Hi, I’m Helen. I’m currently based in Cumbria in the Lake District where I live with my husband and my dog, Shanti.
Since I can remember I’ve always been captivated by the complexities of the interrelationship between body, mind and spirit. As a young child, I had the inherent belief that the essence of most people was good, so I was curious how a ‘good person’ can do ‘bad things.’
In my mid 20’s, curiosity, soul searching and my love of adventure took me travelling to India where I discovered Yoga and on returning to London, I went on to practice, study and teach Yoga. This was when my interest in personal development was ignited. The purpose of Yoga and meditation is to remove mental suffering. It is a life-long journey, clearing the obstacles from the mind, the ultimate destination being Samadhi/ enlightenment. Since then, Yoga, meditation, mindfulness and other holistic interests have inspired, enriched, and encouraged me to keep working to clean the lens which I see through.
A pivotal moment in my development stemmed from a personal crisis, as change often does. The experience of being overwhelmed led me to attending Courage and Spark, a deep dive vertical development course. During the course, I became conscious of my own habitual behaviour patterns and beliefs that I’d previously been unaware of. I recognised that these were survival strategies from my past that were no longer serving me but limiting me by narrowing my perception and dominating my way of being.
Since then, I’ve been on a journey of self-inquiry and learning, committed to doing the inner work on myself with a view of being in service to others.
Training and Qualifications
Association for Coaching and Institute of Leadership and Management Accredited Advanced Diploma in Professional Coaching and Mentoring. Wise Goose coaching for success with a soul.
Graduate Certificate in Psychosynthesis Foundations by The Psychosynthesis Trust.
Mindfulness for Life- A BAMBA accredited training pathway.
The British Wheel of Yoga Teaching Diploma by BWY.
My coaching role feels like an opportunity to contribute towards raising awareness in human consciousness, with the bigger picture being a growth in collective consciousness, and harmonious connections, holding the idea and possibility of a more ethically evolved, peaceful world.
I bring my whole self to the coaching space with an open heart, a willingness to stay present and connect, and an enthusiasm to serve. I hold the space for self-reflection, exploration, offering feedback, challenge, and support in facilitating insight and growth.
What is Coaching?
Coaching is the practice of facilitating another person to access their own inner resourcefulness to actuate positive change and growth. There is a broad diversity in the styles of coaching available and therefore a wide range of definitions. My definition above is based on my approach and where the greatest values of coaching lie for me.
My style of coaching is closely aligned with humanistic and transpersonal perspectives, framing coaching in terms of self-actualisation. Concerned with developing a stronger sense of self, working to unlock potential, and clarifying core values, it can be seen as a powerful tool for making decisions in line with one’s inner wisdom or truth.
My Approach to Coaching
My approach to coaching could be described as coaching for inner freedom, self-discovery and personal growth. I use Psychosynthesis principles, concepts and techniques, concerned with integrating the whole self. I draw on positive psychology theories and use mindfulness principles and practices to support my role as a coach and to offer support to my clients. I also bring somatic practices, derived from the ancient wisdom of Yoga. Although my approach is focused on inner-work, personal growth, and self-actualisation, it is not limited to personal or life coaching but can be adapted and applied depending on the client and the context. I believe in the world of leadership and management, or any role in the organisation which carries a heavy load of responsibility, an understanding of the self is vital to support the growth, effectiveness, well-being and harmony of the self and others.
My aim is to offer a safe place where we can explore values, meaning and purpose as well as enquiring into what’s clouding a person’s vision or judgement, what’s causing inner conflict, unrest, and suffering and what’s preventing them from living their truth and realising their potential. And then supporting action and transformational change.
Often, fear, self-doubt, self-limiting beliefs, or assumptions prevent us from taking the steps forward towards a more fulfilling, meaningful life. Social conditioning from childhood influences our core beliefs and personality traits. Thought patterns and habitual behaviours that have been formed during our lifetime exist in our unconscious and act out unconsciously. Often, they were formed to protect us from perceived threats or danger but now show up as self-sabotaging behaviours or self-defeating habits, seemingly working against our own will, distorting our vision, and affecting our behaviour.
By becoming aware of the clouded lens that we see through and bringing what was unconscious into consciousness, we expand our awareness, reconnect with the essence of our true self and see what’s possible.
How could coaching help me?
Examples where coaching could help:
Feeling trapped, dominated or imprisoned by your external and/or internal circumstances.
Feeling powerless to your own inner world.
Feeling overwhelmed/burnt out, bogged down, that you’ve used up all available resources and don’t know which way to turn.
Feeling inner conflict (Part of me wants to do this… and part of me wants to do that) So unable to act.
Sensing a lack of meaning or purpose in life.
Noticing a heartfelt desire to change/ step out but fearful or unsure of taking the first step.
Feeling caught in a spiral of negative thought patterns.
Feeling controlled by difficult emotions.
Something is knocking at your door/ a calling/ a nudge for your attention
Having a sense that something is missing.
Procrastination.
What might I gain from coaching?
Inner freedom
Inner peace
Self- discovery
A stronger, healthier sense of self
Self- confidence
Self- empowerment
Personal growth/ development
Improved resilience
A renewed sense of meaning and purpose
Unlocked creative potential
A broader perspective
Improved self-regulation
Improved emotional intelligence
Better relationships
A more positive outlook
What happens first?
The first step is an optional discovery call. (A free 30-minute call). The discovery call is an opportunity for you, the client to briefly share what issues/challenges you may be experiencing, and what you would like to achieve from coaching. We may have a gentle exploration into the issues you are presenting which allows me to assess the suitability of coaching I will feedback to you with a loose strategy for moving forward. It’s also an opening for you to ask any questions you may have.
Building trust and safety and rapport in the early stages of the coach/client relationship is essential. The discovery call can also be used as a chemistry session, an opportunity to test out the chemistry between us before making the commitment.
The discovery call is by phone or Zoom
Next Step
Following the discovery call, if you would like to proceed, we can decide between us the duration and frequency of the sessions. As coaching is action-focused, momentum is most beneficial so I would recommend 6 sessions, held either weekly over 6 weeks, biweekly over 12 weeks, or tri-weekly over 18 weeks.
What are the costs?
An individual 90-minute session is £70.00
A 6-session package paid for in advance and taken between 6 and 12 weeks is £385.
The coaching sessions are held in person in my private studio in Nirodhah or on Zoom.
It’s also possible to have the coaching sessions walking in nature.
How do I book?
Book a free Discovery Call here. Or contact Helen by email, helen@nirodhah.co.uk or text or call 07881828721
Testimonials
“I recently had a series of 6 coaching sessions with Helen. Within this time, both my knowledge and self-awareness improved, leading to a significant increase in self-confidence and peace of mind. Of particular importance were two significant breakthroughs in my mental health which means much more enjoyment of life for me. Helen’s open, friendly demeanour with her ability to really listen and empathise, creates a sanctuary where her clients are able to feel safe, supported and understood. I would not hesitate to recommend Helen’s coaching to anyone who wants to improve their life.”
- Richard, Cumbria
“The coaching sessions really helped me to recognise long-ingrained thought patterns and skewed beliefs about myself. These realisations have led me to challenge my thinking and begin to make really positive changes to my way of thinking. It was so helpful to be facilitated in just the right way to talk things ‘out’ for myself, rather than just being given advice or a ‘prescription’. With gentle probing and then summarising back to me what I had said, I was genuinely amazed by the revelations that came out of my own mouth!”
- Kate, Cumbria
“Thank you very much for your help, Helen. I thought the six sessions were fantastic and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go through them. I have left a job that made me very unhappy to pursue a creative career which I find both fulfilling and enjoyable. I have moved to an area in which I feel much more at home, and I have set myself a 2-month plan. I’d happily recommend you to anybody for coaching of this kind. “
- Web Design Manager, North London
“Your ability to ascertain my difficult and problematic inner dialogue is amazing. You’re incredibly attuned to picking out patterns and behaviours, just from talking and reflecting this back. This is something I’ve never experienced before and after a few sessions I found this reducing a lot which removed obstacles. Never would I have considered coaching but since these sessions, I would highly recommend it to others who are stuck or have obstacles they are unaware of.”
- Kirsty, Cumbria
“Helen, I can’t thank you enough. I felt like it was a safe place to talk about how I was feeling and what I wanted to achieve in the future without biased opinions or being judged. I have become more open-minded and positive about the future and have learnt that how I may feel sometimes does not define who I am. I have been able to thank, excuse and set aside the negative/protective ‘loyal soldier’ within me to be able to succeed not only in work and within social situations but also with taking time for myself and fitness.”
- Lauren, Cumbria