Life Coaching Focus Areas
You need to get unstuck to get where you're going!
Christian life and professional coaching can take you from stuck or stagnant to future-focused, goal-driven and thriving! Work with an experienced professional towards the life God is calling you to live. Terry Smith, M.Ed., offers Wisergeezer Coaching services through Joshua Tree Counseling and Coaching.
ONLINE COACHING
Wisergeezer Coaching is completely online, available to anyone, anywhere. While Terry is based in Arizona, she will accommodate your time-zone.
CHRISTIAN-BASED
Wisergeezer Coaching is Christian-based for life and professional coaching clients who prefer the integration of Scripture and Biblical truths into the coaching process. Terry also happily works with clients who share a different world view.
"Resolutions are good, but a Rule of Life is better. Resolutions are often about goals that require lots of will power. A Rule of Life is about submitting to the Spirit empowered rhythms, practices and relationships that reorder our hearts and form our wills."
Focus Areas
Wise Decision Making
Many people can become overwhelmed when making a choice, struggle with indecision and get trapped in “analysis paralysis.” Be encouraged! It is possible to overcome these challenges and learn to make good decisions. You want to make the right personal and professional decisions but sometimes the sheer volume of options available may make you question the very decisions that you have made. If you find that you are struggling to make a specific decision, tend to second-guess yourself or have post-decision remorse – let me help you navigate your options and help you add some additional resources to your decision making toolkit. Wise decision-making can be applied to every aspect of your personal and professional life.
Building Resiliency
Would you like to become more productive and positive when you are faced with stress, uncertainly and change? Resiliency is about growing; it is a process. And like any process it ebbs and flows, starts and stutters. It is not a destination or about bouncing back. Let me help you find your True North, learn to take aim and build a repertoire of resources and skills that will help you grow in resilience.
Stress Management
Stress can be both helpful and harmful. Some degree of stress can assist us to stay focused and motivated to accomplish the things that are important. However, when stress makes it difficult to sleep or concentrate or you begin to experience physical symptoms such as headaches and fatigue, you are experiencing overwhelm and you have fallen into distress. Let me help you understand what stress is, how your body responds to stress, your capacity to manage stress and how to reduce stress in the first place.
Managing Personal & Professional Change/Transition
Are you struggling with change? Change brings about uncertainty and sometime fear for many people. Once change has occurred, do you find yourself struggling to transition to the “New”? Do you find yourself trying to return to how things “Used to Be”? Do you see this among those with whom you work or live? Do you know that these responses are quite natural and that there are things that you can do to help yourself and others during change and transition? I am here to offer support as you go through change, to help understand your fears and feelings and ultimately to make the successful transition.
Conflict Management & Resolution
Interpersonal conflict is an inevitable and normal part of our personal and processional lives. However, many people avoid it altogether or otherwise handle it in ways that are counterproductive for themselves and others. In many conflict situations people have a feeling of “powerlessness” or despair because the focus is on trying to change someone else. I can guide you to focus on your response and not the other person or people in your difficult situation. My role is to help you see that ultimately only you can resolve your situation yourself. Together we will do that by addressing how you communicate with those you are having difficulty with, learning and applying the Principles of Principled Communication, addressing communication skills and identifying the three main ways people respond to conflict and identifying what has been your approach.
Establishing and Building Goal Success
The most effective goal success taps into your personal values and transforms them into concrete, clear commitments. Let me help you identify or clarify your personal values – whether in your personal or profession life. If you want to achieve personal goals, adapt your work or personal life habits, make plans to develop new skills at home or at work, learn how to reduce and manage fear or feelings of emotional un-safety in the workplace, if you are returning to work or preparing to retire from work – I will ask you powerful questions and listen carefully to help you reach new understandings and help you plan goals and design actions that will take you toward your aim.
Purpose and Direction
Did you know that having a sense of purpose in your life is associated with all kinds of benefits? Research suggests that life purpose is tied to having better health, longevity and even economic success. It feels good to have a sense of purpose- knowing that you are using your skills, gifts and talents in a way that matters to you. But, how do you go about finding your purpose if it’s not obvious to you? People can find a sense of purpose organically—or through deliberate exercises and self-reflection. Let’s meet to talk about how to help you think and live with more intentionally and purpose.
Overcoming Compassion Fatigue
Are thoughts about clients, patients or sick loved ones becoming obtrusive? Do you have feelings of dread or hopelessness when you think about providing care to others? Are you experiencing anxiety or a loss of joy in your care giving where you used to experience great satisfaction? Compassion fatigue is real. It’s not a fantasy. If you work with or live with people who struggle with trauma and challenging life circumstances, if you are part of an organization, church or community service agency that provides services to vulnerable populations, the question is not IF you are going to experience Compassion Fatigue – the question is When. Everyone who provides compassionate service for other human beings who come from hard places, anyone who is in a position professionally or voluntarily as a compassionate and caring care provider for others is a candidate for Compassion Fatigue. Compassion Fatigue is a recipe that is made up of our own personal histories, the personal challenges and trauma of those we serve and the quality of the environment in which we serve those individuals. There are new ways for us to think about our experiences and new skills to learn to help us make room in our lives for managing and overcoming Compassion Fatigue. I can help you understand the ingredients of compassion fatigue, how to manage toxic stress and how to build in margin so that you can continue to be the loving, compassionate person that you want to be.
