The quick how-I-became-a-coach story:
I first discovered coaching as a graduate student in 2002, when I started working with a coach myself. It was love at first sight (not for my coach, but for the profession of coaching itself).
After a year of amateur coaching with family and friends, I started my coaching training through MentorCoach, with a
six-month foundations program. During this time, my coaching practice was part-time and secondary to other life commitments. For the next couple of years, my life had many turns and spins, including marriage, a new baby, and finishing my graduate work.
In 2004, I started working with my family’s business as a coach, trainer and consultant. In 2006, I left a position at the University of Michigan’s Office of LGBT Affairs as Assistant Director for Education, and decided to dedicate myself full energy and full force to my coaching practice. I signed up (and am currently working toward) my ICF coach certification through Coachville’s Graduate School of Coaching. With the exception of a few forays back into higher education (mostly to pay the bills), I have been coaching full time since then.
In 2010, I decided to answer the call I felt every time I read Martha Beck’s books, and completed yet another coach certification program. It’s nice to know I’ve found my tribe of coaches. 
- I am a certified Martha Beck Coach (completed training in 2010).
- I have a Masters Degree in Social Work and another one in Sociology from the University of Michigan.
- I have been coaching individuals and groups since 2003, having completed the MentorCoach six-month course “Foundations Coach Training” program.
- I have a strong background in social justice education, group facilitation and training. I’ve won several teaching awards and taught a variety of courses on community service and social justice.
- I completed the International Coach Federation (ICF) accredited coach training program through CoachVille in 2006. (What can I say? I’m obsessed with training. ::grin::)
- I’m in the process of accumulating coaching hours to earn my “Professional Certified Coach” (PCC) credential from the ICF.
Often when people find their calling in life, they look back and marvel at how everything they did previously feeds in and informs their life work. Coaching is like that for me. I first started the process of personal growth and self-exploration in college, through traditional therapy. Over the course of my twenties and thirties, I added other experiences like Landmark Education, Jean Houston’s Mystery School, Sacred Theatre with Peggy Rubin, and Barbara Brennan energy healing with Christi Bemister. All of this in an effort to figure myself out, to find my way, to be happy.
Well, not only did I arrive at happy, but I also accumulated a crazy amount of information, exercises and approaches to helping others find themselves too. When I first understood that coaches are expected to read insatiably, compulsively attend training programs and spend a good amount of their time gathering the tools and techniques they then bring to their clients, I wanted to fall to my knees and praise the goddess. I still have days when I want to ask someone to pinch me, because I can’t believe I am so lucky to spend my days doing this work. I don’t want to get all woo-woo on you, but hey, let’s be honest: I consider myself a Jedi in training, and I do believe the universe (or the Force) serves up exactly what you need if you’re ready to receive it.
Feel free to come check out my blog, where I talk more about how and why I coach, and where I look forward to interacting with you in the comments.
