What is Life Coaching all about anyway?
Of course there are probably as many definitions out there as there are Life Coaches. My favourite, goes something like this:
- A Life Coach is someone who like a Sports Coach, can take an objective look at your life and help you see what might be in your blind spot.
- A Coach can create a safe space where you can explore the rough patches and find your own solutions that may not seem obvious to you from where you sit in the middle of the issue.
- Coaching offers tools to help you take a look at where your pain might come from and then to do something about it, to change old patterns and behaviour into new ways of reacting to your circumstances so that you can achieve different, improved results.
“The idea of a Life Coach seemed somewhat daunting when I first considered it as a way of dealing with a period of rapid change and uncertainty in my life. Considering online coaching as the medium of delivery seemed almost unachievable. However, it has been one of the most useful approaches to dealing with big issues, be they personal or professional. Maryna creates a comfortable, non-confrontational space in which to talk and reflect while guiding the conversation with thought-provoking strategic questions. She listens carefully to the spoken word whilst ‘reading’ the unspoken text of every difficult conversation. Despite my hesitation I found online dialogues less intrusive and an easier space in which to express myself without the visual distraction of face-to-face conversations. Maryna has a unique ability to bring a sense of calm to conversations exploring situations of change and uncertainty in a world where the only guarantee is that things will not stay the same despite our best intentions. Her coaching service is underpinned by active engagement with her clients and a real sense of journeying together during times when support and reflection are part of a process needed to take the next steps in life.”
~ Anonymous – Cape Town
What sort of things can I help with?
Can you relate to any of the following:
- You’ve accomplished a lot in your life, but often wonder if this is all there is because there’s an emptiness somewhere in your soul
- Until now, your career has been humming along quite nicely, but lately you’ve been feeling stressed, under pressure, and unsure of whether or not you’re still heading in the right direction
- You’ve been to therapy and understand a lot of what drives you, but somehow seem to keep running into the same difficult situations at work and with friends and family
- Generally you have your act together and life is pretty good, but there are areas that feel difficult and no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to figure out how to shift into ease and flow
- You’ve organized a pretty good life for yourself, but every so often something shows up to upset everything and no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to fix it and get it under control
- You have some type of escape or avoidance behaviour that you know isn’t good for you, but you just can’t seem to shake it – food, alcohol, computer games, excessive TV watching, over-exercising, etc. – you know what I’m talking about even if your special brand of excess isn’t on this list.
“It is rare in life to encounter someone who can listen deeply; however, Maryna has that precious gift. She is able to hear the thoughts between and beneath the spoken words and offer those thoughts as rich jewels. Sometimes the jewels are polished and lovely but more likely they are rough and raw, yet Maryna holds them gently for inspection, without judgment or evaluation. And her deep insights allow those jewels to be examined in new ways that allow the light to shine through. The jewel box of my life has been greatly enriched by my time with Maryna and the light and joy of each of those jewels has energized me towards significant life changes that are greatly impacting my health and wholeness. Thank you so much, Maryna!”
~ Rev. Judith Foster Reese
I can help
I’ve been there – in every single one of those situations. I’ve unraveled the issue, found a way out, and created a life that aligns with who I am and what’s important to me. I can help you find your way out of the rough patches and into Ease and Flow.
Contact me and / or schedule a free call with me and let’s find out if we might like to work together.
“A friend referred me to Maryna and not knowing what to expect, working with a Life Coach, I thought this might be helpful. Helpful is an understatement. We did not spend much time going over my past because for me, it is just that, past. We worked on what is today and what could be my future. She would ask me thought provoking questions and tell me to listen to myself. I would think about them for days, and when the answer would come it was what I felt to be true, not what I thought I should feel. She helped me find the tools to build the next stage of my life. Now my present has clarity my future has goals. My sense of self is more confident. I am no longer feeling like a doormat now I feel I can move like a flying carpet. Every time I think of Maryna a sense of calm comes over me; it is wonderful. She is an amazing person and I shall always be thankful for being given the gift of her insight.”
~ Patrice Sipos
How Coaching with me works
First we’ll have a chat to get to know each other, to find out what you’re looking for, and to discuss options and find a format that will work for you.
Though I offer in person coaching sessions (in the Western Cape Peninsula area), even clients who have at first been resistant to the idea of online Skype voice only sessions, find that they work very well. Somehow it’s easier to talk about the true pain points without having someone looking directly at you and the phone lends itself to deep listening. This makes it easier to share those deep personal and sometimes shameful feelings and incidents that may be keeping you stuck, but are so hard to bring into the light so that they can be healed and released.
We can try both In Person and Skype sessions and find what works best for you.
Our sessions are confidential and no matter what we discuss, you’ll find a non-judgemental safe space to work through whatever might be holding you back, replacing old patterns that didn’t work, with new ways of being and of relating to your circumstances.
Contact me and / or schedule a free call with me and let’s find out if we might like to work together.
“Maryna’s life coaching sessions have been life-changing! Maryna works in a very personal, caring manner, while at the same time being very real and thought-provoking. The experience with her touched me so deeply that I still can hear her voice in the back of my head giving me little reminders throughout my day. I cannot say enough good words about Maryna and highly recommend her as a lifecoach to give yourself a chance at real happiness!”
~ Jessica Simmons
“I have enjoyed knowing Maryna for over 20 years. She has been the most wonderful friend and confidante. Since Maryna has been involved with life coaching, I personally have worked with her these past few months. In addition, I have referred all my friends to her. During these chaotic times when everything is moving at light speed, it has helped just to sit quietly and do some serious introspection. Maryna has provided me with the tools and the wherewithal to think about things differently, basically a fresh, new perspective. It has proven to be extremely helpful with decisions moving forward. I would definitely recommend her services to anyone that needs to sort things out and move forward with a new perspective and attitude. Kudos to you Maryna for taking on the challenge of helping those of us that could use a refresher on our old ways of looking at our lifestyles and decision making processes.”
~ Karon L. Kennedy
