lives and is an unparalleled listener and she truly wants you to be in a better place. Unlike psychotherapy, this coaching is very task and goal oriented. Our weekly coaching never made me feel pressured to meet goals, but rather motivated to find myself in a better place. Our lives are about the choices we make and she guides me to make more conscious, thoughtful decisions. You enter this coaching process because you want to better yourself or improve your situation. What is amazing is that I found a coach who seems to really care about getting me to that "better place." I have to admit...I was a bit skeptical about coaching when I first heard about it, but I wish I had found my coach, Jennifer, twenty five years ago!!!!!!
P.M. wanted to meet someone for a lasting relationship in a way that felt authentic to her. She came up with the phrase, "Wisdom says..." and learned to listen for that inner adviser. I loved that. She wrote:
As a mental health practitioner trained in classical western psychotherapy, I was skeptical about the concept of coaching, and I've heard of many coaches who are not well trained/ have poor boundaries/ don't have any specific guiding principles. Jennifer met my skepticism graciously and proved to be a grounded and thoughtful practitioner who always observed appropriate boundaries while treating me to her finely honed blend of Vedic philosophy, coaching training, and common sense. At the same time, the process hasn't been at all forced or formulaic. What was really helpful was to look at and watch my goals take shape. Your flexible, personalized approach allowed my intuition to lead me forward in a more circuitous way than expected, identifying my own process, recognizing what intuition was possibly saying to me, making room for my way of processing, using obstacles as friends arriving with a lesson as opposed to as enemies to be banished, all of this was helpful. All this helped to organize my goals in a positive way that didn't feel saccharine which was my preconceived notion of coaching. Positive doesn't equal dismissive of real life obstacles. Above all, Jennifer has an innate, intuitive way of helping others to make sense of things in a genuine, respectful manner that one cannot study or learn.
About Establishing a Practice
D.B. wanted to establish a Tai Chi practice, but it wasn't sticking. Since we spoke, she has been practicing every day. She sent me a text message and I asked for permission to share it here.
Yesterday I began to learn some new Thai Chi moves. It's amazing how this practice resonates with me. As I was working in "brush, sweep" all I could think was that each move followed in perfect harmony. Thank you for this gift that started by you teaching me that I had two minutes. How strange in our society we stress at the thought of giving ourselves two minutes of time. How wonderful that, slowly, two minutes can open like a blossom into many minutes filled with the joy of self care.
With 2-Minute Practice Cards
A.P. told me that her eleven-year-old daughter has not slept well in two and a half weeks. She said that they have tried Benadryl and melatonin. She decided to try the 2-Minute Practice cards. She laid out the seven beautiful flower cards on her daughter's bed after turning off all the electronic devices, and putting away any distracting stimulants. Her daughter chose the image that made her feel the best. She chose the Peace card, which features this white blossom. She read the back of the card, and asked her mother a question about the instruction to "listen to the silences between the words." Mother and daughter practiced together for 4 minutes and the sleepless girl drifted off and slept through the night.
"2-Minute Bedtime Practices -- Wake Up Happy" is a set of 2-Minute Practice Cards available by clicking the "Shop" tab.
About Meditation
G.L. is an advanced student of meditation. He wanted to steady and deepen his practice.
My meetings with Jennifer have helped me establish a steady, regular meditation practice, given me confidence in my practice of the techniques of Yoga meditation and given me practical tools that help me draw meaning and insight from the experiences of my daily life. In my experience, her approach is inclusive and encompasses a broad and refreshingly open perspective of spiritual life. I am sincerely thankful for her guidance.
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