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Ever since she can remember, Deborah has been helping others to feel more comfortable in their own skin. During high school and university, Deborah was the “go to” person, who provided a comfort zone for individuals to seek guidance about their personal problems. In fact, Deborah’s education in Psychology precisely matched her natural interests in the human mind.
A few years after graduating from University Deborah experienced a turning point in her life and dove into an opportunity to move to Mexico. This dynamic lady learned Spanish while teaching English and it wasn’t long before she took on the start up of a business, selling organic fertilizer to Mexican farmers. While fertilizer may not have been her passion, running her own business, being independent, and helping the townspeople definitely gave Deborah enormous satisfaction. Of this experience, she exclaims, “I loved the challenge of it!” She also met her husband in Mexico.
While in Mexico, Deborah noticed that the women she encountered needed support for body image, self-image and weight loss issues. As such, she founded groups and programs that empowered women to be comfortable within themselves while also striving to achieve their own definition of fitness and health. She also provided relaxation, meditation, and even belly-dancing classes. They were a resounding success!
When she returned to Canada, the seeds were already planted for Inspiritu Life Coaching and Professional Counselling. In short order, Deborah obtained a diploma in Massage therapy and augmented her psychology degree by completing a diploma in Professional Counselling as well as a Life Coaching mentorship program. Accreditation in these disciplines facilitated Deborah’s deep understanding about the integrated mind-body-energy phenomenon. She notes that all three elements are “involved in the need to live a more balanced life”. Particularly appealing was the “empowering part of coaching” since this is Deborah’s raison d’etre. Deborah’s lifework is the empowerment of women in claiming their own identities and life satisfaction.
By using a holistic approach, Deborah perceives the cues in her clients’ thought processes that lead to their own realities. By teaching them to switch their perception, she facilitates a switch in their lives. Extremely fulfilling are “moments of clarity” experienced by her clients. “Seeing shifts that happen are especially gratifying”, observes Deborah. She also believes that people in our lives provide a mirror that reflects both the good and the bad, so we can use this to look at ourselves and grow instead of always blaming others. “Looking inside oneself, healing, moving on, and growing will enable one to be more compassionate with oneself and others”, states Deborah.
This vibrant woman’s spirituality-based coaching and empathetic listening skills endear her to her clients who view Deborah as flexible, compassionate, and direct. Deborah’s flexibility is evident in that she puts her clients first in fulfilling their needs. Her compassion is visible by her genuine interest in her clients’ emotions. This engenders trust on the part of the clients and the subsequent opening up of emotional blocks, which “makes their lives better” according to Deborah.
Her directness is seen in her conscious focus on the client and straightforward approach. Deborah stays in touch with former clients and enjoys following their triumphs.
This energetic powerhouse is truly a life-long learner with a wide variety of interests. Deborah enjoys hiking in the mountains, walking in the ravines, and communing with nature. She also is a voracious reader, frequently having “five books on the go”, with topics ranging from philosophy to marketing and everything in between.
In the next few years, Deborah sees herself developing her client base outside of Canada, performing public speaking, coordinating women’s retreats, writing books on positive self-image, and even starting her own family. She is currently offering an e-course for releasing weight that contains her time-tested sage advice. In this course, Deborah helps her students get in touch with the mental and emotional aspects of weight loss and engender a positive self-image. She also plans to create additional e-courses over the coming years.
Deborah advises entrepreneurs to “believe in oneself”. She adds, “Challenges represent an opportunity to grow. So, if you are struggling, let the energy flow, and get out of your own way!” During her own journey of self-discovery, Deborah has converted her challenges into opportunities and will continue to successfully harness her energy, ultimately empowering those around her.
Written by: Olga Cordeiro |
