FAQs
What does a professional coach actually help with?
As a professional coach, I help leaders see patterns, harmful blindspots and opportunities to lead differently during high-pressure seasons. Many of my clients are high-achievers and visionaries who’ve experienced career success. They’re leading and creating impact—but it’s coming at an increasing personal cost.
I work with executives and leadership teams who feel stretched thin, overwhelmed, or uncertain what could help lessen the pressure. Using science-backed tools from psychology, communication, and education, I help leaders move out of “white-knuckling” survival mode and into a more grounded state that supports both improved performance and well-being.
How do I know if I need a professional coach?
You may benefit from coaching if work feels heavier than it used to, decision-making takes more effort, or collaboration has become taxing and unsupportive. Many leaders come to me when they’re still succeeding on paper—but feel deeply depleted, irritable, or stuck in roles that aren’t evolving with them.
If you’re relying on willpower to get through the week, feeling pressure that doesn’t let up, or feel change is needed, but unsure where to begin, coaching can help.
I’m successful—why does leadership suddenly feel so hard?
Because sustained pressure limits cognitive capacity. Long-term stress has an adverse effect on our bodies and minds. Persistent depletion makes it harder to think strategically, be decisive, and trust ourselves with confidence. Patterns that once fueled success—giving all you’ve got, pushing through, stretching to hold everything and everyone together—can begin to work against you.
This isn’t a personal shortcoming. Institutions and systems are under strain that can feel existential.
And this is often the moment when meaningful, lasting positive change becomes possible.
What makes your approach to coaching different?
My work is grounded in science and evidence-based approaches. I focus on close listening, communication, and behavior change—helping leaders separate what’s essential from what’s distracting and depleting.
Rather than offering quick fixes or personality-based frameworks, I partner with clients to build practical skills and approaches they can use: Clearer, confident communication, better boundaries, aligned decision-making, and leadership that’s sustainable.
Underscoring all of my engagements are 20+ years in management, communications expertise and a doctorate in behavior change psychology from the University of Michigan.
Want to really know what separates me? My clients are happy to share.
What’s the RISE program?
RISE is a structured change framework designed to help individuals move from a reactive, survival-mode state to clear and confident, values-based action — whether guiding themselves or a team through uncertainty.
It focuses on:
Re-centering to fortify yourself and anchor into timeless values
Igniting you and your vision, reinforcing agency and reducing self-doubt
Strategic planning, improved communications and aligned decision-making
Empowering practices that uncover new possibilities and opportunities to lead and grow
What happens during coaching sessions?
Coaching sessions are collaborative, results-driven and compounding — we build a foundation for addressing real-world obstacles in new ways. Each session is structured with flexibility to focus where you’re most challenged — overwhelm and overwork, difficult conversations, self-doubt, decision fatigue, burnout, toxic team dynamics or other complex conditions.
Together, we identify what needs protecting (yo and what needs loosening (outdated habits, reactive patterns, misaligned expectations). Clients leave with clarity, concrete tools, and a stronger sense of agency.
Can coaching help with burnout or overwhelm?
Yes. Many clients come to coaching feeling depleted or on the edge of burnout. While coaching isn’t therapy, it is highly effective for addressing the patterns that lead to chronic overwhelm—especially for high-performing leaders.
By restoring clarity, agency, and healthier ways of working, coaching often brings relief faster than people expect. Energy returns as pressure decreases and thinking becomes clearer.
I should be able to handle this on my own—why get a coach?
If you’re a high performer, you’re disciplined and self-driven and have overcome difficult seasons before. Coaching isn’t a signal you’re incapable — it’s a powerful supplement and tool that can help expedite your progress. You gain a skilled thought partner, new tools and a structured process to help illuminate your best path — and next actions — clearly.
Coaching has been a staple in the executive suite for decades — because it works.
Coaching helps make hidden patterns visible, widens your field of vision, and grows your leadership so it’s in alignment with what’s most important to you.
What outcomes can I expect from working with Dr. Kristin?
You define the goals of our engagement from Day One. Every session, exercise and practice is built around your priorities and needs.
Clients often report greater calm, more confidence, improved communication, and a renewed sense of purpose. Many see their self-awareness and self-trust has deepened. This can make decision-making easier. Work feels less depleting and more rich with potential. Creative thinking may even grow.
Most importantly, clients leave with tools and approaches they can continue using—long after coaching ends—to support their professional growth, leadership and well-being.