Libby L.

Jacksonville, FL

April 2020

Getting Started

To say I was stressed prior to working with Anne is an understatement. Not only did I experience a traumatic event at college 4 months prior, but my grades at school were suffering, my social life was a wreck, and I was terrified of what my future held. I was finishing up my junior year of college and was stuck in a seemingly never-ending cycle of anxiety, procrastination, and distraction. I was all over the place, and I thought I was the only one who could get myself out of this hole.

The Experience

I was hesitant, for sure. Because my life was all over the place, I believed that I didn’t have the time or mental energy to commit to working with Anne. I mean, I was just barely making it through my classes. But, Anne came highly recommended and I resonated with her message. I decided to take the leap despite my fear that it might not help.

Very quickly into my first session with Anne, I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. Not because the stress in my life was magically gone, but because I felt truly cared for and listened to, even virtually. My belief that someone else couldn’t help me was gone. I was struck by her ability to take the mishmosh of what I was saying and identify the most important parts. After just one session, I felt a flicker of excitement for my future that I hadn’t felt in awhile.

Anne has an uncanny ability to make me feel comfortable and seemed to know exactly what I needed each session. I left each session feeling more optimistic and like I had shed another layer of self-doubt and stress.

The Results

Anne helped unravel the thought patterns that kept my procrastination alive. She helped me develop routines I felt good about as I was finishing up a very strange school year (COVID). I learned so many tools and techniques that I continue to use regularly to dispel self-critical and worrisome thoughts.

Through coaching with Anne, I learned so much about what I want in life and what is truly important to me. I decided that, after college, I’d like to pursue photography as a career, and one day I’d even like to write a book!

I am JUST as busy as when I started working with Anne, but I feel as though there is MORE time. It’s probably just that I have more mental space now that my brain is not constantly worrying about this or that. With that freed up space, I get to spend more time making art and doing photography, things I have always loved but drifted away from when the stress took over.

Even though this wasn’t the focus of our work, a side effect is that I somehow feel more confident about my body and about the type of person I am. I learned how to set healthy boundaries with social media, my friends and family, and most importantly, with my mind. This is an ongoing process of course, but Anne helped kickstart it and empower me to make the changes I’d like to make in order to be the person I want to be.

A message for those thinking about working with Anne: reach out to her! It’s more than okay if you’re quirky and all over the place, or not sure if coaching is right for you (that was me!). Tell her all of your concerns, and she will help you make the decision that is best for you.