Career Coaching
For Introverts and Highly Sensitive People (HSPs)
It doesn't have to be so hard.
I get it that the moment you are searching for a career coach, it might be a very stressful moment. Are you nearly in tears the night before your work week, as I once was? (I called it the Sunday Night Blues.)
Are you longing for more meaning but less stress and wondering if that’s even possible? At this age? In these times?
It can feel like such a complicated puzzle to figure out all the what, where, how, and all the what-if’s.
I get how that can feel because I’ve been there too. I also know there’s a place for you. Yes it might involve getting creative, but it brings so much peace and joy.
We can put the puzzle pieces together.
I’m glad that you’re taking action just by checking out career coaching. Yay!
Experiencing career coaching myself was such a liberating journey for me. I had to be careful to choose a coach who understood my introversion and high sensitivity as a positive, not a problem.
I know there can be many complications and very real hurdles. And I remain a stubborn optimist. Perseverance and support work wonders.
In my case (and many cases), self-employment (or a hybrid) ends up being a good way to go, and those creative directions are one of my specialties. I also specialize in mid-career transitions. Mid-career is perfect timing.
I believe there's a way for you to have work that satisfies your heart, your body, and your sustainability.
Change is possible. Client testimonials:
“I’m staying focused and more relaxed.”
“I am more confident moving forward, more aware of my abilities, and what I have to offer.”
“Val has taught me to believe that all of it is possible.”
It Can Work, Even for You.
I hear you listing all your exceptions — “It’s too late”, “too introverted”, “too sensitive”, “I don’t know what I want”, “I’m not a risk taker”, or “I’m not good at marketing myself.” Yep, even in that case too!
I remember not knowing how in the world it could all align for me. With help from a career coach and learning more about introversion, high sensitivity, and my other superpowers, I found a new way that fits for me. I then had a business coach to help me find my unique way with self-employment.
It wasn’t overnight, but each step helped me gain more confidence and breathing room. It’s been life changing in the most expansive way, not just my work life.
As for those relaxed successful people you’re feeling envious of? Even they have been in that confusing place, in some form or another. They kept going and they didn’t stay alone with it all.
How I Help
I help people find the overlap between what their heart wants, what feels like natural flow (your strengths), and how that overlaps with what others need. That’s your golden sweet spot in my “Work-Life Harmony Roadmap” shown here.
That golden sweet spot exists for everyone (and there’s more than one option there).
Everyone has unique gifts inside them to offer the world, but they often can’t see it themselves. Once we uncover your gifts, everything is easier.
I get it that the world of work (and maybe the whole world) is a mess, or worse, in many ways. We can get creative. Yes it takes time and patience too, and we can talk about “in the meantime.” Over and over, I see how it’s worth it, and how the journey can be easier.
We can do this process through private sessions and/or through my budget-friendly Career Clarity Course. The course makes a great starting place and is enough for some people. It also has a sliding scale. Many enjoy combining the two.
For those moving into new self-employment directions, I can provide business coaching too.
It's time. Stress relief is closer than you think.
Even your current work can start feeling better when you find more clarity and confidence. Finding clarity is just a few steps away, which means, stress relief comes faster than you think. Phew.
Pushing yourself to accept something off-kilter is exhausting and not sustainable. That was the lesson of “The Ugly Duckling” fairy tale. You can’t be successful being a duck if you’re really a swan! Let’s find the swan in you.
I was unhappy, confused and burned out in my job. I did not know why. So I looked into coaching and that’s how I met Val.
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…. 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. 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 know what I want and I know how to advocate for my needs in the process, and I am confident in who I am. People keep commenting on how happy and confident I am…” ~Dee (introvert, HSP, and so much more)
I just had to send you a quick note because I have had two job interviews in the last week. They felt effortless.
I am so clear through the coaching work we’ve done and other self improvement work about: who I am, what I’m good at, the value that I add, what I want, what sounds like a potential issue and voicing that question. There is no second-guessing, asking myself if I said the right thing, replaying anything.
It feels so different from my past life and so good. Thank you for everything.”
~J.C. (introverted HSP, and so much more)
Next Step: Let’s See If There's a Match
- Check out the quiz to see if there’s a match with my coaching.
- After that, if it seems right, apply for a free initial consult with me.
(Info on that is at the end of the quiz).
Budget-friendly alternatives you might consider:
- Career Clarity Course: Uncover the Best Use of You.
– a course with some live connection time too.
– a great starting place that you could choose to supplement with private coaching. - Self-employment Intro Course: Can I Leave My 9-5?
– a course to learn how heart-centered self-employment could work for you.
– also comes with live connection time too.
Frequently Asked Questions
I coach people who relate to these:
- You want to enjoy a meaningful and sustainable work experience. (It’s not just about money and status for you.)
- You are open to self-employment or other creative/hybrid options as a path to bring your best self to the world, even if that sounds scary at first.
- You want to include a sense of intuition, spirit, heart, or internal alignment in your work life.
- You like the sound of clarifying your unique values, purpose, strengths, and vision (even if you’re not sure what all that means).
- You might at times feel reluctant to put your true self out there.
- You know you can get things done, if you just knew the right direction.
- You relate to being highly sensitive or leaning more introverted or having a big heart (or all 3).
- You are a woman, or a non-binary or trans person who is drawn to my work (because that’s who I’m best able to help).
- You’ve been around the block in the world of work. (Typically mid-career.)
My clients enjoy these kinds of outcomes:
- A sense of career possibilities that fit who they are, after having felt hopeless.
- Clarity of strengths, values, life purpose, and work direction.
- Knowing what work environments will work for their introverted and/or high sensitivity needs.
- Finding their confident voice when talking about their strengths and goals.
- Relaxing with networking for the first time in their lives. (Not by using an extrovert mask.)
- Finding balance and reducing stress.
- Feeling more clear, focused, and confident on their career search. It’s no longer a slog!
- Exploring self-employment paths with confidence.
- Starting a business with more ease and enjoyment than they thought possible.
- Feeling connected to a community of kindred spirits who lift them up and point the way.
- And much more…
I’m not about a pushy or “just do it” approach — it’s about uncovering the excitement that naturally drives progress. We also deal with the practical real world in all its mess and beauty.
We start with discovering where you’re at now and what’s in the way. From there, we go step by step to find deep clarity about who you are and what you’re already great at (which is often hard for you to see yourself). That discovery process naturally uncovers the confidence inside you.
The fog that hid your path starts to lift and we can see what next steps make sense in a practical way. I continue to support you as you take steps forward exploring your new career goals, continually building on your clarity and confidence, and realizing more and more of what you were longing for.
When you start a new career or new business, I help you move into this new life with more ease.
I help with both the practical stuff and the inner stuff. You know that fear stuff that kicks up at all the wrong times? We deal with that.
Something unusual I offer is that I am a “connector” type, which means I often know someone you might need to know in your exploration. I like making connections and helping you find what you need. You can tap into my large network which is a big shortcut.
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)
We can discuss coaching options in a free initial call.
All coaching clients start with a Discovery Session: info and cost here.
You can read more about coaching fees and reduced cost options here.
For a lower-budget option, check out my Career Clarity Course.
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.