WEDNESDAY JANUARY 13, 2021

 WEDNESDAY JANUARY 13, 2021

I’m going in a different direction for a couple of days.  As I am starting life coaching, I wanted to put some coaching philosophy down - so I’ll put it here.  (Comment on it if you want!!)

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KAREN WHITE

LIFE COACH

Hello, I’m Karen White (or Dr. Karen White, if you prefer), a life coach in Georgetown Texas, but able to coach through online resources around the country (and really around the world).

So, I wanted to talk about why you might want a life coach, and then why you might want me to be your life coach.

First - What is a life coach and why might you want one?

Let’s think of athletic coaches.  The coaches encourage their players to reach their full potential.  That may be with observations of what the players can do to improve, practicing techniques to real their potential.  Some coaches are great.  They motivate their players, get them to reach beyond what the players thought they could do.

Life coaches are like that - encouraging, observing, suggestions, giving practical ideas for practice and improvement.  A life coach has a strong understanding of success and motivation to pass on to her clients.  

Many times, the coaches have gone through their own trials to reach their successes.  They can relate to their clients as they seek to improve their lives. Some life coaches can also deal with hardships in client’s lives. 

Life coaches need to relate to their clients.  They should be open, personable, outgoing, friendly, helpful, and sincerely interested in their clients.  They should be enthusiastic, patient, great listeners, and have a sense of humor.

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Why might you want one?

Let me go to a recent experience with a client.  As a child, she was told she was stupid and put down by her parents (especially her mother).  When she tries something, that negative voice of her mother still rings in her brain, you can’t do that, you are too dumb, you will never amount to anything.  

We went over her past and looked back at the negative influence her mother put upon her.  It might have been that the mother needed a parenting coach - and probably had heard some of the same things from her parents.

In this case, we talked for quite a while about the ‘past is past’.  What happened then, what was said then is over and gone.  In this case, her mother was dead but was still an influence on her daughter.  We discussed the three parts of life - the past, the present, and the future.  

Yes, the past is gone, the future is unknown and we have to live today.  Today is called the “present” - and like a birthday gift or a Christmas gift, is a “present”, time is a present to us to open every day.  It will be hard for her to forget her mother’s negative voice, she will have to realize that was in the past and she is living in the present.

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Another recent client is an elderly woman, who has been mentally hurt by her daughter’s rejection.  In that case, we talked that the only one we can control is ourselves.  One concept that I use is that “Love Wins”.  In this case, we talked of loving and forgiving the daughter (even if that would be hard).  The goal of reconciliation is difficult if there are other issues present.

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So, Why might you consider me - Karen White?

I am Dr. Karen White.  I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and I was a college professor for 38 years.  During those years I received many awards for my service.  I was the James Marshall award winner from Quinnipiac University for Service to my campus and community.  I taught at the University of Texas for three years and received the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the Residential Hall Council.  I was (and continue to be) a mentor to many of my former students as well as a reference for them as they seek employment or graduate study.

I have two related e-books (on Amazon.com).  

The first e-book was for college students:  “Bring it On: Coaching and Mentoring for College Students”.  The second was: “Rebooting: Creating the Career and Change You Seek”.  

Some additional information that might help you in selecting me as your life coach:

• I coach in the Judeo-Christian tradition.  I see love, understanding, forgiveness, joy, and happiness in that tradition that I practice in my daily life and in my coaching. 

• I am enthusiastic.  One of my favorite quotes is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, America Philosopher “Nothing great was ever achieved without Enthusiasm” 

• I am retired and have time to devote to clients

• I have completed (and applied) the Fifty-Hour training to be a Stephen Minister for my church.  I dealt with a client that was suffering from depression from health and financial issues.  We also became good friends.

• I have some experiences that help me build rapport - such as divorced from my wife of 46 years; being a transgender female; serving on the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award commission; serving on the Computer Accreditation Commission and Computing Science Accreditation Board; a Fulbright Exchange Professor, and being an active musician (tuba player)

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Additional Comments:

I charge $50 per hour session.  In the industry, that is one of the lower rates.  In that I am retired, this is an activity to use my skills and yet give me and my clients some flexibility.

Some clients may need or want weekly or monthly sessions, others may want sessions as needed.  There are no long-term expectations or contracts.

I want to establish rapport with my clients, and thus, the first session is free to see if my clients are compatible with me and my background.  

We will use online platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet, and even Apple Facetime (on iPhones).  

If you are interested or know somebody that might be interested, have them contact me through Facebook Messenger (at that point, I will give more directions as to email, phone number, and availability.

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To be continued tomorrow.  Might you know of somebody who could benefit from a life coach?  From being a client of mine?  AND - getting the services for FREE - (for a certification I need 100 hours of a ‘practicum’)

LOVE WINS!!!

HUGS!!

Dr. Karen