Testimonials
What clients are saying
"Highly recommend..."
I approached Gabriel for coaching support around a complex family business that involved both personal and professional relationships.
Gabriel has an exceptional ability to track details without losing sight of the big picture, and was thereby able to help me better understand my own goals and to refine a set of discrete objectives.
I highly recommend Gabriel for anyone seeking help with multi-faceted business problems.
John M, Executive Trustee
“…morphed from a formless feeling into a series of concrete actions”
I sought life coaching in order to find clarity on my general direction in career and life, which was a vague and difficult problem. However, Gabriel was able to help me break it down and explore what I wanted and most importantly what to do about it. When all sorts of life events transpired, she was able to keep things on track and adapt around it. As a result, my direction has morphed from a formless feeling into a series of concrete actions that move me towards a clearer goal.
“proactive and no-nonsense … compassion(ate) … optimistic, nurturing”
Gabriel approaches the problems with a proactive and no-nonsense attitude, but approaches the client with compassion and an optimistic, nurturing outlook. As a result, I’ve felt what I’ve needed to do has become clear, and that I am the person accountable for them, but also that I have the motivation and encouragement to carry them through.
I highly recommend life coaching for things you want to figure out, no matter how specific or vague the issue is. And for that coaching, Gabriel is the perfect choice to help you achieve what you’re aiming for.
Patrick O, Software Developer
“Warm and authentic…”
I was recommended Gabriel by a friend — and to be honest, I wasn’t sure coaching was for me.
I had just given birth to my first child in the midst of renovating a house and attempting a career change, so I worried my problems would be too many and too… messy.
But after speaking with Gabriel in an initial consultation, I immediately felt relaxed by her warm and authentic conversational style and the fact she so quickly understood where I was coming from.
“A huge help…”
I especially appreciated that she could draw on her own experience as a mother, which at the time was very new and scary to me.
I also resonated with her focus on building up and looking forward, rather than deconstructing and looking back.
Gabriel scheduled a series of sessions to work around my fraught schedule and also sent thoughtful reminders — a huge help at a very manic time!
“Exceeded my expectations…”
The actual sessions far exceeded my expectations.
Not only is Gabriel easy to talk to, she has a knack for spotting the simplest routes through complicated problems and for re-framing things in ways that made me feel I could finally tackle them.
I left every conversation elated and actually excited to make changes in my life!
“A practical approach…”
As we worked together, I slowly reorganised my schedule, my boundaries and my “me” time, so that by the end I didn’t just feel like I was back to my old self, I felt better than my old self.
I would definitely recommend Gabriel to anyone looking for a little more support in life, especially if you are keen to take a practical approach.
Imogen, writer
John A. - Cyber Security Services Director
I was struggling with motivation, and lacking productivity in personal and work contexts. I needed to understand how to redevelop skills but mainly understand why I wasn’t able to focus.
Gabriel helped me understand how I approach tasks; she helped me gain a deeper understanding of my own processes and how to leverage them to my benefit. My partner and I noticed significant changes, as I moved from a place of inertia to a place of sustainable achievement with clear goals. I now have a much deeper understanding of how I approach life, and I understand how to move from inertia to action. I have built new confidence in myself and my abilities.
Gabriel is thoughtful and insightful, and she is excellent at asking probing questions that provide new insight. She is both supportive and direct.
Ben P. – Product Manager
I was a client of Gabriel’s when I was looking for a new job after taking a career break. At that time I needed help to answer some big questions about my career and support with focusing productively on all the things I needed to do. Looking back, the most positive outcome has been the momentum I developed throughout the coaching and into my new job.
Gabriel has a number of particular strengths that I appreciated during our time working together. Firstly, she was able to meet me where I was. No matter how much progress I had (or hadn’t) made, or how I was feeling on the day, she was able to be sympathetic while at the same time encouraging me to move forward. Secondly, she has a knack for clarifying the right piece of actionable focus I could take into the week: one important thing to keep my sights on. Lastly, I particularly appreciated her objective eye, seeing and questioning the assumptions I was unconsciously making.
I’d recommend Gabriel as a coach. I was in a situation where there was a lot to ask myself about what I wanted from my future, and she had endless patience and helped me be accountable for the goals we developed together. She helped me structure and pace my thinking to find a way through the uncertainty, and develop objectives that felt meaningful and true to myself: everything from important life questions down to fine details such as working on my CV or planning my calendar.
I always looked forward to our meetings because I knew I would learn something valuable about myself or my situation.
Stephen Palmer, Communications Manager
Gabriel is an excellent work and career coach. From the initial call I felt like she understood my concerns and what I wanted to achieve. In that call she neatly summed up what she thought we’d cover, and she got it spot on. I knew that we’d get along and make progress. She has the best balance of listening to you but also throwing down challenges so that the sessions bring out the best in you.
I was made redundant and rather than look at traditional “outplacement”, I thought that a coach might be a good idea. I’m 61 and wanted some direction on what to do next. When I first spoke to Gabriel, she just seemed to understand what I was saying and I like to think we hit it off immediately.
I was very satisfied with the coaching experience. So much so that I’m practically yelling at my family and friends to ring Gabriel. It doesn’t matter if you’re about to change career, retire or feel stuck in a rut. I wish I’d had access to her in 1996 when I had to make a big career-changing decision.
Gabriel is really talented at making you look at issues in a different way. She’s never prescriptive and always encouraged me to approach things in a way that made gradual progress. For instance, she pointed out that going for a coffee with a contact might not lead to a job offer immediately, but it could lead to opportunities or new ways of thinking. This is really good advice for someone like me who likes immediate results.
Gabriel challenges you to think in a different way, without telling you what to do. It’s like having a “voice of reason” on your shoulder. Her style is patient, she doesn’t judge, but does make you think about the way forward. I relished her level of challenge.
Q&A with S Smith, Design Director...
What made you interested in coaching/working with Gabriel? Why now?
I was interested to work with Gabriel to externalise and develop my thinking around my career. I had reached a point in my career where I wasn’t sure what my next step should or could be.
What concerns did you have about coaching before you started?
- Would it deliver results?
- What is it?
- Would I get on with the coach?
- Do I need someone that has worked
- with people within my industry?
- Do I need someone that has experience mentoring design agency founders?
How did those concerns play out over the course of the sessions?
I found that it helped me to structure my thinking and development ideas for career progression, I looked forward to the sessions.
The sessions worked well for me – I had been struggling to develop my thinking alone.
I enjoyed working with Gabriel. The sessions gave me space, time and a structure to explore where my career could and should go.
How satisfied are you with your coaching experience?
I was very happy with the coaching experience
Did you achieve the goal or results you were looking for in the coaching engagement?
I did, my only regret is that I am not in a position to move forward with the outcome due to personal reasons but I think it’s given me a peace of mind and a list of things that I would need to be in place to make my business idea a reality.
What positive changes have you experienced as a result of coaching?
Peace of mind and the conviction to take up a job in an agency as an interim stage
What particular strengths did Gabriel bring to the sessions?
Not asking too many questions – the space encouraged me to have to answer and think. At the end of each session getting me to commit to research or development goals.
How would you describe her style?
Calm, Confident, Professional
Would you recommend Gabriel as a coach?
Yes I would
Get in touch with me for a free introductory conversation about coaching.
We can talk about what you’re stuck with – perhaps you already have an idea of where you want to be, but you don’t know how to get there, or maybe you don’t (and that’s ok). We can talk more about how coaching works and you can ask all the questions you want. And then you can decide if coaching with me is for you.
I look forward to hearing from you!