About

MEET YOUR COACH

Professional Background & Experience

I am a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaches Federation (ICF). a Certified Grief Educator with an educational background in Psychology (BA, UBC), Counselling (Child and Youth Counselling Diploma), and Career Development (Certified Career Development Practitioner, SFU) with several years of experience in youth counselling, student advising and career advising. I fell in love with the coaching component of my jobs and found the background in Psychology and Counselling to compliment this well. Through Career Coaching I realized that you cannot separate career from the rest of your life and often ended up coaching a wide variety of areas so……

I implemented my own Career Development : I got my Certification in Life Coaching and I have been working as a Life Smart Coach Service Provider in Employee Family and Assistance programs for 7 years as well as 1:1 coaching in areas including stress and anxiety management, career development, grief and loss, relationships and communication, mental and emotional wellness, elder care and family support, parenting and pre-retirement planning.

With my experience in Grief and Loss Coaching over the last several years I knew I wanted to provide specific services for this in Grief and Loss hence and obtained training, now a Certified Grief Educator with David Kessler’s Grief Educator Certification program.

I like to use a variety of techniques and strategies, drawing from multiple areas from both coaching and counselling theories and models, depending on the client’s situation. I use a solution-focused, client -centered and holistic approach. I have my certification in Cognitive Behavioural Life Coaching and use concepts from CBT, motivational interviewing, emotional intelligence, positive psychology, appreciative inquiry, acceptance and commitment therapy among with a few others!

On a personal Note....Who are you talking to?

I’d like to start by responding to an assumption, maybe myth, I tend to notice as a reaction to saying I am a Life Coach.

No, I have not “figured it all out” – whatever that means. I actually don’t believe you ever reach a point of “figuring it all out”.

It may feel uncomfortable but sometimes you just have to figure out now, not the whole journey. Or accept, lean into and tolerate the discomfort of not knowing. Sometimes that may mean grounding yourself and starting with noticing if your feet are on the ground!

Been there!

I am communicating this as I want to share that yes; I have the professional background and experience to be a Life Coach AND I am also…a being…just like you are. I seek coaching too:)

For a successful coaching partnership, there HAS to be connection. I am a big supporter of Brene Brown’s work and her emphasis on the power of vulnerability, necessary to breed connection. My education and experience provide me with competency and credibility. But for coaching to work there needs to be connection. This does not get established with credentials, or at least not solely on credentials:). This comes through conversation and the coaching process and….vulnerability. If you are going to share some of your unique journey and experience with me, it may help you to understand who you are talking to. So. Here goes….Sometimes I feel lost. Sometimes I feel stuck. Sometimes I need someone to hold me accountable to reach my goal. Sometimes I feel sad. Sometimes I feel down about myself. Sometimes I let negative and anxious thoughts take over. I create many stories in my head! I practice emotional self- regulation everyday and struggle with self-compassion (working on it AND I do help coach others to build self-compassion!). I have failed and fallen flat. I have loved and been rejected. Hurt and been hurt. Forgived others and been forgiven. I can connect because I haven’t “figured it all out” . But! No matter where and in what situation I find myself in, I believe there is always a way forward-through pathways, goals and personal agency. There is Hope. No one can ever take that away from you unless you let them.

Finding a way forward on your own can be dark, confusing and seem improbable. But you don’t have to do it all alone. That’s where I hope to help and support you.

You have to start somewhere and maybe trying a coaching session is where its at.

What DO I believe?

That change is inevitable but growth, now that’s a choice. Where there is chaos, there is opportunity. Where there is transition, there is life. What lies between reaction and stimulus, is space. Put it all together, We have Space, Opportunity…and Life. What you choose to do with it, how you choose to SEE it, BE it, FEEL it and EXPERIENCE it, that’s up to you.

I look forward to meeting you.

Affiliations/Certifications

Professional Certified Coach with the International Coaches Federation

Certified Career Development Practitioner with the BC Career Development Organization

Certified Employment Strategist, Certified Work-Life Strategist, Certified Career Strategist all with the Career Professional of Canada

Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Step 1 &2, Strong Interest Inventory

B level Certified, Pyschometrics.com

Certified Grief Educator from David Kessler Training

CBT Life Coach, Transformation Academy

As Your Coach

I do not have the power to change your life, but YOU do and I believe the real transformation happens not within our 1-hour appointments but all the effort and work you put into it outside the sessions.

What will I do? I may encourage you to explore a place you have never explored before. It may feel scary. It may feel uncomfortable. But it may be where you need to go to get to where you want to be. That’s up to you.

I believe you have and are what it takes to be and get to solve and cope with your problems, create a pathway to your goals, and identify and challenge your fears.

As you Coach, no matter what service you choose, you can expect me to:

Ask you questions in order to guide you to an answer
Encourage deep thoughts and reflection about where you are at NOW and the changes you want to make.
Encourage you to challenge your thoughts by identifying and challenging inconsistencies.
Support you through difficult decisions.
Assist you with creating, following and maintaining your personalised plan of action
Help you to create and establish goals and develop strategies and reach your goals.
Provide you with psychoeducation ((appropriate tools and resources) to support your course of action
Ensure a safe and trusting space for you, without judgement – a place to be heard and understood, with referral if/a s necessary to outside/more appropriate services
Use a variety of techniques and tools t support you including concepts from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Appreciative Inquiry, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

let's Get Started

Appointments can be done via Zoom, Skype or telephone. All appointments start with an initial 30 minute free consultation over phone.

Hear what others have to say...

TEstimonials

Fanie was such a wonderful help numerous times, especially with having me examine my priorities and responsibilities and helping me navigate my work and life after a diagnosis. Her empathy, understanding, and helpful advice goes above and beyond every time.

Fanie is a gifted listener and has natural empathy. Fanie was always reliable and asks smart, intuitive questions to help you focus and get on the right path. Every time I finished a session with her, it felt like a weight had been lifted from my mind and heart. Fanie will remember what she heard and put it into valuable, credible insight, while making sure to follow up on your goals. These skills distinguish her from all other coaches I have worked with - I can tell she is really doing coaching as a true passion! I highly recommend Fanie as your future coach as part of a beautiful journey in your life!

Fanie is so easy to talk to. She was always kind and gentle, but could see what I couldn’t and was not afraid to point these things out to me. If you’re struggling with a life issue, I’d highly recommend Fanie to partner through it with you.