Testimonials / Coaching Success Stories

I’m so grateful for all the heart-centered people I get to work with. Their success stories continue to inspire me.

It’s a pleasure to see them enjoying their work and making a difference in the world, even if they are too humble to say all the big stuff they have accomplished. I see it.

If you want to know if coaching would work for you too, start with this quiz to see if there’s a fit.

I have never had a coaching/therapeutic/anything experience in which I have experienced greater internal shifts, positive mindset changes and simply feeling that I am on the right track and in the right place with the right people than now – thanks to you, Val.”

~ N.S., Florida, introvert and HSP moving towards a more aligned career

I know that this decision to leave my job, and the transition into this next phase has gone so much more smoothly than it would have without your coaching. I am more confident moving forward, more aware of my abilities and what I have to offer. I’m staying brave even when fear kicks up. There seems to be a bit of magic to what you do. I try to explain it, but I can’t quite capture it when telling others.”

~ Lauren, Western Mass. (budding entrepreneur)

Val’s courses have been instrumental in guiding me forward in my professional life. I was feeling burned out and stuck when I enrolled in her Career Clarity Course. Going through the modules and exercises helped me feel renewed and inspired to make positive change by following my inner guidance towards considering self-employment. Then her Bridge to Self-Employment course was a great source of information and inspiration and very empowering.

Val’s wonderful insights and gentle supportive energy have been a blessing as I am building my own business and creating the life I desire, on my own terms! I highly recommend to anyone searching for more meaning and greater fulfillment in their career.”

~ Melissa P., Massachusetts

I sought out Val’s coaching during a period of career transition and contemplating self-employment, and her thorough and thoughtful approach immediately resonated with me. She really takes the time to get to know and understand her clients, and has an uncanny knack for connecting people (for networking, like-minded career groups, etc.).

She is also able to ‘think outside the box’ about potential career paths in a way that I’ve not seen from other coaches, and brings ease and fun into what can be an otherwise potentially daunting process. I can’t recommend her enough. Val is a wonderful coach and more importantly, a wonderful person.”

~Michelle M., New York, introvert and HSP

Kristen - career success storyVal, I know how much you love to hear updates from your coaching clients and boy do I have a good one for you! I just got an offer that I plan to accept for what I am calling my unicorn job. It is in the exact focus that I am interested in, with a company that I love, in a city where I want to live, with an amazing group of people that are smart and supportive and empathetic and passionate (I already know 2 of them), and the pay and benefits exceed my expectations. If you can’t tell, I’m kind of on cloud 9. 😃

[click the arrow for the full story]

Thank you so much for your guidance as I tried to find my north star (my word for the year). The activities and coaching and group gave me the tools and confidence to experiment and find the meaningful work I was looking for and ignore all the rest (that naysaying voice in my head, expectations of others). I am so very grateful, so keep doing what you do!

If you’re considering working with Val… She is a compassionate guide through the process of exploring a new career path. She is warm and empathetic and always has great insight when you are stuck. I stumbled upon her services when I was at a crossroads and unsure of what to do next. Her Career Clarity Course and group coaching gave me the confidence to explore new things and find the career path that was truly aligned with my interests, personality, and strengths. It took time and work but I am now about to start my dream job!”

~ Kristen S., sustainable engineer, introvert and HSP

I feel better about myself and my future than I have in a long time. Val has a wonderfully calming manner that makes you feel better about life the second you hear her voice.”

~ Devan (now moving into truer work with confidence after completing my Career Clarity Course)

Val Nelson is an angel among us. I worked with her as my career/life coach during a big transition in my life. She helped me sort through doubt about my future by connecting me to my heart. In quieting my mind and connecting to my heart, I could finally listen to the direction of my soul. Through this work, I connected to my soul’s purpose and have not steered from that forged path since. I honor the work she does and am so grateful for my time spent together. Feel like you need a change but don’t know where to start? I HIGHLY recommend starting with Val.”

~ Bridget C., Oregon

MaggieWorking with Val Nelson dramatically changed my business. Her superpower is hearing the essence of clients’ concerns and gently pulling forth the substance of what needs to shift. As a solopreneur, I learned both the practical dimensions of my business (what to charge and how to articulate its value) as well as the heart-centered, nuanced dimensions of my business focus. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to work with her and take my business to the next level.”

~Maggie Graham, Career Coach

AmberI’ve known inside for a very long time that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but you really helped me to shed those layers of fear & discouragement. I sometimes can’t believe how confident & proud I am feeling these days and I am so elated when I realize it is not all a dream. Thank you!”

~Amber Ladley

I feel as though you skillfully guided me to simultaneously clarify what I wanted and what I didn’t want, identifying the lifelong, baked-in, ‘my life should look more like some vague idea I have of other people’s lives, and I should try harder to be more like them.’ After my phase of trying to create and ‘succeed’ at something that wasn’t really who I was, I believe what in large part made it possible to find my way ‘home,’ so to speak, was the cumulative effect of the permission and encouragement and conversation from our work together to finally discover what was most important for my core and essential self.”

~Terry B. (now doing what she loves)

I was unhappy, confused and burned out in my job. I was feeling that my job was not the right fit for me but I did not know why.

So I looked into coaching and that’s how I met Val. I did not know what to expect.

It’s been so helpful to realize that how I felt at my old job was valid and that I did not need to change anything about myself. Thinking that there was something about me that I had to fix felt overwhelming. I really just needed to learn about myself and honor myself.

I have left that burnout job and am on to better things. I have a lot of peace and joy in my everyday life.

[click the arrow for the full story]

I hope everyone finds the confidence that I have and the clarity too. I have read many self-help books in an attempt to find my purpose and live it but I made the most progress working with Val.

I like that I can be myself with Val. I feel heard and understood. I feel safe and I love that I have learned so much. I like that I actually grew as a person and I understand who I am as a whole person. I understand my personality, natural strengths, what drains me and what supports me.

I also have clarity about what to do with my strengths and how best to use them to make a contribution. I know what I want and I know how to advocate for my needs in the job search and beyond, and I am confident in who I am. People keep commenting on how happy and confident I am.

I also like the access to tons of resources that I would not have found on my own. For instance, Val connected me with a resume writer and that relieved a lot of pressure because I did not have to do it on my own.

I would recommend Val to anyone who is unsatisfied with their life or career and needs clarity and guidance, anyone confused about their purpose in life, or anyone who wants to live a meaningful life but does not know how to get there.

You rock!!!!!!”

~ Dee

It felt like all the advice about starting a business wasn’t right for me as an introvert (albeit a social one). I didn’t want to hustle, drum up business, or do any old thing to make money. I was feeling stuck and unsure where to go. It was hard being out here on my own and trying to figure out all the answers by myself.

I didn’t know what to expect in working with a business coach or wasn’t sure if it would be worth the investment. Val has helped me so much by being a keen observer of what I’m saying or doing, and helping me to untangle problem areas.
[click the arrow for the full story]

Even after our first discovery call, I saw that I hadn’t even been offering the strategy work I enjoy doing! Now I speak about it with ease, and it’s resonating with people.

Val helped me find my courage to take outreach steps that I was hesitant to take because I didn’t want to be a bother to anyone else. And she’s opened my eyes to the different ways outreach and collaboration can look like.

She has a calm, thoughtful, powerful presence. She’s helped me break out of the binary thinking in my own mind with humor and grace. And she has a great network of like-minded, heart-centered folks that she connects me to thoughtfully.

I’d recommend Val to anyone who’s heart-centered and feeling stuck or alone in their business, and to anyone who might need a thinking partner. I’d also recommend her groups for anyone wanting to connect with other introverts or HSPs in self-employment community. Thank you for your work with me. This doesn’t cover it all, but that’s ok.”

~ Ayelet

Kara Being a solopreneur can be incredibly isolating and a good bit overwhelming at times. I was also planning a wedding while trying to grow my health & lifestyle coaching practice after a relocation from NYC. Working with Val helped me stay focused, grow, and move forward sustainably. I’m projecting at least a 200% growth in revenue this year and feeling ease accomplishing that, instead of gross about marketing.”

~Kara Snyder

“I have immense gratitude for the influence you had on me. You showed me my courage, you taught me how to develop a business, and you invited me into an easeful approach to my work that I didn’t realize I could have. Wow, that’s a lot.”

~J.Y., leadership coach, book author

I have been able to begin to take some control of my self-employed work that was driving me into the ground in many ways. Before we met, I felt immense pressure and was extremely out of sorts with my work.

I recall that after I spoke to you for the first time, and heard your pacing and tone which was so similar to my own, that I felt there was hope for someone like me to be successful too. I felt I could finally stop fighting who I am, and let myself be.

I made some changes at work, being more real and connecting more deeply, and people responded so well. It was the beginning of a new era in my work, where I spoke from my heart. I began to feel like my way of being is a good way after all.

I have since moved on to a new line of work that’s an even better fit. I was feeling encouraged by your words to use my voice for what fit and was true for me.”

~Helena, Canada

Lisa OxboelInitially, I worked with Val to edit and refine [my website] content to the point where I not only felt very comfortable and ready to put it out up on the web, but also that it so accurately expressed who I am and what I had been trying so hard to say. Then she helped me to find creative ways to market myself that are also aligned with who I am and what I feel very comfortable doing. I would highly recommend Val for anyone who is working to find the ways to naturally express who they are and what their unique gifts and services are. I’m so thankful that I found Val when I did!”

~Lisa Oxboel, Clarity Coach, Taos, NM

Val is a total game changer. She helped me to get clear on what is was I really wanted to be doing. She pushed me to explore not only what I was currently doing, but to look into the future and get a glimpse of what it could look like. I recommend Val to anyone looking to make a change, or trying to explore their possibilities.”

~C.S., Northampton, MA

Val’s coaching has more than paid for itself. Her encouragement to believe in my own worth, to charge appropriately for my services and not to undercut myself when negotiating contracts has been invaluable.”

~G, Northampton, MA

Val is gentle, kind and compassionate, and the work she does with entrepreneurs packs a surprising punch with its effectiveness. I can certainly attest to the fact that her coaching does indeed produce dramatic results… Working with Val has been an amazing experience that has touched me professionally as well as personally. Val is methodical, thorough and professional, and the individualized and heart-centered way in which she works with clients offered amazing, immediate tangible results for me that have ensured me my business could not only be sustainable but has growth potential. I went to Val because I wanted to find the ways in which I could make my business more sustainable, and I wanted to tap into a new source of energy to bring to my business as well as to my clients. Val’s quiet, understated way of leading me to my goal really took my breath away. I walk with my head held higher now, and indeed I do bring more energy and spirit to my work!” [Full story on her blog]

~Janice Beetle, Western MA

You’re a rare find, so very smart and insightful, pushy at exactly the right moments, and quick with laughter throughout. Your passion for what you’re doing really does shine through.”
~Small business owner, Western MA

Val has helped me to clarify my life purpose and goals, and have more ease and confidence in my life and work. I’ve participated in individual and group coaching with Val, and it has been well worth the investment. Her coaching helped me to go from 6 clients to over 20, but the true value of her coaching goes beyond increased business. Val has helped me to learn how to create an authentic life where I can define success on my own terms. There is no way that I could have achieved the clarity and confidence that I have on my own. If you feel like there could be more to life, if you’re struggling with visibility, or you just feel plain stuck in some way, I urge you to give Val a call! You’ll be glad you did!”

~D.F., Western MA

I decided to look for a coach because I was feeling lost about where to go next with my career. The financial and time commitment was somewhat intimidating, and I had a little fear of the unknown.
By working with Val my career path became much clearer. This was achieved by gaining clarity in my strengths and life’s purpose. I felt like I gained my voice and confidence back through her supportive and mindful approach. Val has a very kind, calm nature that made our time together so relaxing and fun too. I am so grateful for your love and support!
I would highly recommend Val if you’re interested in gaining clarity and insight into your true self and career path. She has a heart-centered approach that is both gentle and effective. I made so many self discoveries and feel so much more confident moving forward with my career choices.”
~Laura (now a business owner doing work that feeds her soul)

Working with Val has made a huge difference in my focus, my optimism and in the clarity of action I am taking in my business. She’s insightful but clear and gentle in her direction. After spending years of learning how to work really hard “on” my business, I am discovering that it can be almost as fun and satisfying to build the business as it is to actually offer my work.”

~Donna, Northampton, MA

In a short period of time, I was able to bring some focus into my life — relying on Val’s guidance to find the answers locked within myself. The customized structure she provided during, between and after sessions was refreshing. I found it helpful to work with an unbiased person in a non-judgmental environment. I definitely would recommend others who are looking for some guidance in their life to work with Val!”

~Jenn Turner, MBA, Western Mass

I’m so happy that I called you. Things don’t feel so hopeless anymore. Other things feel more manageable. My husband said he’s noticed a big difference in me since we started working together and is glad that I’m devoting the time and money to this.”

K, Western MA

Pam White, artist, photographerSince working with Val my goals have become clearer and my action steps more focused. My business has feet now — in a very short time I can see immense possibilities where there were only questions. She keeps the focus, holds the keys of relevance, nourishes the psyche and instills the spirit with a sense of willingness, no, passion for the next step. And if the next step isn’t clear, she will change that!

~Pam White, Artist/Photographer, CT

Val gets results! In addition to her incredible insight, intuition, and creativity, her calming strength provides the perfect space in which to flourish. Her unwavering support encourages me to take steps into areas of personal and professional growth — bountiful areas into which I would not have otherwise ventured. Thanks Val! You’re awesome!”

~Kelli, Boston, MA

I’ve gone from feeling hopeless and helpless to empowered, capable, and growing.
I came to Val feeling burned out. I couldn’t imagine there could be anything I could do to make a living that I could wake up each morning looking forward to. With Val’s guidance I feel alive again. Each day I find I am on an exciting journey instead of stuck in repeating drudgery.”

~S.S., Amherst MA

Val has a way of creating a comfortable space, and at the same time, really taking you to the limit to unleash your fullest potential. After our coaching sessions, I always feel invigorated…and the thing is…it’s not the kind of electricity that fades…. I have found ways to unleash what’s already inside me to be much more productive and creative with her help. Thanks Val, you are a God-send!!”

~D.O., New Haven, CT

Val is a gem and I will always be grateful that I invited her into my life! I went to Val because I was contemplating a change and I didn’t have any idea where to begin or what I was qualified to do. I really didn’t believe I had the skills to do anything that was very different from what I had been doing for the past 21 years. She helped me to believe in myself and showed me how to step out and make connections and begin to do all of the things that I was always able to do, I just never knew it. She has a way of helping you discover how to find what your inner self is telling you about your life’s purpose. Then, how to move towards that purpose and truth.”

~Robin, Central Mass.

Val has been instrumental in guiding me to elicit and trust my innate abilities to embody a new business venture. In each session, Val meets me where I am and elevates me to move forward. When I leave a session with her, I can feel a shift from hesitation to determination to lean into creating my own destiny.”

~Jane, Northampton, MA

I clarified my life purpose, uncovered my story to adapt for my website, and set the structure to put my private practice in motion.”

~F.T., Vermont

It became clear in the first session that Val is a caring, concerned and professional individual. She gets to the heart of what her clients are really about. Clarifying my core values and discovering my life purpose has given me an invaluable tool for decision-making that ensures I respect who I am as an individual. Val is a great listener and a real support throughout the process. Her organizational skills kept me on-track and focused when I needed it most. Her approach to her clients is very individualized and adaptable to assist in dealing with new challenges should they arise.”

Dina A., NY

I will soon be going back to school for something that feels perfect for me! When I started seeing Val for career coaching, that was not even on my radar. She has taught me to believe that it is possible. ALL OF IT. I thought I was going to see Val to just get back to work and now I realize I was going to see Val to do my life work. Val is a great teacher because it comes from the inside out. I recommend anyone who is looking for a life change and looking to do their life work to see Val and let in her magic.

~Irma, Western Mass.

Marketing Coaching/Consulting Clients (Marketing Consult info)

I got immediate positive results working with Val. She helped me with web marketing for my healing practice. The process was fun, and the results immediate and dramatic. She also helped me to envision what I optimally want my business to be like, and to take practical steps toward manifesting that vision. I highly recommend her!

~Health Care Professional, Northampton, MA

Val is a tremendous pleasure to work with, and her insightful guidance goes above and beyond. Not only is Val a maestra of synthesizing strong technical knowledge with wonderful common sense, she very clearly comes from a place of perceptiveness and sincerity. In fact, as a result of her very approachable and intuitive nature, her guidance in business has effortlessly improved spheres far beyond the expected, as well.

~C.H., Northampton, MA

Val is a pleasure to work with, superbly knowledgeable in her subject area, and has provided tremendous focus in our content development and online marketing efforts. In just a short time, I have found her guidance and service to be extremely valuable, and look forward to working with her extensively in the future. Her recommendations are specific, results-oriented, and grounded in the realities of our business. Thank you Val!

~C.A., web developer/ business owner, Florence, MA

Val worked with me to understand the message and services that we wanted to communicate to our audience and then made highly fruitful suggestions for how to make sure that search engines were getting the point as well as our visitors. No gimmicks; just lasting results. The return on investment is a no brainer.

~D.F., IT Director, Springfield, MA

From the moment I met with Val, I was impressed with the professionalism and range of expert advice she offered. She was attentive and easy to work with. After I implemented Val’s suggested changes, I began noticing a positive difference: My website routinely showed up in the top 3 in Google for my targeted search phrases. Inquiries and enrollments increased. And the site drew a wide range of people. I highly recommend Val and will undoubtedly use her services again.

~Leah Wing, Ed.D, Social Justice Mediation Institute, Amherst, MA

Learn how introverts and HSPs make self‑employment work... without the hustle.

Get INsights to make work more meaningful and less stressful for INtroverts and highly sensitive people (HSPs).

Get work INsights for INtroverts & HSPs.

No time to read this right now?

Send it to yourself to read later! 

(Your email is not used for anything else.)

Search

Top Articles

my work is too draining

Is your career too draining?

It might not feel like it right now, but work can be energizing and fulfilling, even for introverts and HSPs. There is a way. Here are 3 paths to find your way to your right career path.

Read More »