About Linda
How I discovered coaching
I discovered life coaching while I was an expat living in South America. It was here that my 24-year marriage ended and during this time that a friend, who happened to be a coach, coached me. Later, when I returned to Canada alone, I chose to take the idea of being a coach and turn it into a reality.
As I began coach training I knew I had found my calling. I began learning what it meant to really listen to someone while taking my own thoughts and putting them aside. I learned what curiosity can bring to a conversation and I learned how to get unstuck from my current perspective and see a situation from a different angle. (Because really my view is the right one right?)
After certification, my niche organically evolved and began to lean towards people who were either struggling to be good communicators or those who wanted to become better ones. Every relationship you have involves communicating; we all do it every day. Yet for many of us we are uncomfortable, unhappy or just plain lost when it comes to connecting and communicating with people in our lives. How many times have you thrown up your hands during a conversation and said, “I’m done!”
When my 24-year marriage ended I knew a big part of it was due to a lack of communication, on both of our parts. My journey has taught me that this is an area many of us struggle in. Whether you're 20 or 70 how we communicate with people is something many of us don’t pay too much conscious attention to, but we should.
Credentials
I obtained my coaching credential from CTI – The Coaches Training Institute. There was a complete transformation in my attitude by taking coach training. I learned life skills we should all possess. I further hold myself accountable to my growth and development by being a member of the ICF – International Coaching Federation. Here I must continue my learning by earning continuing education credits each year to maintain my PCC designation.
I also obtained two designations from Toastmasters International to further work on my communication and public speaking skills, my CC- Competent Communicator and my ALB- Advanced Leader Bronze.
Being coached
The thing I love the most about having my own coach, yes coaches have coaches, is that my coach always “gets it.” My coach understands what it took for me to try something new and be scared and she was always the first person I wanted to tell when I accomplished that new thing.
My coach’s support and lack of judgement made me feel good about myself. This is also what you can expect from working with me as a coach.
Lessons
My own life experiences of divorce, being an expat, being a mom, my personal growth and learning to be a better communicator all weave their way into my coaching style. These things have allowed me to discover my curiosity and compassion, some of the keys to being a good coach.
The power of coaching is it changes us. It brings out our brilliance, it lights us up and it opens up our lives to wonderful possibilities. It did it for me and it can do it for you. I didn’t stop to think how much my coach training would change me and how it would be the catalyst that got me through my separation. (added bonus.)
One of the things I love the most about coaching is that with a coach we begin to feel that we can take more risk in our lives, try new things, do something we always wanted but were too scared to try. When you feel supported, acknowledged and not judged a sense of empowerment takes you to those places you never dared to go before.
Why do I coach?
I am passionate about life, about seeing it as an adventure, always wondering what is around the next corner. There is no BS with me, what you see is what you get, I am genuine and direct. Accountability and responsibility are two of my strongest values and you will see that when we work together.
I coach because it fills me up, fulfills me, gives me purpose in life. I am happy when I can help someone to change and create a better life for themselves. I love to see people realize their own potential, be there to celebrate with then when they succeed as well as be there to pick them up when they don’t.
I am also passionate about people, I’m passionate about you!
Why? Because I believe in you, I believe that you are not broken and that you naturally have what you need inside to discover your own answers. You just need a little support along the way. If you have found my site and are reading this then you are ready to do something different with your life. You’re longing for something more has made you take action, and here we are.
So what are you going to do about it?