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“Life coaching” sounds kind of campy when you just throw it out there. I prefer to think of it as having someone who’ll create the space for people to untangle their thoughts.
Coaching isn’t me telling you what to do. That’s consulting. And it’s not us talking about childhood traumas and how to rewire your brain to cooperate. That’s therapy.
That said, if you’re looking for a safe place to think out loud, discover patterns in your mindset and behaviors that might be limiting, and reveal your inner workings through pointed questioning, then look no further. That is coaching. And whether it’s with me or with another talented coach, you will be working with professionals who want to help you take control of your own circumstances and live on your own terms, even if you need us to help you figure out what that means to you.
Ready to see if we’re a coaching fit? Simply fill out an intake form, and I’ll get back to you right away. If you want to know a little more about me before making up your mind, keep reading.
So, since there are many talented coaches out there, why pick me?
Hi! I’m Jennifer Jones.
Relationships
I’m a recovering codependent and a domestic abuse survivor, doing the work around how one kind of led to the other. I grew up in a “broken home” in various low-income areas with a single mother who gave up everything for my sister and me. (Shoutout to the madre.)
My father, rest in wherever, was a Cluster-B personality with blatant narcissistic traits. While I think he finally came to understand love as he neared the end of his life, that didn’t help me navigate the first 40 years of mine. As such, I’ve had a string of bad relationship choices, and I left a “wake” of hurt people behind me while trying to find my way, or at least that’s what my 3rd ex-husband told me.
On the flip side, I’ve known plenty of pain in return. While all of my previous romantic relationships were lacking in some way, two of them were extremely abusive emotionally, mentally, and verbally. I’ve known the greatest gaslighted highs of love-bombing and future-promising and the soul-destroying lows of triangulation and avoidance. Because of that, I write a lot about recovering from narcissistic* abuse. If you’re interested, you can find those pieces here and on my Medium profile, as well as here on my blog page.
With the help of therapy to address the past trauma, I’ve been able to dig myself out of my codependency, establish healthy boundaries with others, and have been blessed with the most amazing partner. I continue to work with my therapist to combat the voices left behind in the trauma-wounded brain, and I’m now enjoying working with life coaches to help me dial in on my goals. Life is a work in progress, but life is good.
(*I don’t like to use that word because the two men are undiagnosed, but it’s what resonates with most people at the beginning of the healing journey. The DSM description for NPD fits both of them perfectly, though.)
Professional Life
Struggling with job issues? I feel that.
I’ve been a high school and college English teacher for nearly two decades. If you’ve been keeping up with education, then you know it’s become a battlefield, both figuratively and literally. Thankfully, I’m blessed to be in a great district with great kids, but that doesn’t stop the state from trampling over all of their, and my, rights. Fighting back has grown toxic and exhausting. Teachers around the nation are being verbally vilified and physically attacked. I say all that to say, if you’re looking to talk about navigating crazy career woes, I can definitely help you there.
I’m also a singer in a cover band. Between that and teaching, I understand the pressures on performance-based positions. If you’re in a position where you always have to be “on” and want to examine ways to manage that, I’m your girl.
As for coaching, I want to help others like I’ve been helped. I have so much to give back, and I look forward to doing for others what has been done for me. Working with therapists and coaches is valuable and life-changing, and I am proud to be a part of the community.
Thinking ahead, I have aspirations to offer online courses in trauma recovery. I’m fascinated by the ways the trauma-wounded brain can continue to have power over us, even when we’re doing the work.
Credentials
After many months, I’ve completed my International Coaching Federation (ICF)-accredited coursework through Lumia Coaching. I’m now working to become an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), which is like passing the bar exam for coaches.
Our present is shaped by our past, and while coaching is not therapy (where you would work through past issues), it is absolutely a space to help you process, create solutions, and move forward. Coaches meet clients where they are.
That said, I do believe it could be helpful that I come from a background of traumatic, lived experiences. While I wouldn’t wish them on anyone, they’re invaluable to empathy. I’ve spent years in intense therapy for trauma recovery, overcoming domestic abuse, being a child of a dysfunctional family, and codependency recovery.
The work I’ve done for myself helps me help others wanting to talk to someone who speaks the language. I’m passionate about helping people who are stuck by that trauma-wounded script move forward.
Personal Bits
- I’m an advocate and ally.
- Downtown Memphis might have saved my life.
- My favorite color is purple.
- I love animals.
- Life-design coaching might be my favorite thing ever.
- I founded a network of women, over 450 strong, from around the world who uplift and empower one another. All ages, races, and preferences are present, and I’m honored to be a part of such an amazing community.
Let’s connect!
If you think we might be a match, please head over to my intake form to start working together. There’s no obligation. If we do, we do. If not, I can help you find someone who does. I’m proud of you for doing the work, no matter who it’s with.
