Spotlight on Erika Smedley...Life Coach...

I’m Erika and I work as an integrative coach, supporting individuals to navigate change in their lives in a positive way. I am passionate about supporting people to identify and work with their strengths and talents, to make changes in their lives for growth, and to improve their wellbeing. My motivation stems from wanting to understand others, to help them gain deeper self-awareness, to trust their own judgements and for them to feel less anxious about the change that is happening in their lives.

My interest in organisational, social and positive psychology led me to studying part-time, whilst juggling work as a Nursery Manager and looking after my family. Qualifying with a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology from the University of East London in May 2021 was a huge personal achievement.

My Masters dissertation examined the influence of coaching on self-concept during a person’s transition into retirement, which supported my work in coaching retirees to get past feeling stuck after managing their personal lives and successful careers. This included supporting them to uncover strengths they had forgotten about, rekindle old passions and tap into their inner wisdom, so they could re-build their confidence for a new way of living.

My business experience in the fields of Human Resources, Customer Relations, Education and Business/Finance Management, provide me with a broad range of skills and qualities to support my clients throughout the coaching process.

Specialising in:

Life stage transitions

Adjustment to retirement

Health and Wellbeing

Navigating relationships

Adjustment to repatriation after expat life

Relocating family to a new life

Career/work role change​

Personal growth

I offer a 1-hour discovery session which provides a broad scope on what brings the person to coaching. This session is the starting point of building trust between us and determines whether we can work together, challenges/issues the individual may be facing and how many coaching sessions will potentially be required. Once we establish we can work together and that we are a ‘good fit’, a place, date and time are agreed – this may be face-to-face or via Zoom, according to our schedules and geographical location.

The client-led coaching sessions are centred around the person being their own expert and offers a safe, confidential space to identify, explore and develop their strengths in order to achieve goals, cultivate positive emotions and ultimately flourish.

I offer weekly, or two weekly, one-to-one coaching sessions which can be booked and paid for in advance on a session by session basis, or as a block of four.

Reduced scaling rates and pro-bono work are offered on a case by case basis.

Making time for wellbeing through social connection and exercise is vital. So, if a person is living locally and interested in enjoying the beautiful surrounding countryside, I also offer ‘walk and talk’ life coaching sessions.

What we do together:

​Strength work

Facilitating new strategies

Learning new approaches

Building awareness to make better decisions

Change in thinking

Increase in confidence

Letting go

Stress management & coping skills

Finding your Ikigai for more meaning and fulfilment

My coaching practice includes clients who are experiencing major change in their lives. Some have lost their confidence and their sense of who they are, which often becomes hidden under the layers of life. I hold a genuine appreciation, care and understanding for all my clients based on the values of authenticity and trust and my life coaching practice always starts from the point of self-compassion, love and forgiveness.I aim for our client-led coaching sessions to be like a, ‘breath of fresh air’, as we work collaboratively to address the health and wellbeing of the whole person.

My integrative coaching approach draws on a number of psychological theories and frameworks including person-centred coaching and cognitive behavioural coaching. My coaching philosophy is rooted in positive psychology and I focus on helping my clients build a life of meaning and purpose and improve life satisfaction.

My aim is to support people to reconnect with themselves, act on their goals and hone in on their skills, gifts and talents. My mission is to support them in coping with life’s challenges and transitions, enhance their wellbeing and ultimately find their own way forward in order to live a happier and fulfilling life.

It is important to remember that coaching is not the same as therapy or counselling, as it generally does not involve diagnosing or treating mental health conditions. A person may ask, 'will coaching help my mental health?' It is not a substitute for professional, mental health treatment when it is required. Sometimes clients do come to me for coaching and I refer them for counselling and sometimes my clients have already received counselling but are looking for support to take that next step in addressing the imbalance in their lives.

Appointments are available in Axminster in-person and online.

I also offer ‘walk & talk’ life coaching sessions.

Mobile: 07778 739142

Email: erika.lifecoaching@gmail.com

Website: www.erika-lifecoaching.com

Follow me on social: @erika_life_coach