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Client Case Studies
*Names changed to maintain privacy
The 3 Case Studies below provide examples of issues and challenges clients have faced, and the breakthroughs they have had as a result of us working together. If you would like to find out more and discuss how we can help you, book a FREE Discovery Call HERE
Case study 1: Sophia - afraid to ask for what she needs.
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Issue: Sophia, 42, found herself at a tense crossroads in her close family relationships. Despite being a loving mother and partner, she often felt unseen and unheard, her needs and desires taking a backseat to the daily grind and the needs of others. This disconnect left her craving more meaningful connection and support from her loved ones. She constantly felt exhausted and 'numb' trying to keep everyone happy, and was too afraid to speak up and ask for what she wanted. It was clearly apparent that Sophia wore the mask of 'People Pleaser'.
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Approach: As we worked through the "Identify Your Growth Gaps" (4th step in the Empowered Woman framework) Sophia realised that her inability to communicate her needs and establish boundaries was widening the gap in her relationships and causing her anxiety. Her growth journey was clear: she needed to develop a stronger sense of self-worth and assertiveness and encourage healthier connections where she could speak her truth confidently. We also identified hidden fears around 'speaking up' and 'confrontation' for Sophia. This fear was deeply hidden in her unconscious with a strong link to a lack of safety as a child, and she had created the mask of People Pleaser at that young age to avoid any type of confrontation which might cause anxiety.
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Results: Now there was full awareness of why Sophia felt anxiety around speaking up, we worked together to shift the the old stories around that, including the strong emotions that came up too. With this shift, Sophia began to feel more confident and made a conscious decision to ask for what she needed and also prioritise open, honest communication with her family. She started small, by expressing her feelings about daily occurrences, which gradually built up to more significant conversations about her needs and expectations. As a result, the impact on her family life has been transformational. Sophia now feels much closer to her partner and family who are recognising and respecting her needs, and she is learning to trust that it is acceptable (and safe) to have needs and desires of her own.
Case study 2: Alex - never feeling 'good enough'.
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Issue: At 39, Alex is a consultant for a large corporation, holding a senior position. She sought coaching due to feeling self-doubt and the deep fear of being exposed as unqualified for her job. She compensates for these fears with perfectionism, self-criticising, and doing way more than is expected of her role. This has led to significant anxiety, sleep disturbance, and exhaustion, negatively impacting her relationships with her colleagues at work, as well as with her husband because of excessive overworking.
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Approach: As we began Step 2 of the Empowered Woman Programme ‘Cut Through the Noise’, it was fairly evident that Alex was a remarkably skilled and accomplished professional, with a track record of success. Despite this, she had a belief that her achievements were based on luck, and not the hard work she had done to get there, causing her to feel undeserving of her position.
As we looked deeper into the perfectionism, Alex recalled her childhood growing up in an environment where there was a strong emphasis on achievement and success. Both of her parents had been very strict and there was no room for mistakes, or failure to meet expectations. Because of this, Alex had unknowingly internalised the belief that love and acceptance were conditional upon her being perfect and not messing up . This limiting belief was showing up everywhere in her adult life. We worked on 'upgrading' this inner critical voice, giving it a new role as cheerleader instead, creating new positive thoughts and behaviours.
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Results: Alex’s breakthrough came from realising she was not alone in her experiences. Highly successful women tend to face similar challenges (Imposter Syndrome) and this can be shifted by looking at the mindset and behaviours that are contributing to it. We also helped Alex to see where her perfectionism and self-comparison were sabotaging her progress. With self-compassion, Alex has learned to silence her inner critic, leading to a happier home life, reduced performance anxiety, and an overall healthier mindset. In addition, Alex has started identifying more opportunities, aiding her career progression and personal growth.
Case study 3: Annie - the need to be in control.
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Issue: For Annie, 48, pride in her independence and her knack for overcoming obstacles without assistance define who she is. However this strength isn't serving her well, particularly in her personal life. Her marriage, once a partnership, felt the strain of her need to control and reluctance to share responsibilities or show vulnerability. This need for control, coupled with her hesitation to trust others' intentions and her difficulty in opening up, ultimately led to the stressful breakdown of her marriage. She would like to date again but is afraid to open up emotionally and let someone in.
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Approach: Annie embodies the strength and capability many would aspire to. Her reluctance to seek help or depend on others, however, stems from a deep-seated belief that she can only truly rely on herself, viewing any vulnerability or need for support as a weakness. This mindset often puts her at odds with sharing responsibilities and working together as a team, leading to unnecessary stress and, ultimately, impacting her personal relationships. We identified that being in control helped her to relieve her anxiety about 'losing it all'. As a child, Annie had witnessed the impact of her fathers gambling on the family home and finances and had promised herself she would never be in that position. The need for control gave her a deep sense of security.
Recognising how this old story was keeping her stuck, was the first step toward transformation. As we worked together on Step 3 of the Empowered Woman programme (‘Hit the Reset Button’) we created new patterns of thinking and behaviour for Annie: helping her to make choices built on self-trust and appreciating the importance of vulnerability as a means of connecting with others, and learning how to be open to receiving support.
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Results: Annie began to see the value in allowing others to be there for her and the benefits it could bring to her life. Learning to trust did not come easily, but Annie's commitment to change has led to more authentic relationships where she feels truly supported. It also became apparent how much joy had been missing in her life due to the need to control situations through fear. This shift in Annie's thinking has not only improved her overall quality of life and reduced her stress levels, but also given her the tools on which to build a solid foundation for a future partnership, based on mutual respect and shared responsibility.
