What it looks like to work with me

When was the last time you felt truly confident in the direction of your life?

Are you making decisions because they feel right for you — or because they feel expected?

There are seasons in life where everything looks functional from the outside — work is happening, responsibilities are being met, and life is technically moving forward. Yet internally, something feels misaligned. You may feel stuck, uncertain about your direction, overly critical of yourself, or caught in cycles of overthinking and procrastination.

Coaching is designed to help you move through that space. Not by pushing harder, but by understanding yourself more clearly — and building the kind of inner foundation that makes forward movement feel natural rather than forced.

Ways to work with Elise

1:1 Coaching

Personalised monthly sessions focused on your specific goals, patterns, and life. The deepest and most tailored level of support — for people who want dedicated, expert attention on their particular situation. Sessions are 50 minutes and include email/text support between sessions.

Learn more

📍 Online via Google Meet ⏱ Monthly sessions

Group coaching programme

A structured 8-week coaching programme combining evidence-based tools with peer community. Build confidence, self-trust, and momentum alongside others on a similar path. Particularly effective for people who value shared growth and accountability alongside individual reflection. 

Learn more →

💻 Online via Google Meet ⏱ 8 weeks

Soulful Growth Circle

A monthly membership designed for people who want consistent, structured support without the commitment of 1:1 coaching. Each month includes a themed workbook, a live group coaching call, and access to a supportive community. Designed to keep you growing throughout the year, one month at a time. 

Learn more →

💻 Online ⏱ Monthly, cancel any time

Workbooks & self-guided resources

Psychology-informed workbooks covering key personal development topics — self-paced, practical, and designed to create real clarity and momentum. A good fit for independent learners, or as a complement to coaching or Circle membership. 

Visit the store →

📥 Instant download ⏱ Work at your own pace

Speaking engagements & workshops

Psychology-informed workshops and keynotes for organisations, teams, and events — covering topics including emotional intelligence, communication, self-leadership, and wellbeing at work. Available in Manawatu and online across New Zealand. 

Enquire about speaking →

📍 In-person or online ⏱ Tailored to your event

What coaching helps with

Most people come to coaching because they know they're capable of more, but something keeps getting in the way. Our work together may focus on areas such as:

  • Clarifying who you want to become and what direction your life is heading

  • Breaking cycles of negative self-talk and self-doubt

  • Learning how to make decisions with confidence instead of overthinking

  • Moving past procrastination and self-sabotage

  • Developing habits that support the life you want to build

  • Letting go of outdated beliefs about yourself

  • Managing comparison and external pressure

  • Building genuine self-trust and confidence

Coaching is not about quick motivation or surface-level advice. We focus on understanding the deeper patterns shaping your behaviour so that real, sustainable change becomes possible.

How the coaching process works

The coaching process

Coaching sessions are collaborative conversations designed to help you think more clearly about your life. Each session creates space to slow down, examine what's going on beneath the surface, and develop practical ways forward. Rather than telling you what decisions to make, coaching helps you ask better questions, challenge limiting assumptions, and reconnect with your own sense of direction.

Over time, this work tends to produce three interconnected shifts:

  • Clarity — a clearer sense of who you want to be and what actually matters to you, beyond external expectations

  • Confidence — as you learn to trust your own thinking, decisions become less exhausting and more grounded

  • Momentum — once internal resistance eases, consistent progress becomes natural rather than forced

These shifts don't happen all at once. They build gradually — which is why coaching is structured around regular sessions over time, not single breakthroughs. The work of understanding how you think and what's been keeping you stuck is exactly the kind of work that benefits from space, repetition, and a grounded supporting presence. This connects directly to the deeper concept of building inner safety — the foundation that makes everything else possible.

What one-on-one coaching sessions include

1:1 coaching is structured around monthly sessions so that growth can happen gradually and sustainably. Each month includes:

  • A 50-minute coaching session focused on your current challenges and goals

  • Ongoing support via email or text between sessions for questions or reflections

  • Space to work through both immediate problems and longer-term life direction

This format allows you to integrate what you're learning between sessions, rather than trying to force rapid change in a short burst. Session frequency can be increased if you feel it would be beneficial.

Many clients find that the most valuable part of coaching is simply having a dedicated space to think out loud — with someone who is both fully supportive and willing to gently challenge the narratives that keep them stuck.

Who coaching is for

Coaching tends to be most helpful for people who:

  • Feel capable but uncertain about their direction

  • Struggle with overthinking and decision paralysis

  • Are hard on themselves despite doing many things well

  • Feel disconnected from their sense of purpose or identity

  • Want support in becoming more intentional about their life

You don't need to have everything figured out before starting. Curiosity is enough. Most people begin coaching precisely because they don't yet have clarity — and that’s exactly the right place to start.

Frequently asked questions about life coaching

What exactly does a life coach do?

A life coach helps you clarify your goals, examine the thought patterns influencing your behaviour, and develop strategies to move forward. Coaching is a collaborative process focused on growth, self-understanding, and intentional change — grounded in evidence-based psychology rather than generic advice.

How is life coaching different from therapy?

Therapy typically focuses on healing past experiences and addressing clinical mental health concerns. Coaching is future-focused, centred on personal development, decision-making, and behaviour change. I bring a postgraduate psychology background to coaching, so sessions are psychologically informed — but coaching is not a substitute for therapy if deeper therapeutic support is needed. I'll always recommend appropriate resources if that's the case.

What kinds of challenges can coaching help with?

Common topics include confidence and self-trust, overthinking and decision paralysis, procrastination, identity and purpose, career transitions, habit change, relationship patterns, and managing comparison or external pressure.

How long does coaching usually last?

Many clients work together for three to six months — enough time to build new patterns and see real shifts. The length is flexible and depends entirely on your goals. Some people continue beyond that; others complete their goals in fewer sessions.

Do I need to prepare anything before sessions?

After our initial call, I'll send you an intake form and use your responses to shape your coaching plan. After that, no formal preparation is needed — you're welcome to bring specific questions or situations, but many sessions begin with simply exploring what's been on your mind.

What if I don't know what my goals are yet?

That's completely normal — and genuinely a fine place to start. Clarifying what actually matters to you is often the first and most important work we do together. You don't need to arrive with a clear agenda.

How do I know if coaching is right for me?

The best way to find out is through the free introductory session. It gives us both a chance to have a real conversation, see whether the fit feels right, and decide together whether to continue. There's no pressure or obligation.

If nothing changes over the next year, how would you feel? Now imagine the alternative — that you start intentionally working toward the person you want to become.

If that possibility feels meaningful, you're welcome to start with a short introductory call.

Book a free introductory session →

Not sure which option is right for you? Get in touch and ask →