Anything is possible, Even the Impossible.

Over 20 years ago I became a stay at home mom.  Man, I love this job!  It was crazy and challenging and loving and stressful and full of joy.  I really enjoyed being the manager of our lives.  As time passed, I had this feeling that I was supposed to be doing something more.  The kids were older, the household was (sort of) running like a machine, I found myself wondering, "What else do I have to offer?  Who am I?  Is this all there is to my life?"  So, in addition to classroom mom, birthday party extraordinaire, and kid taxi service, I decided to attend grad school to earn a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology.  This truly put my mom-management skills to the test - wearing all of those different hats!  This journey fed my soul and opened my mind in ways I'd never imagined.  I learned so much about myself, about the human experience, and how I could best help people through challenging times in their lives. I became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) and opened a private practice.  

Over the years, I began to refine my skills and I gravitated towards Solution Focused Brief Therapy. Solution Focused therapy places focus on a person's present and future situation and goals rather than the past - much like Coaching.  This speaks to my true nature of life being full of possibilities and positivity.  I began to see a pattern in the clients I felt most energized working with,  and the energy that I felt when a client had set and achieved a target goal. Wow! Lives were changing! What a thrill to be a part of that transition!  I began to study the field of professional life coaching to add to my skill set.

In 2020, I made the tough choice to close my private practice.  During this time I was able to focus my interests and began the journey of becoming a Board Certified Coach.  This certification utilizes the knowledge and skills that I have derived from my work as a counselor and taught me the differences between counseling and coaching.  I was able to refine my skills to help clients clarify their thoughts and ideas, get focused on what they truly want, set goals, and achieve solutions.

My coaching clients benefit from my counseling background in that I understand the mental blocks that get in the way of true change and how to change those patterns of thinking.  I am particularly passionate about the stages of life and how we transition through them.   Understanding human development and the stages of change gives me a unique edge to help my coaching clients.  I have helped high schoolers navigate the stress of figuring out, "What will I be when I grow up?" while juggling everything it means to be a teen.  Young adults and college students have learned to define the path of their interest, and not those of others.  Women in all different stages of motherhood, from "Should I become a mom?" to empty nesters have found success by clarifying their purpose and path through coaching.  With supportive understanding, compassion, and positive accountability, these women create lives that truly align with who they are.  This is the power of coaching.  And I am their #1 Fan!     ~Shannon

When I'm not coaching I enjoy being in nature, spending time with my family, and reading anything in print.  I hold a BA in Psychology and an MA in Counseling Psychology.  I am a LMHC in the State of Washington. I have completed numerous Coach Training courses and am a Board Certified Coach.