Suzanne's Overall Approach to Coaching

Suzanne is a life coach who delights in guiding and coaching you to overcome everyday challenges common to our shared human experience, awaken your unique strengths as an individual, and to embrace your life more fully.  Working with the presence of Suzanne as a life coach, you will begin to clear away the unwanted noise in your life so you can begin to listen to the call of your true Self.  As this happens, you will begin to know what's truly meaningful and important to you at a deeper level, leading to more clarity about your overall life purpose, and defining next steps you want to create the life you envision. By coaching with Suzanne, new understandings you'll gain may cast light on what specifically may bring more fulfillment. Within the context of an "I-Thou" relationship, you'll be intuitively coached through the stages of envisioning what you'd like to move towards and then developing the strength of will to implement positive changes. 

For more detailed information on coaching and the work I offer:

Listening compassionately is something that can be very important to taking next steps. We all have times when we feel stuck. That can be a lonely place. When you're feeling alone at the crossroads, it's invaluable to have someone to intently listen to you with objectivity, to believe in you, and to gently help you get past the places that hinder you in fully living your life. The presence of a coach is especially helpful during times of major transitions and change to help figure out how to maneuver to what's next at life's various turning points. All kinds of interpersonal, geographic, or career changes with varying levels of intensity can prompt the need for a life coach to assist.

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Dreamed of developing your artwork more? Want new kinds of relationships that support your dreams? Or have you known there's some creative impulse inside you in any genre or medium that you've wanted to explore? These are all subjects relevant for coaching. Suzanne made huge strides with her art when she started working with her own guide and coach. In fact, the way she's developed as a painter would not have been possible without this steady support and encouragement to follow her heart and dreams. 

The Difference Between Coaching and Psychotherapy

As always, if more intensive help or psychotherapy is needed beyond what coaching can provide, Suzanne will bring this up and make recommendations. Sometimes people need help outside of coaching, or in addition to it, to live and function well. Coaching primarily deals with working with the present time or what's going on right now in your life. It also empowers you to make choices and changes that will be in your best interest. Therapy tends to look more deeply at the past and ask the question "why?"  A beloved friend of Suzanne's used to frequently say, "Okay, so what, now what?"  And coaching does just that, helps us actively address everything from exercise to spiritual practice to changing relationships or jobs, leaving the stuff that perhaps held us back, behind where it needs to "take a rest." If someone needs therapy, they generally have done that work before they start coaching although therapy and coaching can work in tandem for some people. The tone of coaching is positive, and it helps empower a client in a way that's healthy and grounded and affirming. One of Suzanne's coaches used humor powerfully - this is common in coaching. We learn to laugh at ourselves and keep moving ahead!

My Rates, Appointments, and Availability

Rates. The standard recommended coaching rate is $85 an hour. I do not offer career coaching any longer. Please let me know if you have a financial hardship and I will try to work with you.

Appointments. In order to benefit from the cumulative improvements with coaching, there needs to be relative consistency with appointments. For life coaching, this can be set up as at least twice a month. Less than this, and it is not really effective in making changes you'd like to make and in keeping the coaching relationship strong and viable. 

Availability. I can meet with you over the phone or by Zoom depending on the arrangement. I am also available for email check-ins or quick calls between scheduled appointments if you make that arrangement with me.

How Do I Know if Coaching with Suzanne is a Good Fit?

An 30-minute initial appointment is complimentary. The initial appointment sets up how coaching will work, what we'll emphasize and designing the relationship. We can decide if coaching is appropriate and if you think we’re a good match for this work.

Types of Coaching Suzanne does

Here are some of the key life coaching areas that Suzanne feels are her real strengths as a coach and that she'd love to help you with:

General Life Coaching. This would involve all areas of your life. We would work together to identify areas to really hone in on and work with as top priorities. General life coaching can include work on career issues, but that is not the main focus of life coaching, only one aspect. This type of coaching can deal with key relationships, health, social life, creative projects, and any other range of life issues. We will work to design what's right for you and may employ all different kinds of work to help you find your way. 

Creativity Coaching.  Suzanne would love to hear about the book you've always known you have inside you, or the desire you have to see what you're really capable of writing, painting, sculpting, cooking, growing, or any creative pursuit . We can work with anything you've always known you had a talent for or even just a curiosity about, yet you may need some encouragement and guidance to connect fully with that authentic, creative part of yourself. This work can be fun, surprising, and enlivening. For Suzanne, hiring her own creative coach to augment her lifelong love of painting, has opened her up to her creative core so that she could paint with a more authentic voice. Just talking about the places where you take off gloriously or get incredibly stuck, and allowing someone "to listen closely" to your process can be incredibly beneficial. This kind of coaching involves doing visualizations, journaling, and sharing some of your work if you choose.

Spiritual Coaching. Perhaps you are looking for new ways to work with your inner longings for meaning and authenticity in a world that can sometimes feel empty or confusing. Sometimes we go through changes or losses that make us question our connection to life and spirit. Regardless of your religious or spiritual background, or personal beliefs, or lack thereof, we can work together to support you in embracing a more empowered place within yourself. If you simply want a coach to help you as your begin a meditation practice or implement your spiritual callings, that is also a place to do this work. Given Suzanne's background in energy medicine, meditation, yoga and mindfulness, if you have alternative practices or non-mainstream beliefs, and you need a coach who can "get you" spiritually, you may find a kindred spirit in this coach. Suzanne's own beliefs are most eclectic and she feels that there's a big tent when it comes to spirituality and religion. She's attended everything from Penecostal to Catholic to Quaker Christian services, Buddhist sitting and walking meditation, Satsang at ashrams, sweat lodges, twelve step programs, fire walks, and Shamanic journeying.  To Suzanne, this is a very personal, lived experience in whatever way you choose to have it. The important thing is being present for yourself and mindful of where you are in your life. Life can be a beautiful adventure as you connect to your spirit.

Termination of Sessions

If at any point, you or Suzanne feel that some other modality or help is needed instead of, or in addition to our work together, we can explore how you can pursue this. Suzanne is happy to recommend a more appropriate practitioner if one is called for. The beauty of coaching is that you can design or re-design the relationship so that it will best suit your needs - to keep the work powerful and effective. And when you're ready to fly solo for a time or for good, or to work with someone else, Suzanne will celebrate that with you. Your highest good is what's most important in the way that you see it and that should always come first!

Suzanne Phelps Chambers is a Life Coach who has received professional training from the Psychosynthesis Coach Training Program in 2013 and 2014 under the instruction of Didi Firman. She completed two years of Psychosynthesis Training, Levels I and II, prior to starting the Coach Training Program. Thus, she is also experienced in Psychosynthesis guiding which is distinguished from coaching. Suzanne also studied for four years at The Rhys Thomas Institute of Energy Medicine and became a certified Energy Medicine Practitioner in 2010. Suzanne is also a practitioner of gentle yoga, Amrit Yoga and Kundalini Yoga, an Amrit Yoga and Amrit Yoga Nidra Instructor certified by the Yoga Alliance. Suzanne is also an oil and watercolor painter. She has worked in the college textbook publishing industry for over thirty years. She brings her knowledge of both corporate life and artistic pursuits to her her coaching practice to help those struggling with the work-life balance as they pursue their goals.

Rates: $85 for most coaching sessions. If ability to pay is an issue, I am happy to discuss a sliding scale where there is a need.

To schedule an appointment or make an inquiry contact Suzanne at:

Call/Text: 617-504-7713

Email: schambersyoga@gmail.com