Courtney has really helped by giving me permission to simply ‘do what feels good’. She reminds me that success can be easy and enjoyable and trusted. One of the biggest things she ever said to me (I'm paraphrasing) was "Just because you've rested up or relaxed for a certain amount of time doesn't mean you have to then gear up to go a million miles an hour. You don't ever have to ‘gear up’ again if you don't want to." This was huge for me, and made me want to cry with relief. Now I take a more relaxed approach and I'm getting more done than ever before.
I always feel better after a session with Courtney…whether it was wonderful, energized brainstorming or a very personal, cathartic discussion. It's always just what I need. As I’ve said before, having a session with Courtney is like taking a week-long Hawaiian vacation :).”
Elizabeth Johnson, CHHC
Nutrition, Lifestyle and Body Image Coach
Courtney gave me the guts to ask for more in project fees and monthly retainers. I would say I have doubled my income since we have met and I’m making more by working less.
When Maureen and I met, she was running a very successful professional organizing business but feeling stressed and overworked. Our coaching focused on expanding her options professionally so that she could earn more with less effort and create balance between her work and life.
“Courtney has helped me be open to the professional opportunities I’ve created and given me the strength to say 'no' to the wrong things so that I am ready for the right things. Our work has even given me the permission to be passionate about 'staying home' with my kids as this too is a calling and part of my career.
While I had raised my hourly fee before we started working together, Courtney gave me the guts to ask for more in project fees and monthly retainers. I would say I have doubled my income since we have met and I’m making more by working less. What’s funny is that I’ve also lessened my networking and promoting! I am in year 6 of my business and realize I don’t have to be 'out there' like I once was as I now value my time more. If it doesn’t make me money or have the potential to make me money than I am staying home and spending time with my family.
The biggest gain for me has been awareness; I am more conscious of what I am doing and if I enjoy it. I now figure out what I am passionate about and then go about creating the best job for myself. I used to spin my wheels and was always 'crazy busy' but I wasn’t moving forward. The coaching process has helped me learn how to slow down, think about my actions, and be aware that I am constantly preparing myself for the next opportunity I am creating.”
Maureen Gainer
Owner, GO Consulting
Courtney has really helped me to clarify my passion and realize that it’s okay to focus on a niche market which will both make me happy and allow me to create the income I want.
Brittney and I started our coaching just as she was making the transition from a large financial planning firm to her own independent practice. While she was nervous and excited for her entrepreneurial venture, she was also ready to expand her beliefs about success and redefine how she worked, how she felt and how she lived.
“Through working with Courtney, my confidence has gone way up. I feel happy to be who I am and have feelings of satisfaction which were rare prior to working with her. My relationships with clients and my personal relationships are more real and more positive and I’m focused on living in the moment and less worried about things I cannot control.
As a financial planner, Courtney has really helped me to clarify my passion and realize that it’s okay to focus on a niche market which will both make me happy and allow me to create the income I want. During the transition into my own business, I’ve actually maintained my income by working less – plus I was able to study for and pass my CFP exam!
Being able to have an outside mentor in my life who can help me with business and personal issues has been tremendous. I’m much happier, much healthier, both mentally and physically, and I appreciate my life, what I have and what I can offer. I love Courtney’s teachings about intuition, the power of self and the universe and how if I just put positive energy out in the world I will get what I want in life. I am no longer focused solely on material success, but also on living a happy life filled with passion and excitement while helping those around me.”
Brittney Castro, CFP, CRPC, AAMS
Certified Financial Planner, Vice President
Perennial Financial Services, LLC
I am much more confident professionally and seek opportunities to increase skills in my current position and beyond. I have also gone back to school and am proud to say I am two semesters from completing a Master of Arts degree in Human Service.
Dolores and I met at a time that she was questioning what she wanted and how she operated in her professional life and in her relationships. Her natural wisdom and continued willingness to look inside has allowed her to engage in her work, invest in her future, set clear boundaries and reclaim her passion and zest for life.
Since starting my coaching relationship with Courtney, I have moved from inertia to a steady progression forward. I am much more confident professionally and seek opportunities to increase skills in my current position and beyond. I have also gone back to school and am proud to say I am two semesters from completing a Master of Arts degree in Human Service. In working on new projects which focus on collaboration, skill and capacity building, I’ve had the opportunity to utilize what I’ve learned both at work and at school.
My 80/20 theory (80% work and 20% play) since I began coaching has had a facelift. Before, I did the minimum and expected great results. Now, feeling good about what I do is predicated on doing the best for the communities I work with and ultimately for myself. Acknowledging this and accepting responsibility for my choices has been incredibly freeing.
On a personal level, Courtney has helped change the way I process experiences in my life and relationships. I have learned to create a framework for experiencing life in a fuller, less fearful and ultimately more balanced and accessible way. Coaching with Courtney has enabled me to establish loving boundaries and avoid the resentment that accompanies people pleasing. Best of all, I have learned to make peace with my inner critic and fully love me. I have been so blessed…
Dolores Weems Jr.
Program Manager, Asthma Project
UIC School of Public Health
Coaching with Courtney helped me to get an idea that I’d had for years out of my head and into the world.
Monica and I first connected just before she had her new baby girl. While she had been successful for several years in her own PR business, she wanted to find a way to ‘shine her own light’ and create a platform for her passion for journalism while inspiring other women to do the same.
“Coaching with Courtney helped me to get an idea that I’d had for years out of my head and into the world. The biggest hurdle I’d had was getting both the clarity and motivation to get my blog live. I now have an online presence representing my vision that feels meaningful, relevant and is truly in my own voice.
A big part of my work with Courtney was getting things off the ground instead of focusing on what I couldn’t do. I learned to stop letting negativity or obstacles get in my way and just start the process. Courtney also helped me tap into what I already knew as a PR pro to create a strategy to showcase my own ‘passion project’.
One of my biggest challenges was keeping this project going, and growing, while maintaining my current business and being a brand new Mom. While I’m still working on keeping the balance in my schedule, the coaching structure really helped me to focus my time and energy and stay consistent with my efforts.
There’s been a real weight lifted since I’m doing what I’ve always wanted for ME in my career – and I love that I can be a role model for my daughter as well. Now when I’m doing a new video with an amazing and inspirational woman, it just feels natural, like I’ve been doing it forever!”
Monica Rohleder
Inspire Me
I’ve raised my freelance fees by 191% and I’ve increased both my product line and income through my online business, craft fairs and selling at retail shops.
Andrea is a talented graphic artist with a fabulous business concept who was excited but nervous about “jumping in” full-time to her business and her passion when we met. While she already knew what she loved, her challenges were how to balance structure and creativity in her business and learning to take action from a place of desire rather than fear.
“Courtney helped me convert my passion into actionable items and identify my priorities so I feel more confident about moving forward with my business idea. Now I feel like this IS a business/career… not just something ‘I want to do’ or ‘I like to do.’
Since we began, I’ve raised my freelance fees by 191% and I’ve increased both my product line and income through my online business, craft fairs and selling at retail shops. I feel much more confident pitching my business/services and negotiating on my own behalf. I’ve also hired people to help with things that I wasn’t interested or skilled in doing that were barriers to my business moving forward and had conversations with my spouse as needed to make sure that I have his continued support.
I feel grateful for having met Courtney at a point where I felt like I was in a ‘sink or swim’ situation. I now realize that any day can FEEL like that, but it’s really about building a life that I want for myself, not about getting drawn into the daily grind.”
Andrea Daugherty
Owner, Tartella, Inc.
By the time I stopped working with Courtney, I felt like I had shed a skin and a new person had emerged. For the first time, I felt prepared and well poised to step into the next chapter of my life.
Marina came to coaching as a warm and conscientious mom in the process of a divorce. She was excited but scared about going back to work after many years out of the work force and had some insecurity about being a “good enough” parent to her two girls. Our work focused on securing a new job and redefining her sense of responsibility for herself and her children.
“Courtney really helped me to define what I wanted around my professional and personal life. I gained so much clarity and confidence during our sessions. We were able to identify specific reasons why I was scared or frustrated and then map out a plan of action for dealing with each issue.
I decided during our coaching to return to the field I’d worked in previously and I’m now the Administrative Director for a prominent medical association. Courtney also helped me through the process of my divorce and I’m happy to say I’m in a new and healthy relationship with a truly wonderful man.
Coaching with Courtney is like putting on a pair of glasses with the right prescription after a lifetime of wearing the wrong ones. By the time I stopped working with her, I felt like I had shed a skin and a new person had emerged. For the first time, I felt prepared and well poised to step into the next chapter of my life. I have no doubt that everything fell into place because I was prepared for it all, in no small part due to Courtney.”
Marina Blakeman
Administrative Director
American Pediatric Surgical Association
With Courtney’s support, I explored many possibilities and ultimately realized that I wanted to give the kind of support that I had received from her to other women like myself – I wanted to be a life coach!
Gretchen formerly worked in advertising and marketing before taking time to raise her kids, volunteer and be an all-around super Mom. When we began coaching, she was ready to rediscover her passions and create a new career path that would still allow her time for her family and personal life.
“When Courtney and I started working together, I would describe myself as a stay-at-home mom looking for the ‘next stage’ in my life. I wasn’t clear on my strengths, my passion or what I wanted to do outside of being the best mom and partner I could be. I only knew I wanted my life to have a larger footprint in the world, but what would that look like?
With Courtney’s support, I explored many possibilities and ultimately realized that I wanted to give the kind of support and encouragement that I had received from her in our work together to other women like myself – I wanted to be a life coach!
Her support was essential throughout my coach training and certification process. Courtney helped me keep my goals in sight while navigating the challenges of everyday life. And when those goals and challenges felt overwhelming at times, she helped me find the balance I needed by looking at ways to create space for myself and for self-care.
I now describe myself as a certified professional coach, who also happens to be a mom, who helps women discover ‘what’s next’ in their own lives. I’ve also taken on the role of promoting Coaches Training Institute (CTI) in my local market!
It’s been such a joy to experience this particular journey (and a few others) with Courtney and I can’t imagine that it would have been this successful on my own.”
Gretchen Baker, CPCC
Certified Professional Co-Active Coach
CTI Ambassador
I’m pursuing my passion and have started working in schools as a teaching artist. I never would have guessed I would be doing this a year ago!
When I first met Lynn, she was eager to start a new chapter in her career after much success as a fundraiser, board member and great mom. Our work focused on limiting her involvement in activities that were no longer serving her so she could create time to pursue her passion for theatre education.
While coaching with Courtney, I have started working in schools as a teaching artist. I never would have guessed I would be doing this a year ago! While I’m still new to this as a career, I have earned a paycheck…which a big step in getting me off the volunteer cycle. My professional network has helped a lot in making this transition but I’ve learned to network with better results by really staying true to what I want. I’ve updated my resume/bio and am working with Courtney on ‘creating’ my own position in theatre education programs.
I feel like I’m using my time better as well. I’m much more likely to put a timer on and only work on projects for a certain amount of time. Blocking time for desk work, work outs, husband and family fun have really added to my energy! The best part is I can now take time for myself and not feel guilty about it.
I love when I hear Courtney’s voice in my head when I’m in tricky moment. She is the calm voice letting me know to trust my gut/heart and follow the energy or let something go.”
Lynn Lockwood Murphy
Board of Trustees
Steppenwolf Theatre
At a recent conference, a complete stranger met me and said "Oh, wow, I'm going to your presentation this afternoon. This is so exciting! I'm eating lunch with Wanda M - I have to call my friends!"
When I started coaching Wanda, she was great at her job but was not happy in her work environment as she felt disconnected from her colleagues and staff. Her vision was to become a leader in her workplace and in her industry through improving her communication and networking skills, taking professional risks and having more fun with her co-workers.
Here are a couple stories Wanda shared with me of how she stepped out of her comfort zone and really made her mark…
“When we first started coaching, I talked about wanting to be a recognizable name in occupational therapy and help to shape the direction of my field. I have to tell you the coolest thing that happened to me last month. I was at the big annual conference and actually gave 2 presentations based on my dissertation. However, the best thing happened at lunch one day. I sat with a woman and after talking a little bit, I mentioned my research. She said, 'Are you Wanda M?' (I nearly fell out of my chair because I wasn't wearing my nametag). When I said yes, she said, 'Oh, wow, I'm going to your presentation this afternoon. This is so exciting! I'm eating lunch with Wanda M - I have to call my friends!'
“The last few weeks have been a testimonial to our work together. I went to Canada to meet with one of the researchers that I contacted (that I had so much fear about asking a stranger for something). It was totally awesome!! I was able to meet with a ton of people, present my research to their seminar class, and find out more about the research that they're doing. I realized though that in my rush to move on to the next stage, I had forgotten one of my fundamental lessons from you. So I splurged and bought myself a new office chair since I'm going to be spending so much time in it the next few months and to celebrate what I've accomplished so far. I'm trying to take time out to celebrate accomplishments in other ways too!”
Wanda M.
Occupational Therapist
and College Professor
to set up your Free 'Meet and Greet' Coaching Consultation
and we'll see if Courtney Parks Coaching is right for you
(consultations can be done live or by phone)
My income has actually quadrupled while I’ve been working with Courtney – and I did this while working only about 2 1/2 days a week this summer – what, what?!