“The skills I learned at MUIH taught me self-compassion, the importance of balance and rest, and how to accept any situation that came my way in life.”
What drew you to study health and wellness coaching as your healing discipline?
I had been working in the defense contracting industry in Washington, DC, for nearly 20 years and the stress of it had taken a toll on my emotional and physical health. I was stressed out most of the time and had developed stomach issues that I had no idea how to address. These factors attracted me to learn more about health and wellness.
Why did you choose MUIH for your academic program?
I had a friend who was attending a master’s degree program at MUIH. She spoke very highly about her experience in her master’s program. After attending an open house at MUIH, I followed my gut which told me that I needed to attend this university and no other.
Describe your path since graduating:
Since graduating in August of 2014, I started my own executive and leadership development coaching company. I use my corporate background and the strong coaching skills I learned at MUIH to help business leaders (and emerging leaders) operate at their highest levels. We accomplish this through addressing the whole person (mind, body and spirit) in their personal and professional lives.
What have you accomplished that is a result of the education and skills you received here?
Without the MUIH program I would be lost in a sea of stress, non-fulfillment, and doubt. The skills I learned at MUIH taught me self-compassion, the importance of balance and rest, and how to accept any situation that came my way in life. My life is filled with more happiness, health, and balance after completing this program.
What has been your most exciting or fulfilling professional experience to date?
To touch people’s lives in such a way as to help them realize new ways of thinking, being, and acting is extremely fulfilling. I get to help people by empowering them to help themselves. It’s the concept of, “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Show him how to fish and he’ll eat forever,” on steroids because coaching can touch every aspect of a person’s life from exercise, to food, work, and love!
Are you achieving your professional goals?
Before starting the program at MUIH, I longed for an opportunity to change my professional life to include a more flexible schedule, and to make a more significant impact in people’s lives. Thanks to the education I earned at MUIH, I had the skills and confidence to start my own coaching practice.
What would you like to do next, professionally speaking?
I am focused on the continual development of my coaching skills. This includes reading books, taking workshops and hiring my own coach. I am also interested in developing a series of classes such as a Master Coaching Class to Mindfulness for New Moms.
Is there anything else you’d like to add? If so, please use this space to share it:
The lessons and skills you learn at MUIH are more than what you take to your current job or what you build your new business on. The insights, theories, and tools you learn can profoundly change who you are and how you show up in the world. The MUIH program is special because it teaches from a holistic perspective that includes non-tangible skills like presence, mindfulness, and the ability to respect whatever is showing up in your life at that moment.
