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Success Stories
“Coaching impacted on my life by changing my focus from past habitual unhelpful thoughts and reactions into present moment pro-active opportunities”
I wanted to start coaching because a sense of dissatisfaction with myself and my circumstance led me to want to find a way of becoming my own person.
I came to Charmaine Pollard through her work on relationships where her natural grounded warmth, honesty and commitment inspired my trust.
Charmaine helped me to challenge inhibiting self-beliefs I held about myself and my abilities. Her enthusiasm spurred me on creatively to realise my writing ambition with a poem in print.
Coaching impacted on my life by changing my focus from past habitual unhelpful thoughts and reactions into present moment pro-active opportunities.
The best thing about coaching was, the realisation that I am able to re-create who I am by becoming aware of who I want to be in each new moment.
The aspects of coaching which I found easy were the ease of communication and openness gave the coaching process fluidity.
I felt supported yet independently unobligated and no pressure. Appointments were flexibly arranged to suit and I looked forward to sessions, which quite often were fun!
I was especially challenged by personal developmet goals and specific tasks, concerning friendships or relationships, where behavioural changes were encouraged (although, when put into practice, I was frequently astonished at others ready acceptance of these changes...!)
My further self-development plans include a writing course to help me focus and channel creative expression. Also, together with others I am planning to write and perform a play for radio where Charmaine’s inspirational influence will most definitely feature!
If I were to give someone one piece of advise about coaching , I believe as we are all works in progress, our mistakes, misconceptions and learned false beliefs about ourselves can be overturned and re-created, provided we are willing to look within and courageous enough to truly see.
Just one thing left to say Charmaine ...THANK YOU!
Hannah George
Poet
London
Please see a poem kindly submitted by Hannah George
Venus
Shrouded by thickest clouds of uncertainty and slowly circling unrythmically She floated and hovered
Hung suspended there in outer space -
No moon, no air, no wind, no who
and no known face
A barren silence froze her thought
in hollow stillness she was caught
While fury, laid bare by torrid heat,
would all consume
and then defeat
Come longest night,
dear sister Earth drew near
and bade her follow
Choosing growth and shedding fear
she sourced the grail of her tomorrow
As morning star she holds her light
'til sun arises on her right
At early eve she's clearly seen
in all her jewels
For she is Queen
Hannah George ©
One key piece of advice to anyone is… Happiness does not come from outside ourselves, we cannot change people or rely on them, happiness is within us. When we realise that we have the power to change ourselves only, to value our own life, great things can be achieved.
I first attended Charmaine Pollard’s Creating Calm relaxation workshop because I was under a lot of pressure at the time, and anything that offered me some peace was worth a try.
I attended the Creating Calm relaxation workshop because I had counselling with Charmaine Pollard a number of years previously.
Due of the trust I had built with Charmaine I felt able and willing to participate in the relaxation workshop she offered.
Charmaine Pollard has helped me in many respects. The style of counselling Charmaine practices, as well as her personality, helped me to feel very relaxed and I therefore opened up to her and felt that I could be honest.
By being able to explore my emotions and recall events that had taken place in my relationship, I gained clarity. Charmaine never judged me, as everyone else did, she genuinely seemed to understand what was going on for me and in my relationship, even if I couldn’t understand it myself sometimes.
I grew in self-esteem and confidence, and learned practical confidence building and relaxation techniques, as well as parenting tools.
Due to the Creating Calm relaxation workshop, I discovered how to relax, I discovered myself. Before doing stress management/relaxation workshops I was always in a hurry, my thinking was constant, and I acted on impulse in many areas of my life. Today I literally crave quiet time, I am aware that for my own sanity and health it is a necessity. It helps me to explore what I feel, rather than relying solely on my thinking, and if I have a decision to make I am most likely to make the right one when in a relaxed and calm head space.
The best thing I have taken from the relaxation workshop is discovering guided imagery. I can remember the first time that I practiced it in a workshop and the feeling I had after; Calmness and clarity like I had never known.
I found pretty much everything about the relaxation workshop easy, although I didn’t think I would at first. I didn’t think I would be able to sit quietly with myself, but by being led in guided relaxation, I found I could.
The only thing I found challenging was meeting new people and allowing myself the vulnerability that comes with practicing relaxation techniques whilst in their company. Thankfully this unease passed quickly once I recognised that we were all there for the same reason, and were bonded by a common problem.
My plans for the future are to continue practicing what I have learned, and hopefully share what I have learned with others. Charmaine is aware that I am eager to start a counselling course, and has inspired and encouraged me in my decision.
I am currently applying for voluntary work, with a view to one day becoming a support worker, while training as a counsellor.
I am also involved in screen writing and my aim when writing is to carry a message of hope to people in challenging relationships. My life has completely turned around from what it used to be, and I feel that the most rewarding thing I can do is help people to believe that it is possible for them also.
S Winser
Screenwriter
London
The tips and simple techniques I learnt empowered and challenged me and I went away with new insight and with tools I could use again and again, to help me in the future.
I knew something had to change when I was feeling extremely stressed and anxious about certain key aspects of my life, I was losing sleep and would usually wake up around 4am, with my heart beating fast and feeling awful. I had lost that peace of mind and joy so essential to relaxation and well-being.
I started attending the stress/relaxation workshops which proved a lifeline, the light at the end of the tunnel.
I came to Charmaine Pollard because I knew she would work her magic.
I had attended previous workshops led by her and my life had been transformed in a most positive and helpful way. I knew this was exactly what I needed and I had every faith in her abilities to gently empower me, by her teaching simple and effective techniques that would greatly address/solve the difficulties I was having at the time. I trust her because she has never failed to deliver great workshops, which for me and I know for many others, have worked really, really well.
Charmaine Pollard has a way with people, in that you feel relaxed the moment you hear her voice! She is excellent at her job and her workshops have never failed to deliver. Of course, for things to work and get into motion, you have to actively participate and make an effort as well, i.e. Charmaine will greatly help you but you need to help yourself too for the magic to happen, in other words You Need to take action.
The tips and simple techniques I learnt empowered and challenged me and I went away with new insight and with tools I could use again and again, to help me in the future.
The stress management/relaxation workshops have had a dramatic impact on my life and well being. They have just helped me see the wood for the trees, because when you are stressed your mind is not functioning well, it’s all a painful blur. But after attaining a state of relaxation ( and it’s amazing how quickly you can achieve that!), your mind is more focused and calm, therefore more able to solve anything you thought was really hard and was giving you stress. Once your mind is composed and you understand the effects of relaxation and of a positive mind (and this is something Charmaine is really good at teaching you), problems are no longer problems but ‘challenges’, ‘stepping stones’, ’learning tools’, ‘fertilizer to help you grow’!
The best thing about stress management/relaxation workshops is the blissful feeling of feeling calm and at peace with yourself, with the world.
Just concentrating on one’s breath is so effective at relaxing you and yet sooo simple! Popping on one of Charmaine’s relaxation CD with guided is another super easy, super fast way of getting relaxed in a matter of a couple of minutes.
One key piece of advice, I would give : God is Love: immerse yourself in Love. See Life through the lens of Love always.
Hazel Livingstone
Tutor
London
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