Owner/Founder/Life Coach
Becoming a life coach seems to be as closely connected to me as the choice of becoming a nurse. Both seemed to be deeply engrained without my even being aware it. I grew up one of seven children and the only girl in a household of boys. At the age of 16, I gave birth to my first child and by the time I turned 22 years old I was married with 3 beautiful children. By the time I turned 30, I found myself divorced and thrusted into life as a single parent. Although the marriage was one of abuse and great betrayal, I recognized my children were confused, angry, and scared of how this change would impact their lives. Often times we remain in unhealthy relationships to avoid being alone or out of fear of the unknown. I realized this was my defining moment. I needed to discover me and move on for myself and my children. The first thing I did was incorporate family meetings to allow my children the freedom to communicate how they were feeling, and to strengthen our relationship and bond as a family. That was my first unofficial coaching gig, and if I must say so myself, it was quite successful. That tool has become a family legacy as my children have incorporated this into raising their own children. We all remain very close and continue to openly share our thoughts, concerns, and support built on mutual respect and love for one another.
My career has been varied with one thing consistently woven throughout…the ability to build and maintain strong relationships. One of my favorite jobs was as a head start teacher. Although it did not pay much the reward was in guiding the minds of those three and four year olds. I then began working with developmentally disabled adults where I met a good friend, a psychologist who noticed how easily and quickly I was able to develop strong relationships and suggested I apply for a position as a psychiatric attendant at a small hospital in Pennsylvania. I did and was hired and absolutely loved everything about it! I loved communicating with staff and patients and became proficient in de-escalating patients. I became the “go-to” friend and co-worker because people felt comfortable talking to me to for guidance, support, and simply having a listening ear. I moved on to other positions in various areas within that county where I provided the same support and listening ear as I developed new relationships while maintaining existing relationships, which have lasted for more than thirty years.
I worked as a social worker/case manager for several organizations that provided support in the areas of job training, self-sufficiency and homeownership primarily for women services to families in need of financial, medical, adoption/foster care assistance, child care, and food resources. Throughout each organization, I was the worker who seemed to have a revolving door of people in my office for the longest because we spoke about goals and how to attain them. After 8 years I then decided to follow a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. So, at thirty-something I returned to school to become a registered nurse (RN). I can remember on one of my medical-surgical rotations having a patient and family that provided great angst to the nurses and staff. By the end of my two days on that particular floor the patient and their family only wanted me, the student nurse, to care for the patient. Prior to graduation we had our “capping ceremony”. I was honored at that ceremony to receive the “Spirit of Nursing” award. As my mentor described the recipient of the award she mentioned how on the different floors and throughout the various hospitals we were assigned for clinicals, the nurses referred to this person as “Sunshine”. I remember the words spoken although I had no idea they were being spoken of me. I was so far removed because I never thought about what I do simply because it comes so naturally.
Nursing has offered me the opportunity to engage people in various moments of their lives and many times when they have been at their most vulnerable moment. I have worked as a Long Term Care Nurse, Psychiatric Nurse, Forensic Nurse Manager, Nursing Supervisor, Nurse Educator, University Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor, Maternal & Child Health-Public Health Nurse/Supervisor, Viral Hepatitis Nurse Consultant/Viral Hepatitis Prevention Coordinator, Director of Nursing of a state-run psychiatric facility, and most recently the role of Maternal Child Health Clinical Director within the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance.
My role as a nurse has allowed me to have a unique perspective on life coaching thanks to the education and experiences around nursing. I began my nursing education as a licensed practical nurse (LPN), then an RN with an associate degree in nursing (ADN), followed by a masters of science in nursing (MSN), and finishing with my doctor of nursing practice (DNP). My education as a nurse has provided me with the ability to provide high quality care through the promotion of health to support facilitation of positive health outcomes, health restoration, patient-centered care, effective communication, strong assessment skills, illness prevention, facilitation of coping with death and disabilities, and addressing health equity in all aspects of health.
Integrating my training as a nurse, a life coach, and my own personal life experiences I am able to provide my clients with a high level of care, support, guidance, problem resolution, detail, and an in-depth level of self-awareness to affect change in their lives.
To quote Buddha, “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become”.