Krista's Viewpoint...
Why coaching is so rewarding
Witnessing the personal and professional growth of my clients is what brings me the greatest joy. When my clients tell me things like they are giving their marriage a second chance, passed a difficult test, were accepted into the school of their choice, were hired by a terrific company, I am personally touched. Of course, they did the hard work themselves and earned their success, but it makes me proud when they say that coaching support made it “doable” and kept them focused and clear about their goals.
Many military wives have commented that working with me is like having a “personal trainer” for life issues—together, we face fears, we lean into discomforts, and go beyond where they would go on their own. Through our work together, many of my clients have left dissatisfying jobs for new careers they love.
It’s always wonderful to hear from clients who have moved on, who once felt depressed or unfulfilled and who took charge of their lives.
I love working with savvy, smart, strong military spouses who are ripe and eager to move in the direction of their dreams. With a solid plan and support along the way, anything is possible!
Whatever your unique goal, success comes from creating an action plan that suits your lifestyle—and surrounding that vision with love and support. To me, that’s what coaching is all about.
Why I specialize in working with Military Spouses (MilSpouses)
You may be wondering why my coaching practice focuses on military spouses. I’m a military spouse myself, and, coincidentally, many of my early clients were military spouses. I discovered that many military spouses have perfected the art of supporting their service member, but their own ambitions and desires often get lost in the shuffle.
As my practice grew, I felt a special affinity towards military spouses, and my own experience formed a solid base for my work with clients on issues like career and life transitions. It has turned out to be a wonderful match—and now I know it was not coincidence after all.
Whether you and I end up working together or not, I want military spouses to know how much I appreciate their service and tremendous sacrifice. It’s because of you that our military is able to preserve and protect our American values, and I am genuinely grateful to all of you.
My professional background and qualifications
I’ve been coaching military spouses since 2003. I founded Wells Consulting Services, LLC, an assessment-based personal career and life transition coaching service.
As The Military Spouse Coach®, I specialize in working with military clients with deployment issues who are trying to discover their career or find a “portable” profession. I’ve also worked with a coach myself, which helps keep me on track when I want to move to the next level in my own work.
My background includes experience in publishing, corporate training, human resources, and organizational development consulting—in both private and public organizations. I hold a Masters in Human Behavior, and a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. I have conducted extensive research studies on stress management, time management, cultural diversity, and emotional intelligence. My current research focuses on a very important issue for military spouses: deployment and portable professions. I have served as a Key Volunteer Coordinator for the United States Marine Corps and have volunteered for many years with the Veteran's Association. In addition to my coaching practice, I write for several Military newspapers, Military.com, CinCHouse.com, Milspouse.com and am the exclusive career and life coach for Military Spouse Magazine. “
Professional organizations
A Bit About Me Personally
I love experiencing life by trying new things, like kayaking, a carriage ride through Central Park in the fall, or skiing in Vermont. My husband shares similar interests, which is wonderful. We met in San Diego, California when he was stationed in Camp Pendleton, and subsequently moved to the east coast. My husband has been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Camp Pendleton, California, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Worcester, Massachusetts, and Quantico, Virginia. Since settling into Connecticut, we’ve been blessed with three wonderful children.
Helping military spouses move from where they are now to where they really want to be is my passion. I also enjoy researching, writing, presenting workshops, collaborating with colleagues, and attending conferences to keep my skills current. Continual learning is of utmost importance to me. After I finished my PhD program, I enrolled as a student at Coach U, a leading global provider of coach training programs, working this around my private practice schedule—and the chaos of motherhood!
How I Conduct Coaching Sessions
Clients often ask, “What can I expect in my first three months of personal coaching?” Here’s how it typically works:
- I meet with my local (Central Connecticut) clients in person, and for clients outside of my geographical area I hold sessions over the phone or through internet VoIP technology.
- As we get started, I encourage my clients to discuss their personal and professional goals.
- If applicable, I administer assessments that help my clients discover their ideal career or life goals. I have completed extensive training in the administration of career and interest assessments, which I use in my personal coaching sessions and in some of my workshops.
- The focus is always on my client’s agenda—where they are now, what they want to accomplish, and how to move them toward their goals.
- Together, we create action steps at each session, and our ongoing phone sessions keep clients moving on track.
- The real work is done in between sessions—by you! That’s when you take action on your plan, through small but significant steps toward your personal and professional goals.
A good coach is a personal cheerleader to help you overcome fear, gently but assertively hold you accountable, and provide feedback as you work toward your goals.