Jo Bennett
SOLOMOJO COACHING
Jo Bennett
SOLOMOJO COACHING
Individual Coaching
Many of us are leaders. If you are the kind of person who sees how something could be improved and rallies others to move forward in that direction, then you are a leader. You likely have a career position where you lead teams and companies toward a particular vision. You may also volunteer in your community, driving change. And some of you are spouses and parents, guiding your families through various stages of living.
As a leader, you become increasingly productive and engaged in your day-to-day. With age comes more responsibilities, more needs and more consumption. There is a propensity to become stretched and you keep going because you have the tenacity. Yet this creates ‘clutter’, filling up mental, emotional and physical space. As a result, shortcuts are created to help manage the bumpy terrain. Health is compromised, boundaries are dropped, connections are lost and passions go on the back burner. Even when life is good enough, you find yourself distanced from your essential core. It is this central place where true guidance is found yet your sacred voice can barely be heard.
We are familiar with passages in life so we recognize nagging thoughts and feelings that poke at our mind and heart. These hints are tempting to ignore but, the truth is, a transition is coming. When we choose to translate experience into wisdom, the questions form into words: “Is this all there is? Do I just keep doing what I’m doing?” Suddenly aware of our mortality, we seek to unburden ourselves, to realign with what is most important and to make life count. The invitation here is to consciously curate your day-to-day so you can lead an intentional life.
As a coach, this is where I come in! Whatever your professional or personal objectives, we co-create a mindful breathing space to untangle and honour what is happening in your life. My questions and reflections invite deep inquiry and I challenge you to reframe limiting perspectives. I guide you to pull out of yourself HOW you want to BE moving forward and WHY. I guide you to design your best real world practice and I help you hold yourself accountable for embodying into daily action. Coaching offers a dedicated space for you to press pause so you can do your best lifework.
Please read the information below to find out more!
Case studies
CLIENT | Company owner with staff |
REASON FOR COACHING | -Increasing anxiety and negativity -Not feeling in control of life -Behaviour starting to negatively affect business and relationships -Attracted to language on Jo’s website |
WHAT’S AT STAKE | -Health suffering -Escalation may cause damage in professional and personal lives |
TIMELINE WITH JO | -Two month engagement -Weekly virtual sessions -Assignments in between |
EARLY DISCOVERIES | -Current life misaligned with who client is becoming (identified emerging values) -Fears letting down others -Recognizes most action is to satisfy others -Yearns to answer question “What is vital for happiness?” -Needs clarity on next moves and accountability to get ahead |
JO VALUE from client feedback | -Provides contemplative space -Trusting environment to express unspeakable thoughts -Looks below client’s words for more pertinent information -Challenges client on assumptions, binary thinking -Invites client to consider ‘living ‘legacy’ (daily impact) -Exercises – Values, Emotional Intelligence Assessment (EQi), meditation |
KEY OUTCOMES | -Decision to sell company ‘with integrity’ - started a 2 year sustainable exit plan -Acknowledges exhaustion - will pause ‘exciting new opportunities’ until feels ready -Tapped into past grief - referred to therapist for investigation -Strategies for practicing healthy living practices -Scripts created for challenging conversations that will arise from changes -Overall increase in contentment, “I can now breathe” |
CLIENT | Director, public sector |
REASON FOR COACHING | -Feeling lacklustre “What’s wrong with me?” -Ponders if job change is in order -Personal demands growing (ie, care of elderly parent, teenagers) -Mentor referral |
WHAT’S AT STAKE | -Witnessed ‘wake up call’ of close connection - Plagued by serious doubts about path |
TIMELINE WITH JO | -Three month engagement -Flexible virtual sessions and chat |
EARLY DISCOVERIES | -Surprised by strong reaction “Is this all there is?” -Heart craves to explore purpose in life -Although doubts about job satisfaction, determines that the overall culture is a good fit -Realizes must get help with personal life balance |
JO VALUE from client feedback | -Created a needs assessment - ‘how’ engage with work, not just ‘what’ to do -Helped digest ‘rescuer’ tendency (take on people’s problems) -Reflected negative self talk, helped shift to constructive vocabulary -Invites client to consider ‘living ‘legacy’ (daily impact) -Exercises - Lifework Assessment, Values, Somatic exploration, Self Care tools |
KEY OUTCOMES | -Clear need to see work has direct impact on consumers – will apply to other departments -Cultivating a mindfulness practice -Has accelerated plan to move, so less time in stressful commute -Getting siblings involved to share responsibilities with parent -Envisioned work-to-retirement plan (sees end game) Has idea for future passion project -Overall feeling proactive and engaged |
SUSTAINABIJLITY | -Accountability partner (best friend) -Has mindfulness plan -Asked for three month check-in |
FOLLOWUP | -Client is still in original position – found shift in attitude improved relationships. Still proactively looking for transfer to public-facing job -Living more ‘in the moment’, expressing daily gratitude -Hired professional organizer to clear home clutter/help move/set up new systems -Pleasurable cycle ride to work! -Schedules regular walks with friend |
CLIENT | VP, private sector |
REASON FOR COACHING | -About to retire -Needs direction for the future -Heard recommendation to take the Total Life Checkup program from former participant |
WHAT’S AT STAKE | -Worried about the transition -Unsure “Who will I become?” |
TIMELINE WITH JO | -Two month engagement -Weekly virtual sessions -Online module reading and exercises |
EARLY DISCOVERIES | -Realizes concern about transition fueled by perceptions of by peers -Although skill set in demand, desires to evolve beyond patterns of performance and success -New priority to nurture personal connections who supported through busy career |
JO VALUE from client feedback | -Excellent listener -Respectful -Thought-provoking discussions from tapping into deep knowing -Creates insight by reframing topics related to getting older -Evokes aspiration to study ‘being’ vs ‘doing’ -Offered great resources (particularly topic neuroplasticity) -Exercises – multi-layered activities in each module |
KEY OUTCOMES | -Letting go of high achieving identity. -Appreciates how to find/contribute to growth fostering relationships -Growing sense of purpose by contributing to community via 1:1 approach (vs volunteering skills at leadership level) -Confirmed on right track about practical aspects of aging (home, health, engagement..) -awakened desire to explore spiritual questions -Overall increased optimism about next chapters in life |
SUSTAINABIJLITY | -MAP contained all key takeaways -Practical steps laid out for financial and end-of-life tasks Asked for three month check-in |
FOLLOWUP | -Thriving during shelter-in-place protocol due to pandemic shutdown. Easy to say no to interesting projects because they are on hold -Opportunities to focus on supporting individuals nearby feels great. -Has time to get to practical matters - Taking care of health and plenty of reading books on spiritual topics -Still thinking a lot about the program modules and reviews notes from time to time |
FAQ
Like other support practitioners, a coach helps you achieve your goals. Essentially, to get from ‘A’ to ‘B’.
I guide clients to consciously curate their lives so they engage skilfully and with meaning.
On the continuum of goals and tasks, and the professionals who help you along the way, a coach uniquely has a place next to all of them. As part of their efforts to simplify their lives, my clients may be on a health journey, attending medical appointments or therapy sessions. They may be in career flux, training for a new position or meeting with advisors as they prepare to retire. And some are in ‘pause’ mode, embarking on a spiritual journey, inquiring about meaning in life.
What do these clients have in common? They are in a transition that requires a vision, a creative plan, action and accountability. A coach is your partner through it all.
Change can be something we choose. Sometimes change is given to us, with or without notice. From either perspective, I help you get through the mental, emotional and tangible ‘weeds’ so you can stay on track. But coaching isn’t just about helping you cope; it is a pathway to thriving! Your wellbeing is the focus here.
I provide a guiding framework to help you get to what is most important for you.
Through questions, tools and assessments, you explore, reflect, assess, make decisions, become aware, learn and grow. Along the way we look at assumptions, expectations, habits, motivation and more.
I listen non judgmentally as a neutral person not invested in your outcome. I provide a safe space for you to express yourself. Our sessions elevate you out of your day-to-day so you focus solely on what you need.
These sessions thread together as a trajectory to achieve an end result that makes you feel proud.
Coach Professional
Click here to read about Jo's mission, background and training.
