What my Clients say
Rebecca's story: building resilience to stress.
“I’ve been meaning to email you for some time just to tell you how much you touched my life and helped me to make some changes that felt insurmountable from our coaching sessions earlier this year. After we ended our coaching a lot of things did change as a result of what you said in our sessions. I am so much further on than I ever thought possible. I exercise three times a week, I cook from scratch and have got consistent with this. The results are that my body has changed from both the exercise and diet. I’m probably around a stone lighter than I was this time last year. I’m at least 2 inches slimmer on my waist and hips and the vision of the body I set with you in our sessions is actually reckoning.
My husband says I’m more emotionally steady and I’m certain that it’s the changes that I’ve made to my lifestyle. Anyhow I just wanted to let you know that I’m so grateful for your support and that I think you are amazing at what you do. That vision that you helped me to see of my happy place with my family in a body that I wanted to be in, I think, will stay with me forever. Thank you will never be enough.”
Rebecca G, 37, Cheshire
What Cathy says about my Walking Coaching sessions
“I think the walking coaching is amazing! I love it because then I’ve done my exercise for the day. Each time I’ve spoken to you it’s really set me up for the day and I’ve followed through on everything and it’s given me such a buzz. I feel really positive. If I didn’t have you here I’d be in a bit of a stressful mindset trying to do too much and then that has a knock-on effect on my family. I find you really easy to talk to and there’s a connection there.”
Cathy C, 40, Bucks
Elaine's quest to live healthily.
“I would recommend Laura for Health coaching. We were introduced by a mutual friend as I had become disillusioned with my health progress and even though I was training and feeling physically fit I wanted to know why I kept making wrong choices. Laura’s sessions helped me understand the ‘why’ I make the choices I do, I identified what I wanted to change and why. I learnt a lot about myself and would recommend Laura for anyone who knows what they should be doing to lead a healthy life but can’t just seem to make the change. I look forward to working with her again in the future as I am always looking to improve myself.”
Elaine P, 42, Cheshire
Emma's heath coaching story: This is the year for me!
Emma came to me with a desire to lose weight. She had a clear picture in her head of how she wanted to look. She’d been trying to lose weight for ages but nothing had really worked for her. Despite her best efforts, she had a habit of ‘giving in’ in the late afternoon and early evening. This meant eating a whole bar of chocolate or drinking a bottle of wine.
As we worked together, Emma realised that her job was making her miserable. She hated it, in fact. This surprised me as Emma ran her own on-line business and was very good at it. It wasn’t what she wanted to do though. It never had been. Other people had persuaded her into it and she’d gone along with it.
Now in her late 40’s, she was fed up and ready to change. “This is the year for me”, she told me. And I could tell it was. I could hear the determination in her voice. “I’m going to take charge of my life and stop doing what everyone else tells me to.”
Through our work together, Emma realised that because she was miserable and stressed out with the business, she was medicating with sweet treats, alcohol and cigarettes. Week by week, I saw her open up and come to the gradual decision to let go of the business that had come to ‘own’ her and decide to retrain in something she’d always wanted to do.
She now has a place on a university course and is currently re-qualifying. She has also given up alcohol, cigarettes and has lost nearly 28 pounds in weight. Here’s what she said after three months of working together.
“You were the first person to really listen to me and give me permission not to do the business. I don’t think I would have lost the weight if I’d stayed doing it. If you’d have told me three months ago that I would lose two stone and be starting a whole new career, I never would have believed you. I can’t quite believe it! I feel like I can face the future now.”
Emma F, 48, Warrington
Sarah’s health coaching story: letting go of guilt around self-care
When Sarah came to me she was full of guilt and self-loathing. A tragedy in the family had left its mark and she criticised herself a lot of the time. She was running around after everyone else and didn’t have any time to look after her own needs. As a result, she frequently turned to a glass, or more often a bottle, of wine by the time evening came around. She was ready to stop this pattern and our coaching relationship gave her the support she needed to see what was going on and to change.
Through our work together, Sarah begun to understand why she was being so hard on herself and I helped her step-by-step to let go of the judgements and to start making changes. She gradually gave herself permission to prioritise her needs, while also still supporting the family.
She put in place regular exercise, which became a lifeline.
She was able to let go of the self-talk that led to a distance with her mother and she re-established that relationship. She cut right back on the drinking. She got out with friends more. She reached out for other professional support to work through the tragedy. She started to sleep better and created space in her life for the sleep she needed. She opened up difficult topics of conversation with her husband. She learned to connect with troubling emotions and accept them as normal.
“You’ve changed my life. You have! You’ve got me thinking of me. You’ve got me organised. I know you’re saying it’s me as well, but the way I feel is that it’s you that has got me here. Without you I wouldn’t be focused and sorted and motivated and doing everything that I’m doing right now. Thank you. I was really unsure about coaching at first and especially not on-line but it’s been amazing. It feels like we’re in the same room. I would definitely recommend to people to give it a try.”
Sarah W, 51, Cheshire
Claire's story: stopping using wine to cope.
Claire couldn’t understand why she had started to eat junk food and turn to wine for comfort. This was so out of character. She was going through a stressful time but this was not at all what she wanted to be doing and it had taken her by surprise. In just one session, we uncovered what was going on and we worked together to put back into her diary the exercise sessions that she’d let slip and that helped her to feel more calm and balanced.
“Thanks so much. You helped me to see what was going on. I’m quite a self-aware person but I had no idea why I was behaving like this. I can see clearly now and I’ve got a plan in place.”
Claire B, 52, Derbyshire
Ellie's story: losing weight after a health scare.
“As you know I have had a huge concern recently around my health and in order to improve things and prepare for treatment I have needed to change my diet. The coaching relationship has allowed me to change the way I am eating and I feel like it’s highly probable that I am going to reach my goal through your guidance and experience. I really appreciate the clarity I am being supported to achieve especially when a situation feels overwhelming.
The coaching I have received from you has helped me to actually work out what I want to change , why I want to make changes and how. The coaching has really helped me to realise that I have what is needed to make the changes I want to. Thank you for all your hard work.”
Ellie T, 49, Manchester
Natalie’s story: Living with a chronic condition
Natalie came to be because she was living with a chronic condition that caused her ongoing pain and she was looking to support her overall health to help her cope with it better. She was keen to meditate and get consistent with exercise, both of which she knew would help. However, despite her best efforts though she couldn’t seem to make them a consistent priority.
After just 5 sessions Natalie was creating the exercise and meditation habits that would see her through the tough times.
“I’ve never done coaching before so wasn’t sure what to expect. Laura put me at ease and was very good at helping me to set achievable goals and overcome barriers. I liked how flexible and respectful the coaching was. I learnt how to be kinder to myself and found a way to build meditation and exercise into my life that is going to work for me in the long term. I’m really pleased! I’ve been recommending her to friends.”
Natalie H, 46, Manchester