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Nycollete Williams BTEC dip., ACAC,
Principal Director of InspireMe2 Ltd.,
in conversation with
Terri Bodell, Clinical Psychotherapist FNACHP.
Terri is the Deputy Chairman of one of the UK’s leading therapy organisations, the National Association of Counsellors, Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists (NACHP) and their PR Manager.Terri has written articles on depression, stress, life skills, eating disorders and other psychological issues for a number of publications in the UK. She is Editor of the NACHP journal to which she also contributes clinically-based features. |
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Q1. What led you to become a Life & Confidence Coach?
The simple answer to this question is that, I love people and for many years I have worked with individuals who have needed a helping hand in their lives. I found that by coming along side them to encourage them and help them to believe in themselves I could help to lift their self esteem. The joy and satisfaction this brought gave me a sense of purpose and destiny. I continued to develop my skills and eventually took on the role of mentor on a professional basis. Whilst this was satisfying and productive work I still felt restless and instinctively knew that ‘there must be another way’ of not only helping people to lift their self esteem and by empowering them this could drastically change their lives. A sequence of events followed that I did not view as coincidental meetings. These opportunities strategically placed me in a position of opportunity to mingle with a group of like-minded people and as a result I was able to gain coaching qualifications.
I love coaching and I am passionate about helping people to make change and develop new habits -I finally believe that I have found my destiny and place in this world and empowered to live the life that I have been created for.
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Q2. What has prompted you to provide these programmes and workshops?
I have been told on many occasions that I would make a great Sales Executive. It will surprise you then to learn, that despite all these positive comments and trying out positions in Sales, I have failed miserably for one simple reason – I did not believe in the product so could not sell it. In my experience I have not only met many individuals who settle for less in their lives because they lack the confidence to excel, but I have also myself in the past lacked confidence. So much so that every time people would say something positive about me I would self-sabotage by saying things that were negative about myself.
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Q3. I know that you are a committed Christian. Does that impact on your coaching?
A strong grounding in my Christian faith has helped me to weather the many storms of life. In the early years a lack of self-knowledge saw me lurching from crisis to crisis but in time I learnt how to get strong. With my values and core beliefs reshaped and defined, I remain stable and focused, empowered with fresh vision and insight every day. By simply acknowledging that I am not an island, accepting and recognising God as my source and Jesus Christ as the Lord who literally saved my life I am connected to that higher power source that reignites and fuels my engine allowing me to develop spiritual and emotional resilience. I have learnt how to stop running on ‘empty’ and as time has progressed I changed my thinking and changed my life. ‘ ..As a man thinks… so is he…’
However my faith is not based on a ‘ritualistic religion’ but a practical embracing of a personal relational belief in God, and it is my firm belief that each person is gifted, talented and unique beyond measure. Created for purpose they are an untapped resource of abilities waiting to be discovered. I come from a non judgemental perspective believing that we are born with free will and so are able to make choices and in so doing, we choose what we want to believe. I accept people for who they are here and now. Whilst we may not be coming from the same background it is important for them to know I believe in their undiscovered potential and that they deserve to be the best that they can be. It is to this end my life's work to empower them to get where they want to go.
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Q4. What is unique/special about you and your experience? I.e., why do you think you can help others to be more confident?
I am now passionate about helping others to unlock the mystery of how to become strong and confident and have your inside ‘marry up’ with the wrapping paper on the outside. ‘Grow your own Confidence’ workshops are designed to begin the internal dialogue that will help individuals affect change. A lack of confidence is developed over time therefore a constant realigning of the thought processing is what is needed to effect permanent change. I believe that everyone has a right to feel loved, respected, useful and empowered. I know how destructive a lack of confidence in an individual can be. I am passionate about helping others to come to a place of wholeness and where they can come to a place of acceptance of themselves.
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Q5. Who are your programmes and workshops designed for?
I help people who are ready to change but don’t know how to make that change for themselves for example returners to work, those lacking motivation or direction, An exciting new programme we now run is the ‘Going to the Chapel programme’ in which couples get the opportunity to explore their values and beliefs and in a safe environment discover how to affair proof their marriage, have the happy ending and make it last.
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Q6. Your ‘how to bag a man’ workshop, sounds intriguing, do tell me more…
Well Terri, I have been married for a number of years now and I am still often asked how did you do it and does he have any brothers? At one point I felt like I was going to be left on the shelf and the film ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding…’ immediately springs to mind. (No pressure there - smile). People are often intrigued by my story and are amazed at how I managed to keep a hold of this man so in part I tell our hilarious story of how ‘I bagged’ my man. The truth is most single ladies of a ‘certain age ‘see all their friends getting married and when they enquire how their friends met that ‘special someone’, their girlfriends are usually quite coy and never tell you the step by step blow by blow account about how and what worked for them. The workshop gives food for thought and explores how you can think outside the box, and the section entitled ‘what’s love got to do with it? encourages people to take closer look at our deeply held attitude towards the opposite sex and by examining how we got to where we are now, clarity emerges. More importantly in this workshop ‘I tell’.
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Q7. What else do you offer? Can you give me a ‘success story’ or example of how you have helped people in their lives?
Personal Development one to one coaching, confidence building, relationships are all packages which are available and tailor made to suit individual requirements. Several years ago I met a young man who was filled with much potential but had not yet realised the life he most wanted. He was filled with self doubt and although adamant that his early childhood memories were great ones, his low self esteem can be traced back to a single incident which defined who he ultimately became as a young man. Working with this young man over several years and rekindling his hopes and dreams empowered him to become confident. In the time I have known him he has gone on to achieve extraordinary things. He has gained a Masters degree in his chosen field, took a leap in salary Married and has two beautiful children. Whilst his job does no longer have his value and self esteem attached to it, he does enjoy doing his job and going to work. Once upon a time he would never be invited to apply for career advancement opportunities but in the past year has been encouraged to apply for promotion. People who are unhappy do not perform well in life.
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Q8. What is your background (professionally, personally, experientially)?
I am a qualified coach with over 15 years of mentoring experience and an Accredited Member of The Association for Coaches. As a qualified Massage Practitioner working with employers to reduce the cause and effect of Repetitive Strain, back pain and neck tension I am able to offer companies ‘concept combination’ packages which combine coaching and massage to reduce stress in the work place and encourage office harmony.
Throughout my working life I have held numerous roles all of which have relied heavily on good people skills and an ability to establish rapport quickly. I have mentored disenfranchised young people between the ages of 11 – 25, women in crisis following marital breakdown, Women who find it difficult to cope with a pregnancy pre and postnatal. Further interests include exploring relationship concepts for the singles and the macho culture v self doubt in men.
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