Meet the Coach: Joanne Bright
Joanne Bright is a coach in North Devon and online
What attracted you to become a coach?
I had already been working as an occupational therapist for fifteen years specialising in mental health in both private and NHS settings before I trained as a life coach in 2009. It felt like a natural progression especially as I had training in solution-focused therapy, NLP and motivational interviewing.
I have worked across all areas of mental health. Recently I decided to specialise in women’s coaching as I understand first-hand the challenges that women face.
Where did you train?
With the Coaching Academy.
What kind of coaching do you offer?
Personal performance life Coaching for women aged 18 upwards, both individual and group work. My focus is improving lifestyle balance, recognising, treating and preventing burnout, managing life transitions, confidence building and getting out of ruts!
I also provide skills training like assertion and communication skills.
How does personal performance coaching help women with a lack of confidence?
My coaching provides a safe, non-judgemental and supportive space where a client gives herself the time she deserves to focus on herself.
Coaching is ideal if you feel frustrated by your lack of confidence and would like to explore change. We often feel confident in one area of our life but not another. Coaching is a joint process between coach and client, usually the client is in the driving seat but is unsure of where she wants to go or knows where she wants to go and doesn’t know how to get there.
The coach will enable you to get to where you want to go or help you work out where you want to go! Coaching will empower you by teaching you skills and strategies to facilitate the changes you want to make. Often the solutions can be small but life-changing.
What kind of coaching clients do you usually see?
I see women who are struggling to juggle it all, women who do not prioritise themselves enough, women who are lacking energy or confidence, women who feel worn out or ground down, women who are feeling stuck or burnt out.
Do you ever suggest books or materials to clients?
Yes all the time! I've been an avid reader of self-help books for many years. I also listen to many podcasts like Jay Shetty, Lewis Howes and Tony Robbins which I also recommend. I also love TED talks.
What do you like most about being a coach?
I love to see personal transformation and people realising their potential. I love it when people make new connections about themselves and have lightbulb moments. I also love the connection you create with your client. It is always a privilege to accompany someone for part way of their self-discovery journey. Coaches always learn something about themselves from every client.
What is less pleasant?
It is always difficult to see how much women do for others in their life and very little for themselves. Meeting a lady that does not see her self-worth is always sad but coaching changes this, and that is why it is so special.
What is the life lesson you try to live by?
The present moment is all that you have.
What do you wish people knew about coaching?
That it can benefit all women and not just a certain type of woman.
Also that it is not the same as therapy in that the focus is on the present and not on the past. For some people thinking that they have to address old wounds can be very fear and anxiety provoking; coaching does not require this.
Do you have a favourite client testimonial or particular success story?
There are too many to mention! But it is often the small changes which can be the most pivotal and lead to even greater change.
One lady I worked with had a very successful and satisfying career but she was internally berating herself for not achieving a university degree years earlier. She had left after the first year. She was very focused on her work and pushed herself very hard, adversely affecting her health. Once she realised this was a limiting belief underlying some of this behaviour she was able to explore it, challenge it and change it.
