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You have a purpose, a project, an idea.

Something about it feels daunting, or maybe impossible.

You know it’s time for change, but what’s your next step?

Coaching with Elena

Coaching gives you the space to get clear on what you’re aiming for—and get into action.

In coaching conversations, the murk of too many ideas, of self-doubt, of very real obstacles internal and external, gets sorted out. Coaching conversations don’t make those things disappear, but clear your path to move forward.

Clients

I coach clients at key career and life transitions. My clients are being promoted to senior leadership roles, shifting from individual contributor to team leadership, and navigating career pivots. I coach people who want to write a novel, or recently had a baby and are returning to work, or just got laid off and are searching for their next career move. I coach creative people in corporate roles applying their imagination to business solutions, and people with amazing careers turning their brilliant imaginations to new creative projects. 

The animating force for my clients is, How do I move forward from here? 

Coaching supports the work of self-reflection. My clients gain perspective on what’s worked for them in the past and what’s not working for them now. And there is time to play and experiment. Coaching works because you’re willing to try doing something different.

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Approach

My coaching combines neuroscience principles with creativity strategies drawn from my experience as a writer and organization leader. For clients embarking on career transition, I guide an inquiry that extends from professional and financial goals into sense of purpose, leadership, and community.

In coaching conversations, clients:

  • Gain clarity on their vision

  • See what's getting in the way

  • Leverage past strengths and explore new ways of working

  • Move into action to reach key milestones

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My training practice is rooted in adult learning theory and organizational development but doesn’t stop there—workshops incorporate improv and coaching on real-time scenarios to be sure that training is energizing and immediately applicable to workplace challenges. 

Services

Executive & Career Coaching

  • Impact and influence

  • Career pivot

  • Sense of purpose

  • Creativity at work (a different way of looking at performance)

  • Building teams, building culture

  • Shifting from fire drills to your strategic work

  • Job Search

  • Work/life balance

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Creativity Coaching

  • Building a creative practice

  • Defining the contours of your project

  • Investing in process

  • Support systems for art-making

  • The journey from art-making to art-marketing (and back)

  • Art/life balance

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Leadership Development Training

  • Immersive, hands-on labs for leaders

  • For new and seasoned managers

  • Leadership practices: modeling accountability, asking for feedback, and more

  • Coaching skills for managers

Testimonials

  • While I've worked with coaches before and I'm a coach myself, working with Elena unlocked specific limiting beliefs that held me back in my business. I became more comfortable with being uncomfortable, which shifted the way I approached growing my business. I started building habits - internally and externally -  that supported my vision for expansion. Elena was a great thought partner and accountability partner, which has set me up for success well after our coaching engagement concluded.

    Stephanie Simpson, MA, MFA, PCC

  • I worked with Elena as my coach during a major life transition—returning to work and art-making after having a baby. Coaching with Elena helped me refocus. I felt seen and supported and encouraged. Elena gave me the format to get real with myself and talk through how I can do it, rather than staying stuck. Elena helped me discover that I have my own creative process, and I can work with it and build it and shape it. That's been very freeing. And Elena’s coaching gave me a planning process that's about setting myself up for success.

    Samantha Ryder, LMFT

  • Elena is an excellent coach, highly recommend her to anyone looking for more structure, accountability and support to reach their personal and/or professional goals. I’ve known Elena for several years and continue to hire her as my coach because I truly value her support and insights. I’ve made more progress with her by my (virtual) side than I ever would have without her!

    Laura O’Neil Guerrieri, MA, PCC

  • Elena artfully guided me in reflecting on my personal and professional life. In fact, I completely pivoted on my professional plans during our sessions. Working with Elena gave me the space and permission I needed to get unstuck and create true momentum towards reaching long term goals in my career, self-care, and parenting.

    Amy Greenstein

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About Elena

I’m a leadership, career, and creativity coach, nationally recognized for innovation in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2019.

My passion is facilitating transformation for people and teams. I’ve been a senior leader of social justice organizations, increased access to training and jobs for people in prison and coming home from prison, delivered groundbreaking learning and development workshops for college faculty and created hands-on leadership training for managers.

I’m an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and member of the International Coaching Federation, with certification training from the NeuroLeadership Institute. I also have a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University. I’m a published author and mom of two young adults.

Contact Me

To learn more about my work or schedule a complimentary first coaching session, contact me here.