Remember the turtle and the hare story?
Well, I’m definitely the turtle: slow and steady. Getting here has been years in the making.
Is that a bad thing? I think not.
Time and space allowed for ideas to percolate and be specific of how I can best serve others.
The visual of a frog came to me when I started to create the business. I had no idea why, but when I read the book Medicine Cards, a gift from my sister-in-law, it became abundantly clear … frogs represent cleansing. It symbolizes the replacement of muck with clear energy: replenishing the parched spirit, body, and mind.
The aquatic theme continues in naming my life coaching offering after aquatic plants; these plants provide nourishment, purpose, and beauty to their surrounding environment – just like you!
My Coaching Journey
Hi! My name is Penny and I appreciate you taking some of your precious time to visit my site. Below is a bit more about me and my curly journey to becoming a Coach.
Avoiding conflict while growing up was my preference. Why? Because I thought the conflict would just go away and make things better. It didn’t. And it often left me with residual negative feelings and acting in ways that weren’t helpful.
It wasn’t until serving in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and taking National Defence’s conflict management courses that a whole new perspective was revealed. Conflict isn’t necessarily negative.
What?! Conflict can actually be positive?
Sure, understanding conflict theory and practicing communication skills will definitely assist, but our attitude plays a big part in navigating conflict. And when we use our knowledge, skills, and attitude with the right intentions, we can turn a sticky situation into personal learning and growth. This revelation prompted further exploration within the field of alternative dispute resolution and since 2007, I’ve received certified training in:
- Mediation (restorative, transformative, interest-based, family)
- Conflict Management Coaching
- Conflict Dynamics Profile® Practitioner
- Professional Coaching for Life and Work
As the CAF Master Warrant Officer Trainer for Central Region Conflict and Complaint Management Services, I created and updated conflict management curriculum and trained Defence Team members. I also had the privilege to serve as an internal conflict management coach for junior and senior CAF members and civilian managers within the Defence Team. It was through this experience I knew coaching would be my post-retirement focus.
As a self-identified introvert, my mission as a Life and Conflict Navigation Coach is to support midlife women to have a strong connection with themselves and the confidence to be seen, heard, and understood. It’s important each woman feels comfortable contributing their special gifts because it helps both them and their communities thrive.
To support accessible coaching for all people, I’m a coach with Authenticship, an organization that provides pro and low bono coaching services.
I’m a member in good standing with the International Coaching Federation and uphold their ethics and values (professionalism, collaboration, humanity, equity).
Code of Ethics: learn more about the ICF code of ethics
Values: learn more about ICF values
My Coach Approach
When life stuff happens, it can be a slog. Overwhelm, confusion, overthinking, and exhaustion are likely companions. With the support of a coach, you’ll make sense of things and be clear about your next step to get back to living.
My approach is human-centric by acknowledging you as a complex person. Your life consists of experiences, perspectives, context, needs, desires, concerns, beliefs, values, understanding, and goals unique to you. Your decisions and actions make sense to you with the life and environment you live.
Coaching is having intentional future-focused conversations. Together, we create a safe space so you can be brave to work through those sticky bits of life. Through introspection, you begin to connect meaning to your deep thinking and gain new insights, which helps you to reconnect or re-define your true self. This will support taking actions that align with who you are.
And what better gift can you give yourself than that?!