The unexpected occurs when a soap bubble hits a frosty surface.

Always know that you are a wonder and a marvel just the way you are right now. And of course, you have hopes, dreams, and desires. You may be in a time of major life transition. It may be change that you have consciously chosen, or change that feels like it was imposed. So... What’s the opportunity here? What’s the opportunity now? There’s only one you. What is it that only you can do in this life? Imagine the possibilities...

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”—Mahatma Gandhi.

This idea can be both inspiring and a bit overwhelming. While we may need to cultivate aspects of our own personhood to accomplish some of our goals for ourselves and in the world, one of the most important things is to simply keep showing up and being present for day-to-day life. And to do so grounded in love instead of fear.

"Don't let your dreams wait until you can do them in a big way. Start small. Start now." —Barbara Sher, author of I Could Do Anything if I Only Knew What It Was.

Q&A
Simply click on a question below to go straight to the answer.

What is Life Coaching?
Why would I do Life Coaching?
What is Serene Spirit’s approach to Life Coaching?
What can I get from doing Life Coaching?
What does it cost? What’s my overall commitment & investment?
What is a Life Coaching session like?
What are the logistics of a Life Coaching session?
Do I have to commit to a specific length of time?
How does Life Coaching differ from other service professions?
What are other FAQs about coaching?
Is there a Code of Ethics for coaching?
How can I experience life coaching?
How do I start?

What is Life Coaching?
Life Coaching is a partnership between you and your coach that is dedicated to your agenda. Coaching looks at where you are now and where you would like to be in the future – and helps you get from here to there. Your past may be used as a resource for accomplishing positive changes, but the focus is on the present and the future. The future can mean later today, ten years from now, or anytime in between or beyond. The focus is also on identifying your unique strengths, talents, and abilities so they can be used in service to manifesting your goals and dreams. You are accountable to your coach, and this is one of the things that often inspires clients to follow through on their stated intentions. back to top

Why would I do Life Coaching?
Life Coaching provides you with the confidential, objective, trained ear of your coach. Just having that sounding board can facilitate your own ability to better put things in context and perspective. Additionally, it is the job of the coach to ask questions that allow and challenge you to discover answers, ideas, information, and actions that are meaningful and helpful to you. Coaching is not about fixing anyone. You’re just fine the way you are. Coaching simply helps shine the light on options, possibilities, and choices.
People usually come to coaching for one of two reasons:

they know they want to make a change
they know what it is
they’d like support to accomplish it

OR

they know they want to make a change
they don’t know what it is
they’d like help figuring out what it is
they’d like support to accomplish it

In both cases, the motivation almost always comes from a desire to live in greater harmony with core values and to connect with your soul’s purpose for being here. How much of your everyday life is spent in direct service to why you are really here?

If it were easy to make those life changes and transitions and set new courses on your own, you would have done it! The fact is, it can be a big, challenging son-of-a-gun to set a new course for an ocean liner. Or to move from a big ship to a more nimble sailboat. One of the terrific things about the coaching relationship is the ongoing encouragement you receive from your coach. And though some dreams may take a while to realize fully, the coaching process can facilitate tangible, incremental results to give you a sense of accomplishment and to help you stay excited and committed on your way to your larger goals.

Because Life Coaching is focused on the client’s agenda, it really is all about you! How fun and refreshing is that? back to top

What is Serene Spirit’s approach to Life Coaching?
You are the expert on you and on your life. You are the one who will come up with the best ideas, plans, answers, and actions for you. Serene Spirit is just here to lend you a hand. Don’t take Susan’s word for anything. The only thing that matters is whether or not something works for you. It needs to pass the test of your own direct, personal experience of it.

Serene Spirit wants to provide you with lots of options, not to overwhelm you, but so you can find what works best for you at any given time. The most effective tools and skills may be different at different times, and from one situation to another. The more you learn, the more able you are to coach yourself.

Susan draws from training and experience in a broad spectrum of resources, ranging from the latest scientific research in Positive Psychology to insights from shamanic journey work. For your coaching, you can choose one particular approach, or any combination. Please note that ethical protocol requires that shamanic journey work be done only at the specific, unsolicited request of the client. That is to say, if you ever wish for this work to be done on your behalf, you must ask for it. Susan loves to talk about journey work and its many possible applications. She is happy to answer any questions you may have, and provide referrals to other shamanic practitioners and/or workshops where you can experience journeying for yourself.

A personal note from Susan:
In my coach training program I was taught that the job of the coach is to facilitate the client’s process of discovery and that I needed to be scrupulous about keeping my own ideas to myself. Essentially, I agree. So it took me a long time to realize – and I say this with humility, and gratitude for the gift that it is – I really am an “idea person.” I readily see connections between widely disparate things and can quickly imagine many options for and approaches to a situation. This ability is one of the best things I have to offer to you as your coach. I am happy to work with you as I was trained if you would like to fully immerse yourself in the process of coming up with and developing your ideas and goals entirely on your own. But know that I can expedite your process if you decide you want me to share the ideas that come to me. I will always ask your permission first. And be assured that you will always end up with a plan or idea that’s truly yours because you will modify, adapt, change, and enhance it.

In addition to the many resources from her coaching certification training, Susan offers:

• tools from the Authentic Happiness Coaching Program, which is based on solid work in the field of Positive Psychology. This includes identifying your signature strengths. Research has shown that people who use their signature strengths often in many areas of their lives are happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative.
• an understanding of the ways in which unresolved losses, sometimes from long ago, can be limiting our ability to move forward now, and tools to address this.
• The Sedona Method emotional releasing technique. By asking and answering just a few simple questions, this technique provides the means for releasing emotions or beliefs, thereby allowing you to experience greater emotional freedom. Many people also find it effective in releasing physical pain. back to top

What can I get from doing Life Coaching?
The specifics are different for each individual, and depend partly on what each client’s unique dreams and goals are.

Susan’s experiences and observations, as both a coach and a coaching client, are that coaching provides:

• better focus
• increased optimism
• tools that allow for greater emotional freedom, thereby allowing you to more easily go with the flow of changes life is certain to bring
• tools for maintaining your sense of personal power and integrity in all situations
• an opportunity to see how capable you are at charting and navigating your own life course
• support for identifying and accomplishing specific goals
• an opportunity to redefine what success is for you. back to top

What does it cost? What’s my overall commitment & investment?
Money: see Services & Rates.
Time: 30 minutes for each session plus whatever fieldwork you wish to do.
Commitments are a willingness to:

• be open-minded
• be accountable to your coach
• be and do your best – whatever that is in any given moment
• face fear, resistance, and other limiting beliefs and emotions then release them so you are free to experience feelings of joy and flow
• re-discover who you really are – including identifying your greatest gifts and talents, and how to use them. back to top

What is a Life Coaching session like?
You get to choose! We can establish a structure, go free form, or a combination. And it can change from session to session. The regular elements are the opportunities for you to report on achievements from the prior week, design your fieldwork for the coming week, consider new actions or options in service to your goals, and always to be encouraged by your coach. back to top

What are the logistics of a Life Coaching session?
Susan coaches on the telephone. She has found that clients almost always get to the core of things more readily on the phone than in person. Therefore, it is more cost-effective for the client. The phone provides a nice balance of both connection and privacy. It's also easier and more efficient for the client – you save the time it would take to be driving and parking. All you need is a phone. The client calls the coach at the scheduled time, and if you're outside the Petaluma area your regular long distance phone charges apply. Discount calling cards are available from a variety of carriers.

Serene Spirit adheres to an advance payment policy for all coaching services. Susan and clients also enter into a Coaching Agreement that simply details an understanding of the coaching relationship. Among other things, clients agree to be on time for their calls and to provide at least a 24-hour notice if the need to cancel or reschedule arises. back to top

Do I have to commit to a specific length of time?
No. Although coach training programs generally recommend a three-month initial minimum, it is the position of Serene Spirit that great benefit can be derived from just a single coaching session. So feel free to do a Life Coaching Sampler and see what you think and how it feels. back to top

How does Life Coaching differ from other service professions?
What are other FAQs about coaching?
Visit the International Coach Federation’s web site for answers to these questions. www.coachfederation.org
back to top

Is there a Code of Ethics for coaching?
Yes. Visit www.coachfederation.org to see the ICF Code of Ethics, to which Serene Spirit adheres. back to top

How can I experience Life Coaching?
You can do Life Coaching for Individuals via telephone or Life Coaching Group Workshops via telephone. See Services & Rates and Workshops & Events for details. back to top

How do I start?
Contact Susan back to top