Michaela from Green Shoots Coaching is a great coach and fantastic source of advice and help. She has accompanied me all along the way of my career change. She facilitated me finding solutions to my problems and answers to my many questions. Michaela helped me face and address my daemons and build confidence in my own abilities to solve these issues. When I turned to Green Shoots Coaching I was pretty much stuck in a process of knowing that I wanted to change my career and knowing what jobs / type of work I did not want to do. But I was not able to pin down what I actually wanted to do or could do with the skill set and knowledge I had. Michaela helped me translate these skills, knowledge and experience from my previous jobs and employments as a research scientist into current and up-to-date qualities for the present and future, adaptable to various sectors and areas of work. Together we tackled my issues with successful interview strategies and put theory into practice-action. I successfully interviewed for a job in a new environment which I had identified as a potential future area of work and career path.

Over the past 6 months I lived through the ups and downs of settling into my new role as a programme manager in the new work environment. I am pleased that I have lasted longer in the post than I had feared sometimes along the way. Recent challenges in my new job have made me seek Green Shoots Coaching and Michaela’s advice once more and as before she has proven an invaluable resource and support. By asking the right questions and providing the right tools at the time and for the problems she has guided me to name the issues and draw up potential solutions. I came up with an Action Plan for the immediate and near future. I feel confident now that I will be able to solve the problems and grow stronger as I go along. Through working with Green Shoots Coaching I have learned valuable skills not only for my professional life but also adaptable skills for everyday life.

I can fully and wholeheartedly recommend Michaela and Green Shoots Coaching.

B O Programme Manager

'I landed on Michaela's doorstep at a point in my life where even though I tried hard, I just couldn't reach my goals. My self esteem and sense of self worth where virtually non-existent. Now about a year on, I'm working on the career    path of my choice, having the confidence to make decisions and act on them. I've made improvements in my personal relationships and I confidently work towards a life I want. The sessions with Michaela and the tools she gave me have enabled me to do these things and feel great about them. It is like being on a personal journey with expert guidance. As I continue to work towards my goals I have decided to go for 3-monthly maintenance sessions, it helps me to stay on track.'

G York

I now realise my gym and Michaela are the perfect combination.  I work out and Michaela keeps me motivated to work out.  Prior to my sessions I didn't use my membership enough to make it viable, now I do and look forward to it.

KC York

This has made a huge differance in my personal commitment to my weightloss.  I find my class beneficial but it is the coaching sessions that have really kept me on track and helped me understand my relationship with food.  I have some way to go but know that this is helping me in a really positive way.

LK York

Michaela's coaching not only helped me with the issue I came to solve (career path) but has provided me more generally with a much more positive outlook on life and belief in my own abilities.  Michaela gave me activities and tools to use which helped me to put my issues in a broader picture.  Each session we explored a differant aspect and by the end of the sessions I was able to take further steps myself.  As aside effect of the coaching I finally managed to take the big step and buy a house.  Now it is up to me to stay positive about myself and my abilities

HA Lecturer

I would have no hesitation recommending Michaela in any capacity as a Personal Coach/Development Consultant. She ensured that my progression (as A Project Manager) in my company was smooth and that I had prepared adequately etc. She was extremely supportive, and I would love to have the opportunity to work with Michaela again.

AG York

“Overall, in my view, Michaela has a proven track record as people manager and coach encompassing a number of core demonstrable skills, including people leadership & development, coaching & mentoring, people management and planning & organising. In my personal experience, Michaela demonstrated a number of strengths whilst she was my Professional Development Manager (PDM) at Aviva UK Life from June 2008 to January 2009 which I have summarised below. Across all these strengths what has impressed me most was that we established a good, positive and forward looking working relationship and rapport very quickly. Supportive – Michaela was extremely supportive from day one. Michaela is a good listener and showed a lot of empathy with the plight of her professionals, which was always such an important aspect of the PDM role. Michaela could always be relied upon to see matters through rather than shirking the responsibility. I was particularly impressed with the way Michaela supported me with my career development aspirations. We had a number of extremely constructive and most useful sessions on this matter which provided me with some clear areas to focus on in order to support my career progression aspirations. Committed – Michaela demonstrated a thorough and dedicated approach to her role against the difficult backdrop of many Professionals to cover and support as well as finding her feet as a PDM, which is in itself, was an evolving discipline. Michaela always went out of her way to complete her PDM activities even during difficult role transition periods. Flexible – Michaela was more than capable of dealing with a wide variety of tasks within her role, from assisting the Professional with their individual performance plans & development planning through to measuring Professional success via the performance management process. At all our 1:1, review and development meetings, Michaela was always happy to adjust the agenda to suit our mutual overriding priorities at the time. Finally, I would most certainly be pleased to find myself working with Michaela again in the future.”

JV Business Analyst York

Michaela encourages discussion and is a good listener resulting in solid facilitation in how to progress and develop. Her listening skills help her to pick facts and ideas from conversation that can be used to drive development. I have, on more than one occasion come away with ideas that, upon reflection have come from myself but have needed Michaela's foresight and intuition to bring out.

Michaela works very hard to get the best out of people.  Her approach of letting people reach conclusions themselves develops ownership by the individual and therefore a better chance of swift progress through ownership. Michaela is enthusiastic, motivated and genuinely interested in seeing people develop and this comes across strongly and consistently in each meeting.

Through her honesty Michaela has nurtured a level of trust that I value and appreciate.  Because of Michaela's integrity I am opening up and being more honest with her about myself, always a good start in any development or acknowledgement of areas to improve upon.

Michaela looks forward asking questions and offers different approaches. She understands that different people are motivated in different ways and that a 'one size fits all' approach used by many people is not as successful and she constantly strives to find the key that to what makes people 'tick'. Always follows up from previous meetings and always asks about progress and how an activity has progressed.

I would like to take this opportunity to show my appreciation for everything Michaela has done for me. It has not been easy and it is not over yet. Michaela has persevered with a difficult situation, and has dealt with it professionally and compassionately at the same time as building a relationship based on trust and I hope mutual respect.  Thank you.

MB Project Manager, York

"Michaela has a natural warmth and understanding that makes her so fantastic as a Life Coach, as well as the skills and knowledge she so expertly passes onto her clients to provide them with long term resilience and strength to cope with life's ups and downs. It is a complete testament to her that I eventually only needed three sessions to get me back on track and feeling better. Whether you feel you need a complete overhaul or just some gentle encouragement and guidance, Michaela will be a perfect choice to help you."

LW York

As part of my training as a Performance Development Coach, I needed to experience finding my own coach and actually being coached.  I was initially impressed by Michaela’s marketing methods, but was won over fully at our initial discussion, when I felt that we had a real empathy almost immediately.  I felt that Michaela was someone I could talk to about anything.  She is everything I want to be as a coach: warm, supportive, challenging, inquisitive, attentive and caring.  I was at a crossroads in my life, and she helped me work through the process of deciding which way I wanted to go.  Having made the decision to start my own business, she was generous in sharing her experiences where appropriate, and supported me through the challenges that I faced along the way.  Working with Michaela has helped me change my life for the better, and it was a privilege to work with her.

Zoe McDougall Owner Move4ward www.move4ward.co.uk

I was ready to make some changes in my life and decided that I wanted a coach to help and guide me through the changes I wanted to make. I was keen to find someone who was open, creative, supportive and also disciplined to help me keep on the right track. I found all of these things and more in Michaela.

She combines a professional approach with a natural and open style. Her professionalism gave me the confidence and security that she was guiding me through a well held process and she ‘knew what she was doing’.  I was keen to explore developing my own business which is quite new to the world and creative. Michaela has a great balance of organised professional skills and knowledge in the ‘real world’ with also an open heart and genuine curiosity which helped me be open and confident about being myself and ‘daring’ to dream about offering out my service to the world.

I really enjoyed the creative process of ‘blue sky’ thinking at the beginning giving me space to really be open up and invite in the possibilities of what I wanted to create in my life. As I was setting up by myself and not part of an organisation I found it invaluable to have a guide to bounce off, reflect and work with. As the process became more concrete Michaela was invaluable in helping me come down to more and more achievable goals whilst still holding the vision I had created. She has tremendous empathy and positivity that helped the process along.

Without her help and guidance I feel my business would probably still be a far off dream that I was unsure how to make a reality. I have found the work I have done with Michaela has had a knock on effect in other parts of my life too giving a much needed boost to areas of my health and personal relationships that I also needed. Thank you so much Michaela for helping me birth my dream and vision out into the world.

In beauty,

Rachel Wood, Yarm, http://www.earthvoice.co.uk

Finally I feel like I am getting somewhere.  This is like having a little conscience on my shoulder, but in a good way.  I have never stayed on track for so long.

EM Leeds

Michaela, I just wanted to say thank you so much for helping me through the last few months.  I really didnt know what to do with myself and couldnt find the motivation to change.  I feel like a differant person to the one that sat in front of you at our first session.  I really needed someone to listen and get me out of the rut I was in.  You have given me some fantastic tools which have really made a differance to my outlook on life and I now feel ready to take on the world, I really cant thank you enough.

DB, Leeds

After going through some very difficult experiences, including divorce, depression and unemployment,  my confidence and self esteem had been shattered. I didn’t really know what life coaching involved, but I saw Michaela’s advertisement and decided I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. I’m very glad I did! Michaela took time to listen to me, and treated me as an individual, which meant our sessions were tailored to my needs. I immediately felt comfortable discussing my problems and ambitions. Michaela’s direct and honest approach enabled me to clarify my short-term and long-term goals, and realise that they were achievable. When I needed more specific advice, such as how to deal with particular social or family situations, Michaela was able to offer practical guidance regarding this too. I have noticed a huge increase in self esteem, and now feel able to approach the next stage of my life feeling strong, confident and positive.

SC, York

Michaela has made a lasting impression on me. She has a natural talent for building rapport and understanding. She made time to support me in my challenges, offering guidance and an open ear. Michaela's stand out strength is listening and understanding. This is a real asset. Thanks Michaela!

JM, York

“I have had the pleasure of working with Michaela as a life/career coach on a personal basis. Michaela has been instrumental in the recent grass roots assessment of my career and personal objectives and priorities. In the various sessions that we have had she has expertly coached me through some challenging and complex decisions. I was able, through her support, to be able to look at some viable alternative career options and lifestyle choices that I would not have considered had I not had the benefit of this process. I have found Michaela to be extremely knowledgeable about coaching best practice providing the right balance of challenge, listening, talking, support and empathy. I am delighted that she has decided to launch her formal independant career in coaching as she has a great deal to offer.”

SI, York

I must confess from the start that, before I met Michaela, I was sceptical about career coaching but I had reached a point where I needed to be proactive. I was humbly proved wrong about my preconceptions.

I randomly found my way to Michaela's doorstep by searching on Google - "Career, Coaching, York". Google doesn't always point me in the right direction but this time, it undoubtedly did.

I came to Michaela when I was at a crossroads in my career. I was at a low point and felt trapped in a professional career I had chosen some 12 years earlier - a problem I think is all too common. I wanted (and needed) to make some decisions. With Michaela's invaluable help, I managed to do just that.

Michaela is a wonderful listener, very encouraging and instantly makes you feel at ease. She is very caring yet, when appropriate, challenges your thinking and approach to work / life which really makes you think about your views and approach to those things. Michaela also has a great “business head” and therefore understands the real world of business and the strains and stresses that come with it.

In my opinion though, Michaela's best skill (amongst many very good ones listed above) is her objectivity. This I feel is imperative in a coach who is helping you to make decisions.

By the end of my six sessions with Michaela I had made some brave and long overdue decisions and had acted on them. I ultimately feel much more positive and content about my career path. I also know that there are likely to be a few “wobbles” along the way but I also know that if there are, I will once again be at Michaela's doorstep. This time, the choice will be made by me and not Google.

I wholeheartedly recommend Michaela to any of you with decisions to make about your career and/or life. Go on - go for it and let Michaela help you on your journey!

CG, York

CG,York

Thanks for the support you gave me with my interview and presentation, it really did make a difference. I am sure I will call on you in the future.

CS Career client York

Hi Michaela,

ST York (Business Owner Client)