Kate E. Stephenson
Holistic Life & Career CoachTransforming Untapped Potential into Personal Power
Hi, I’m Kate! What would you want your life to be like if you could blink and make it so?
My Story
You’ve come to my bio to find out more about my story, but really, I am interested in yours. My life’s work has been helping others discover, capture and create their own stories. I use the plural there because each person has not just one story but many. It is the intersection of my stories that brought me to coaching.
I started my career as an editor with an eye on one day becoming the next Jackie O or Toni Morrison of publishing. Authors often joke that their editor is their best friend and their therapist—but really a better word is “coach”. A cheerleader, a sounding board, a perspective broadener—good editors not only perform the mechanics of editing, we are a support system with the sole goal of helping the writer successfully over the finish line.
Along the way to publishing greatness, a friend asked me to proofread her resume. In the end, I completely rewrote it, reframing the document to reflect not only her skills but also her professional character and unique value proposition. This reframing became the bedrock of my career services business. In order to do that, I started to ask questions that many of my clients had never been asked before, much less thought about. Questions like:
- If you could lock up all of your doubts and fears in a box and shut the box away in the deepest recesses of the attic of your mind, what would you want to do with your career/your life?
- If you walked into your perfect job today, what would it feel and look like for you?
- If you asked your favorite colleague or manager, what are the five words they would use to describe you?
After posing these questions to a longtime client for the umpteenth time, she asked me, “Kate, have you considered offering coaching as a service?”
This lead me to participate in the Playing Big facilitators training with Tara Mohr, where I realized coach training was more for my own edification than anyone else’s. I had been successfully coaching people through project, life, and career goals for over a decade—I just wasn’t aware that was what I was doing. In helping others to tell their stories, I first had to help them get clear on who they saw in the mirror and what it was they wanted to reflect to the rest of the world. I innately felt that when we clear ourselves of anxiety and make space to hear the gentle voice of our true desires, something amazing happens—the path forward becomes clear.
It is an honor and a privilege to be a coach.
My Values & Beliefs
Laughter is good medicine
Living is undoubtedly hard, but not impossible. Levity is a gift to help us through those hard times. I believe that often we have a choice of whether to laugh or to cry—I choose laughter: it activates positive hormones that promote productive progress. It literally makes you feel better.
Judgement is a boomarang
When we see faults in others, often it is a reflection of the fault we see in ourselves. We judge ourselves harshly. That harsh filter of negativity colors every experience with another human being, whether we intend it to or not. I believe that we can choose differently—we can choose self love, self kindness, and self esteem.
Love is a powerful four-letter word
We can choose unconditional love as a filter, but first we have to give unconditional love to ourselves. There is no way to receive unconditional love while placing conditions on ourselves and on others. Unconditional love is the total acceptance of one’s self, seeing yourself root, stem, blossom, thorns and all—AND—making generous, supportive space to become more of who you want to be. You are worthy.
My Governing Principles
Sovereignty
I honor my power over how I prioritize my time, apply my gifts, and connect with others. I recognize your sacred sovereignty in kind.
Expression
I approach all levels of communication with mindful intention, seeking to express myself clearly, truthfully, and authentically.
Intuition
I bring the totality of person into coaching, listening with my ears, body and spirit to hear the truth that wants to speak.
Elemental Connection
I celebrate and am sustained by my connection with the earth, the elements, with other people, with myself, and with my higher power.
My Approach
Using every resource in my toolbox, I am here to partner with you in dreaming, discovering, and designing the future that you want. I believe that the key to designing this future is understanding the pillars upon which you are building it. I call these the pillars of your personhood. In our sessions, I employ these 5 Ps to help you explore who you are and what you want:
Perception, Perspective, Priority, Purpose, and Practice.
We are all challenged by setbacks, breakdowns, uncertainty, inertia, and immobility at some point in our lives. Engaging your power to expand your perception, broaden your perspective, and appropriately prioritize will help you to identify and live into your purpose through your daily practice. I look forward to helping you speak and live into your story.
Featured Publications
Articles
- Failure and Walking Away Are Not the Same Thing. LinkedIn Pulse
- Sensory Overload, Spirit Overboard. LinkedIn Pulse
- What’s Your Happy. Pillars of the Dream
- A Conversation with Kate. Clancy Tucker’s Blog
Mindful Mindset Series
- Part 1 – Refresh: 3-minute Meditations to Refocus Your Mindset
- Part 2 – Renew: 3-day Retreats to Refresh Your Spirit
- Part 3 – Reboot: 30-Day Bootcamp to Restart Your System
