Judith Potts, M.A. - Personal and Life Coach

SE Portland

[email protected]

503-358-3121

SERVICES AND PROGRAMS

  • Individual Coaching sessions for adults 18 and up
  • Meetings in person at my office, by phone, or electronically. Meetings at other locations by arrangement.
  • We can walk during all or part of your session. Just ask! And wear appropriate attire.
  • Coaching for couples, in person only
  • Referrals to other practitioners or services
  • Coordination of care as needed
  • Seasonal and short-term individual programs for dealing with holiday stress, planning for your child's summer, getting organized, preparing for a special event, retirement, and others are listed at the bottom of this page.
  • Psychoeducation addressing common concerns, with practical ideas that you can apply on your own.

Individualized Programs
  • Mindful eating
  • Mindful aging and retirement
  • Hypersensitivity and its impact on life
  • Self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Creative arts for self-awareness and change
  • Wellness and lifestyle change
  • Finding your Inner Coach
  • Walking together
  • Finding healthy coping strategies
  • Getting organized

COUNSELING OR COACHING? Which is right for you?

There are both differences and similarities between Counseling and Coaching, most notably in the kind of help the client is seeking. Here is a summary of the common distinctions:

COUNSELING
*Client has persistent problems 
*Focus on the past
*Origins in health care and medicine
*Starts with a presenting problem
*Focus on developmental issues
*Counselor provides safety, nurturing
*Usually done face-to-face

COACHING
*Client wants life to be better
*Focus on the present and future
*Origins in business and sports
*Starts with goals, desire for vision
*Focus on motivation and strategies
*Coach provides safety and accountability
*Conducted in person, by phone, online

What do Counseling and Coaching have in common?
  • Both start with a desire for change.
  • Both are based on a collaborative, client-centered partnership.
  • Both help clients gain self-awareness in a safe, non-judgmental environment
  • Both help clients break old patterns that keep them stuck and interfere with well-being.
  • Both help clients reduce and manage negative feelings.
  • Both introduce healthy coping strategies and provide practice in using them.
  • Both offer safety, confidentiality, nurturing and accountability.
  • Both use creativity and intuition to find unique, personal solutions for each client.
  • Both foster independence, self-reliance, and self-confidence.

During our first meeting, you can describe your hopes and goals for change. If it seems like working with a counselor would be more appropriate for your current needs, I can provide you with referral information. 

NEW SERVICES

Check this space for new and seasonal programs

WALKING TOGETHER:
Would you like to get some fresh air and exercise during your counseling or coaching session? Movement promotes growth - of our cells, our neurological pathways, our muscles, and helps our brains to stay healthy and functioning optimally. Recently research shows that movement enhances creativity as well. And exercise is the best antidepressant! In all seasons, but especially as the weather improves, I offer my clients the option of walking while we talk. We'll meet at the office (or at another location of your choice), check in briefly, and then head out. We'll go at your pace. Interested? Just ask!

HYPERSENSITIVITY SUPPORT:
Sensitivity exists on a spectrum. For various reasons, each of us is different in how our senses react to the world around us. A smell, a temperature, a sound, any sensation, might be highly offensive to one person, while another would barely register its presence. Some people are fully allergic to common substances. For these people, it is easier to explain their need to avoid that substance. For people who are "just" sensitive (but not allergic), their predicament is slightly more difficult. There is no illness, no diagnosis, nothing to legitimize their experience. Thus, it is hard to communicate how distressing exposure can be.

The current environment is full of chemicals, excessive light, noises, fragrances and other toxins. If you are a person who reacts strongly to any of these, you know the many ways it impacts your life, your relationships, your choices about where to go, who to go with, what products you buy, where you shop, even where you live. It seems like new irritants are constantly appearing. It is frustrating, discouraging, sickening (literally!) and often lonely to be physically sensitive.

If you are a person experiencing hypersensitivities and you would like to talk about this with someone who understands, I am here to listen, commiserate, and help you find ways to cope with your situation. If there is enough interest, I will offer help in a support group format as well as individually. Please email or call 503-358-3121 for more information. 

WELLNESS COACHING: Do you have health goals that you have worked on but have not achieved to your satisfaction? Does your health need a tune-up? Do you want to lose weight? Eat healthier, exercise more? Does your life feel out of balance? You can improve your physical and emotional health and well-being through Wellness Coaching. Click here for more information.

RETIREMENT COACHING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND COUPLES

Are you or your spouse/partner approaching retirement? Have you considered the many ways that retirement will change your life? Are you or your retired spouse/partner experiencing difficulties in adjusting to your new status and/or to aging in general?

Retirement brings numerous changes: financial, interpersonal, social, emotional, and logistical (such as changes to your daily routine and schedule). People who plan ahead tend to have fewer problems adjusting to these changes. Couples who plan together have fewer conflicts as they transition into a new lifestyle. Anticipating the challenges and planning ahead can help you find greater peace of mind and enjoyment in your retirement years.

Retirement issues can take on greater complexity when a person also has health problems, financial challenges, care giving responsibilities, or when relocation becomes necessary. Coaching can help you prioritize, make decisions, deal with the inevitable emotional fallout, and take care of yourself in the process.

Whatever your retirement situation, Retirement Coaching will help you optimize your resources and opportunities to make this time of your life the best it can be. Call or email for more information.

MINDFUL EATING

Would you like to feel more in control around food? Are you tired of the cycle of diets and food obsession? Let's work together to develop a personalized program of healthy eating. Experts from many disciplines recommend Mindful Eating (also called Attuned or Intuitive Eating) as an alternative to the futility of dieting, which, as most people now realize, does not work!

What is Mindful Eating? It's a way of focusing your attention so that: (a) you tune into what your body truly needs and wants, and (b) you find greater satisfaction in the food you eat. 

The problem: when we lose touch with the actual experience of eating, the food may not satisfy us. This leads to and supports overeating and binge behaviors, as well as anxiety when we try to change the habits.

The solution: Mindful eating and healthy eating behaviors. I can help you incorporate mindful eating into your daily life in ways that work best for you.

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