My Story

Close-up of a smiling woman with glasses, wearing a black tank top and a necklace, sitting outdoors with green plants and bamboo in the background. A small green and yellow frog is perched on her shoulder.

👉 I became dissatisfied with 60-70+ hour weeks and started envisioning what I might want my day to look like moving forward.

👉 I started noticing my attempts to “make” everyone else in my life happy wasn’t actually working, and felt worse and worse about my failings.

👉 I began having major physical problems because I wasn’t taking care of myself and had to find ways to put myself and my health first.

👉 I witnessed my best friend pass two months after a diagnosis of cancer and became acutely aware that I needed to stop putting everything in my life off until “later”.

Hitting mid life is when you start to see that disconnect between the S.P.A.R.K* of who you truly are, and life you have chosen to live based on survival. That light within knows you have more to give because it’s who you came here to be. Not honoring YOU starts to feel incomprehensible and downright impossible. So now what?

You have a choice to make.

You can continue lamenting your past choices and focusing on what you “could’ve/should’ve” done, or you can decide to get curious and see what you can build that will fulfill you in holistically new ways.

I can guarantee that if you decide to get curious, that you’ll be surprised at what you don’t know about yourself and what you are actually capable of creating in your life. The choice is yours.

Who I am as a Coach

I graduated from Naropa University, with a BA in Contemplative Psychology, and pursued my coaching studies through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Accredited school of iPEC (Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching). I hold an ACC through ICF and am a master practitioner of the ELI assessment created by IPEC’s founder Bruce Schneider. I have also continued my studies to complete the COR.E Dynamics Wellbeing course.

My base approach to coaching connects the contemplative and mindfulness teachings that I learned at Naropa University with the amazing tools I learned through my extensive coach training at iPEC.  The result is that I provide a safe non-judgmental space for you to observe and discuss the way you perceive yourself in your world.  This process creates new awareness of the thoughts that have held you captive and allows you to see the opportunities that have been patiently waiting for you.

I lost my best friend to cancer in 2021, two days after the 13th anniversary of losing my father to the same disease. I remember at that time being hit with the awareness that the life I was living needed to change, and yet I had no idea where to even begin, or of what that change would mean to my life already in progress.

Becoming a coach has been a part of what my S.P.A.R.K* asked me to do, and considering I have always been someone who people randomly tell their problems to in middle of grocery stores or on the street, it makes complete sense that it would become my calling to support people through life’s transitions & challenges. I was even deemed a “Natural Helper” when I was in grade school!

My true purpose, and what lights me up fully is creating healing through connection. I have been a facilitator for an in person women’s group for the last 2 years, and have witnessed the the profound healing impact of finding ourselves mirrored in each others stories.

Before I started this chapter in my life, I was someone who worked way too hard for all the wrong reasons and experienced burnout as a result. Life was a drudge, and though I was doing great financially and had everything I thought I wanted, I started reading the signs that it was time to change.

Let's Get Curious!

TESTIMONIALS

  • "Being coached by Jen is like being carried by a warm breeze to your desired destination. Jen's presence and coaching style are grounded, inviting, and non-judgemental, which allows me to feel safe being honest and enables insights to emerge organically. My sessions with Jen have resulted in profound breakthrough, which has allowed me to get out of my own way and make meaningful change in my life."

    — Jessica Skupien, Life & Leadership Coach —

  • "Working with Jen was incredible. From the very first moment I connected with Jen I immediately felt safe, heard and was truly comfortable being vulnerable. Her natural ability to be fully present and to actively and intuitively listen, made each session successful both in bringing awareness to blocks I didn’t realize were there and in allowing me to see things from a different perspective without any judgement. By the end of each coaching session I always felt we created a clear roadmap with reasonable action steps I could take to achieve my goals. Jen has such a generous spirit and compassionate nature- highly recommend her as a coach!"

    — Tobie L. - West Hollywood, Ca

  • First and foremost, Jen is an amazing human being. She creates an authentic sense of safety and warmth that allows me the space to explore and discover without fear of judgment or unsolicited advice. Jen asks great questions and has really helped me get to the heart of some beliefs that have limited my choices in life. Some of these things I didn't even know I was carrying around. One in particular that has colored decisions ever since I can remember. I was able to realize this because of the true care and concern Jen shared. She gave me permission to go there through her presence and for that, I am grateful

    — Jaime Sims McBride - Nevada

  • “I worked with Jen during a period of converging life transitions, personal and professional. Jen’s supportive and intuitive style helped me clarify my values and uncover how I really want to show up even during difficult times. I credit my work with Jen to the successful navigation of a particularly difficult employee situation, in addition to increased self-awareness and accountability.”

    — Annaliese Dolph, Oregon —

Certifications and Training

Associate Certified Coach certificate through the International Coaching Federation.
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