How will you feel one year from now, if your life and business is exactly as it is today?
Do you routinely sabotage yourself or keep doing what you've always done, despite your best efforts or intentions to change?
If you knew you only had 2 weeks to live, what would you change about the way you are living your life today?
Are you willing to pause and take some time to discover what you really want for yourself, your life and your business going forwards?
About You
Get In Touch
"When things happen too fast, nobody can be certain about anything at all, not even himself". Milan Kundera, Slowness 1995
Do you have it all? Do you believe you should be happy? Yet perhaps you still feel like something is missing from your life?
Are you a high-achiever? Living life in the fast lane? Perhaps you're in the rat-race, but don't feel much like a rat.
Would you like to live more authentically (whatever that means to you?) At work, in your relationships, in your downtime?
Deep down, you know there's more to life. Perhaps you feel you haven't found it yet? Speaking with a life coach could help. A few sessions of life coaching with me can show that you have more power than you think.
You've got the power
"I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become." Carl Jung
Many of us fall into life or end up somewhere we never planned to be. We're often so busy getting on with it, that we're blissfully unaware that our thinking and life choices are heavily influenced by 'shoulds' and 'oughts' we've inherited from others. These patterns can come from our childhood or families and shape our perceptions to this day.
Many of us don't allow ourselves to think about what we want our lives to look like. This is where life coaching helps.
No matter what your age, life coaching with me helps you to wake up. You can begin to identify what you want - in your relationships, at home, at work, and in all areas of your life. With that awareness comes choice, the power to live your truth. What if that was available to you? Think about it.
ARE YOU KEEPING CALM AND CARRYING ON?
Apathy. Stuck. Bored. A lack of hope or optimism about your future. Depression. Anxiety. Are any of these sounding familiar?
Certainly, with COVID-19 and recent world challenges, many people are anxious, fearful or experiencing uncertainty about their futures. This is perfectly normal, and you don't have to struggle alone.
Perhaps you're experiencing big life changes, which are impacting you physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. Becoming a parent; losing a parent, a dear friend or relative; you could be fearing the future or facing redundancy.
Life's challenges can affect your confidence about the choices you think you have. A life coach like me, who is also a qualified and experienced counsellor, can help.
YOU CAN HAVE MORE FREEDOM AND HAPPINESS
"The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are."
Carl Jung
Challenges in life can be painful - though not always!
With any pain, there is an opportunity to create sustainable change. We always have choices. What we can't always do, is see them on our own.
It is often through experiencing and exploring these deep and painful feelings that we are able to take tentative steps towards positive, conscious choices - towards a new life. Choices that matter to us, rather than to other people.
You have a choice. Contact me for a confidential exploratory conversation and choose your authentic life.
My Story
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. " Confucius
One Friday lunchtime in 1998, I bought the book by Laurence G. Boldt, 'How to Find the Work You Love'. After reading it over the weekend, I sat down and typed my resignation letter to leave a corporate human resources role.
I had begun to feel like a square peg in a round hole. For some time, I had been interested in counselling. Finally, I decided to take the leap and study a three-year part-time BACP Accredited Diploma in Counselling, at Kingston College, London.
Although unaware of it at the time, that book was my first virtual life coach.
It asked me to 'fast-forward to the end of my life and think about what I would most regret,' and 'if I only had two weeks to live, what would I choose to do with my life?'
Three weeks later, I had enrolled on a counselling diploma course and found another part-time HR contract, which freed up to concentrate on my studies and training.
When I decided to listen to and trust my heart, then follow my intuition about what I was being guided to do, everything came together to support me.
MY TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
I have a deep passion for and commitment to my own mental health and emotional wellbeing. My experience with the book-as-coach cemented my belief in the power of reflective thinking and self-development.
Over the past 20+ years I have invested frequently in my personal development and training qualifications, including NLP, life coaching and business coaching. I am a qualified and experienced counsellor (2001), providing counselling to adults and young people for almost ten years.
Prior to taking this healing journey, my background was in recruitment and human resources management, working in both corporate and public sector settings, where I gained the following qualifications:
Certificate in Personnel Practice (1992)
Post Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management at Kingston University, London (1995)
"What you really want for yourself is always trying to break through, just as a cooling breeze flows through an open window on a hot day. Your part is to open the windows of your mind."
Vernon Howard
Recent investments and qualifications include:
ICF Accredited Diploma in Transformational Coaching (2019)
Accredited Certificate in Corporate Coaching (2019)
Both gained with Animas Coaching.
All my work is covered by insurance and I receive regular and ongoing coaching and counselling supervision.
So why the snail?
It was during one of my own life coaching sessions that the image of a snail came to me, as I was busy criticising myself for not doing things quickly enough. With careful prompting by my coach, I discovered that the pace I was forcing myself to move at, wasn't 'me'. It was an old pattern set up many years prior - and not by me!
I realised that I liked my pace. And guess what? Things still got done. I was still achieving the things I wanted to achieve. And I could finally see that I wasn't being lazy, which was also a hidden fear of mine.
SO WHERE IN YOUR LIFE ARE YOU TRYING TO FIT IN RATHER THAN ALLOWING YOUR OWN, UNIQUE IDENTITY TO UNFOLD?
The snail goes at his own pace.
Working with me means that you will go at your own pace. The coaching space allows you to slow down, reflect and start to think about yourself, your life and your relationships differently. With a little more breathing space, you can easily and intuitively take action towards creating your authentic life and positive change that is meaningful to you.
If you're ready to move at your own pace, or perhaps you're itching to burst out of your chrysalis like a beautiful butterfly, contact me for an exploratory conversation. There's no obligation and who knows - perhaps you'll find a new way of being?
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
By investing in just a few hours coaching after an initial consultation, you'll gain clarity on your priorities, understand why they are important to you and can then begin to take intuitive action to change your life.
With support from me as your coach, you can begin to overcome the barriers which have held you back, kept you stuck or prevented you from taking those all-important steps forward. You can begin to create the life you really want to live.
"Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest."
Mark Twain
Confidential coaching for business owners, leaders, managers and team members. You can improve your mental health and wellbeing, organisational culture, engagement, trust, productivity, fun and so much more, by bringing more authenticity to work.
Coaching for Individuals
Get In TouchPERSONAL & WELLBEING COACHING
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Coaching with Slow Coach Sarah brings about:
An opportunity to slow down - enjoy focused, reflective time for yourself and take an honest look at your life
Develop awareness - of your automatic thinking, what matters to you, and how you truly feel. Recognise your hopes, dreams, fears, barriers, needs and desires for a better life - find your authentic self
Clarity - about where you are now, how and why you may have got there, and where you want to go, by setting new and meaningful goals for the coming year
Private time and space - to talk, to be heard and understood, as you make plans for stepping into your authentic life
Confidence - to take small steps or great leaps to bring your authentic self to life
Recognition of unhelpful patterns - identify unhelpful habits of thinking, feeling and behaving, so that change can take place
Support - as you take the time you need, as you move through fears, and as you shift and take action towards your milestones and towards creating a future you'll love
Opportunities to process emotions - the feelings that arise when we take full responsibility for our lives can be challenging: grief, loss, fear, excitement - even positive feelings can disturb us!
Results - establish a new version of your own relationship with change when you see the results you set out to achieve manifest, as you transform your life from the inside out. Book your free, confidential consultation now. Your authentic life matters!
Coaching for Organisations
"Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and, most importantly, a way of communicating."
Simon Sinek
COACHING FOR AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE CHANGE
How are you and your team showing up at work? Would you like to lead more assertively or behave more confidently? Perhaps you want to bring more of your real self to work, assured that you'll maintain professional relationships?
Coaching for more authentic engagement and relationships at work can be powerful - and empowering - for everyone.
BENEFITS OF WORKING MORE AUTHENTICALLY
Improved feelings of wellbeing - for yourself and others
Increased trust with colleagues - which boosts morale, overall performance and productivity levels
Greater psychological safety - when employees feel safe, they share ideas, speak their truth and greater collaboration can take place
A more pleasant atmosphere - more confidence, capability and support throughout the organisation can result in lower stress levels and a more caring environment for everyone
Spontaneity, creativity and fun - coaching opens diverse approaches to problem-solving
Increased openness, honesty and feedback - a more open way of being and communicating becomes the standard, thus changing the culture over time
Better staff retention - staff churn levels come down, sickness absence levels decrease, and a more adult working environment ensues
Counselling
Are you feeling anxious, lonely, emotional or overwhelmed?
Following the pandemic and with ongoing, wide-ranging world challenges that continue to impact our mental and emotional wellbeing, many people are now more aware of their feelings, fears or anxiety, which may be preventing them from enjoying their everyday lives.
Whether you are struggling with everyday living or you want to proactively invest in your own mental health, feel free to GET IN TOUCH to book an initial counselling assessment with Sarah.
Counselling assessments are 50 mins duration and £60, payable in advance. Some concessions are available, please ask Sarah. Further information can also be found by downloading this Q&A
Sarah is an experienced and Accredited Member of the BACP and she also completed a BACP accredited counselling training. All her work is insured and she is also a registered member of the ICO. You can find Sarah listed on the BACP directory.
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"Since working with Sarah, I realise that each day is a journey and by slowing down and feeling my emotions I'm getting much more clarity, self-awareness and I feel happier with myself. Above all the pain is okay. My confidence and actions are changing which is making me feel calmer in every way and I have more courage and belief in myself. "
Tracey M, Regional Sales & Marketing Manager.
"Sarah is a highly skilled, insightful and instinctive coach who has helped me through a time in my career when I felt as if I was in the middle of a whirlwind!
Moreover, she created a space where I could explore my hopes and dreams for the future and has given me confidence about the skills and qualities I already have."Claire, Careers Progression Coach
"I realise I'm relatively clear and have long been quite clear about the direction I want to move in - and I need to pay closer attention and give more time to listening to my inner voice. Despite wanting to get away from people pleasing, I do really benefit from external accountability and a sounding board to turn the hypothetical into action. Breaking things down into small steps and action points on a week-by-week basis and being able to check-in with you about my various emotions regarding them was really helpful."
Sophie
"After only 2 short coaching sessions with Sarah, I used to recognise my blockages in business and find out the way to remove them. Its amazing how Sarah can influence your thought process and make impossible to possible! I strongly recommend trying session, for all who are feeling low with any part our life-Sarah gives you opportunity for real change."
Magdalena Zalewska
"I found Sarah very good to work with, very calm and positive. I surprised myself by learning that embracing the negative energy can end up with a positive outcome. The positive energy work was really good. I've never done anything like that before."
JP, NPD Manager
"Sarah really helped me find clarity! Instead of getting dragged down into the situation she helped me to find a 'light energy' which felt so much better. She also helped me to find the confidence to 'take my place' and have greater control over the situation. It was interesting to explore how current situations were impacted by old behaviours that once might have been helpful but no longer serve me well!"
HR Professional
"I hoped to build my confidence in my decision making and check that I was content to be on the path I was heading. It was amazing what three sessions can do, especially as I didn't have many very clear questions to work with. It has helped me feel very motivated and organised and that I can trust in myself. It's great having more trust so I am less worried and negative. It helped to to see I have many answers myself but just needed support in realising this. I enjoyed the sessions and came out of each one feeling lighter and happy."
Stay at home parent
"I did not know what to expect but I got so much more than I was expecting. I think you pitched everything perfectly and I really enjoyed working with you and will be working with you in the future I am sure. You have reinforced the need for coaching occasionally and not to just plod on, on my own."
K Price, KSP TechCare
"I experienced coaching with Sarah a few months ago. I was facing a dilemma and talking things through gave me clarity; with Sarah's help I was able to find the answer to a question that had been bothering me for a while. Sarah made me feel totally at ease and her approach was very well considered, respectful and thought-provoking all at the same time. I left the session feeling invigorated. Sarah is wonderfully warm and kind, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her."
Laura Summerhayes, Great Copy Matters, Bristol
"I love being able to take the calls from the comfort of my home. The calls start and end on time and the sessions always feel very fluid and organic. Sarah is very warm and empathic, with no judgement or collusion. Sarah is always very attentive and remembers info shared in previous sessions. I feel like I have found the best coach for my journey right now."
Anonymous
"Sarah listens, clarifies and helps to identify issues and goals very skillfully and with insight. She was excellent at supporting me in defining my goals and outcomes.
Sarah checks her perception out regularly and mirrors the conversation - this helps me to feel that I am being listened to fully."Anonymous
"The sessions were well structured, challenging and very supportive. Sarah encouraged me to be a bit more playful through the use of some exercises. Way outside of my comfort zone but I persevered! Starting off by having regular sessions with an opportunity to check in if needed in between sessions meant I could put some of the things we discussed into practice and then feedback. This meant the sessions felt very productive, with change achieved in a short space of time."
HR Professional
"I really can't thank-you enough for the sessions Sarah, the timing has been perfect with the start of my new role, and given me a real insight on what you are able to do. They say the "proof is in the pudding", and this is definately the case! I would have no reservation in recommending you to my clients, and can articulate the benefits from first hand experience. Furthermore, I can see how business owners would really benefit from your coaching and HR experience to help them shape their business and become more successful. You have really helped me - so thank-you :)"
S. Matthews
"I come away from the sessions really energised and with a greater capacity for giving. This can only happen when a person's needs have been met."
ES
"Sarah facilitated the kind of coaching I needed really well! Her background in HR, coaching and counselling meant that she had lots of different tools and experience to help me move forwards. When I started working with Sarah I was in a new role and also experiencing lots of other staff changes around me.
I felt that I was 'firefighting' and I needed a coach who could listen to the whole range of stuff that I was trying to deal with and help me make sense of it".Claire, Careers Progression Coach
"I would highly recommend Sarah to anyone wanting to explore where they are and what they want next in their lives. Extremely skilled"
JK
"Sarah has been excellent support in helping me defining goals and outcomes - it has been really helpful to have the session summarised at the end and revisited at the next session."
Anonymous
"Sarah always remembers what was shared in previous sessions and builds on that. She can help me bring up so much stuff (thoughts, feelings, memories) and express them in ways I have never done before, which I find extraordinary. I am absolutely happy to recommend Sarah as a Coach."
SF
VALUES
My values are a set of beliefs, attitudes and guidelines which inform how I do business as Slow Coach Sarah and the coaching relationship we enter into.
FUN
"At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day." Simone Biles
Whilst making changes can feel frightening (especially the big things), it doesn't have to be that way! Fun matters. When we allow fun in, we not only shift our perspective, we shift our energy.
And that can shift anything. Or everything.
I honour fun as much as fear. Oh, and all the other feelings we experience, too.
INTEGRITY
"I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashion." Lillian Hellman
In my business and in my work with you, I uphold a sense of integrity.
This means:
prioritising your privacy and confidentiality
treating you and our work together like it matters. Because it does
holding clear, professional boundaries and a safe space for you
avoiding conflicts of interest and putting things right if a conflict arises
being honest if I make a mistake
respecting you and your time
having a reparative mindset and approach
ensuring I continue to invest in my own growth & development
Relationship
"If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded"
Maya Angelou
We all learn, grow and change through being in relationships. I value our professional relationship and will proactively foster it.
Here's how:
provide a psychologically safe space - for you, including starting & ending sessions on time and maintaining professional boundaries
ensure you lead the way - by supporting you to define your goals, direction and outcomes of our work together
highlight relationship dynamics - by sharing my perceptions sensitively and for the purpose of increasing your self-awareness, insight and growth
investing in my own coaching supervision and counselling supervision - to support my work
respect your views, - perspectives, opinions, choices and decisions that you make
welcome feedback, ongoing dialogue, - your perceptions and insights about our professional relationship and the progress you're making
hold a fundamental belief that you are already whole, - in charge of your life and will always find your right way
communicate honestly and clearly - about any aspect of our working relationship
GROWTH
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."
Soren Kierkegaard
The degree to which I am willing, invested, and committed to my personal development and growth directly impacts the depth and quality of your growth as my client.
As I continue growing, learning and dedicating myself to ongoing self-awareness and change, this transformative energy is shared with you through our coaching work.
AUTHENTICITY
"Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!"
Dr. Seuss
I place value on being true to oneself and working to discover the life's purpose inside each of us.
I will encourage you to play, discover - and if you choose to - live more authentically and express more of your real self in your own life.
Once you start to see yourself and your life differently, it can be both easy and challenging at times to live in that authentic space.
I help you to navigate both.
To explore what your authentic life means to you - and how it might feel to live it - contact me for a chat. In confidence and with no obligation.
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started."
Mark Twain
The majority of 1:1 coaching and counselling continues to take place online. Some face-to-face sessions may also be possible, depending on your location. Feel free to discuss your requirements during the initial consultation. As well Bath, Bristol, the South West of England and across the UK, Sarah also offers counselling and coaching in Devizes, Swindon, Calne, Salisbury, Wiltshire and surrounding areas .
Thank you for considering me as your coach or counsellor.
Look out for upcoming, face-to-face workshops in your area!
"We are constantly invited to be who we are." Henry David Thoreau