I’m so glad you’re here.
Seeking support is a big step. It helps when you find someone you can relate to, someone who understands your goals, the struggle, and you’re sticking points.
To get a sense of who I am as a woman, a professional, and a coach, I offer the glimpse below into one of my meaningful life moments.
Click here to schedule your free discovery session – let’s see if we’re a good fit.
ABOUT GEMMA
I close my eyes, and I’m back to the morning I lit a match to my life. This is the day I finally said, “I’m done.”
Sitting at my desk, I tried to breathe through full-body shakes while convincing myself there was no other way. I can still feel the frantic butterflies fighting for a spot among nausea and knots: 100% fear and zero insight into what was next.
A few days shy of my 40th birthday, marking half my life putting others first, I acknowledged my rage even though I couldn’t explain it.
I spent years stifling resentments, numbing my anger, keeping quiet, and distracting from my feelings of deep dissatisfaction. I tried to walk away months before this moment, but fear and uncertainty won out, and I stayed put.
I worked for and with good people but actively denying my truth in favor of others (a job requirement I swore by and now realize I created) enhanced my fury.
Facing the moment head-on, an opportunity to do different, a chance to let my inner wisdom out, I walked into my boss’ office and said, “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want this anymore.”
A few weeks later, balling my eyes out, my manager walked me to the elevator on my last day.
I didn’t know it at the time, but those tears were the beginning of my letting go. I started to say goodbye to the resentment, the stories that no longer applied to the life I wanted, and the beliefs I forced myself to live by.
With intention and fear, over five years ago, this was the moment I made a different choice.
As a tardy visionary, I find it deeply satisfying to reflect on how life unfolds. Witnessing how events happen in support of us instead of to us.
Years of personal work taught me I was building a life incongruent with who I was. I thought the goal of life was to survive. Eventually, I learned we get to dream and create the life we want.
I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
With this understanding came continued clarity. It made sense why I continued to seek more money, more responsibility in my job. I thought that’s what I was supposed to do.
Two years after a cancer diagnosis, considering my truth, I began to see the possibilities.
Quitting was the moment I freed myself from the cage I built.
Committed to myself and my future, I began to challenge and shift my habits, thought patterns, and coping mechanisms, which took energy, time, and support.
There was no “one moment” when it all changed—no magic trick to make me think differently.
Over time I got familiar with:
» HOW I got where I was
» WHERE I wanted to go
» WHAT I would take with me
I didn’t know what I needed, but I knew it was more than I had.
The first step? Support. I had a dependable support squad, including a therapist I felt safe with, a coach that genuinely saw me, and a close group of inspiring friends and family to love me through my beautiful mess.
The work is continuous. Seriously, there’s always something to benefit from our attention.
With gratitude and respect for who I once was, I make room for who I’m becoming.
As a certified professional coach, I combine corporate experience, coaching skills, and passion for creative approaches to help women identify what’s missing in their lives then hunt it down fearlessly.
As a tardy visionary, I find it deeply satisfying to reflect on how life unfolds. Witnessing how events happen in support of us instead of to us.
Years of personal work taught me I was building a life incongruent with who I was. I thought the goal of life was to survive. Eventually, I learned we get to dream then create whatever life we want.
I didn’t know what I didn’t know.
With this understanding came continued clarity. It made sense why I continued to seek more money, more responsibility in my job. I thought that’s what I was supposed to do.
I didn’t know there was any other way.
Two years after a cancer diagnosis, considering my true options, I began to see the possibilities.
Quitting was the moment I freed myself from the cage I built.
Committed to myself and my future, I started to challenge and shift my habits, thought patterns, and coping mechanisms, which took energy, time, and support.
There was no “one moment” when it all changed—no magic trick to make me think differently.
Over time I got familiar with:
» HOW I got where I was
» WHERE I wanted to go
» WHAT I would take with me
I didn’t know what I needed, but I knew it was more than I had.
The first step? Support. I had a dependable support squad including a therapist I felt safe with, a coach that genuinely saw me, and a close group of inspiring friends and family to love me through my beautiful mess.
The work is continuous. Seriously, there’s always something to work on.
With gratitude and respect for who I once was, I make room for who I’m becoming.
As a certified professional coach, I combine my corporate experience, coaching skills, and passion for creative approaches to help workers identify what’s missing in their lives then hunt it down fearlessly.
VALUES + BELIEFS
It’s unreasonable to assume everyone has safe and consistent access to someone who listens without judgment, guides them when needed, and cheers them towards their goals. Notice judgment, and question assumptions.
How we respond to monumental and mundane moments makes a difference. All moments matter.
Courage is our choice and willingness to confront pain, uncertainty, and intimidation is bold. Explore your truth, share what keeps you awake at night, acknowledge the hesitation, and decide if the temporary discomfort (risk) is worth what you’re trying to achieve (reward).
Do-overs don’t exist. Be mindful of how you respond to challenges, determine your attitude, and shift your outlook if it serves you. Perspective shifts can be magical.
It’s not too late to change course. Sometimes we seek and settle for comfortable. When you’re ready for something different, allow yourself to explore the possibilities.
TESTIMONIALS
Coaching Clients
“I worked hard for my place in the C-Suite and surrounded myself with a network of women executives.
When I hired Gemma for Coach Support, I didn’t know what to expect, what I needed, or how to show up. After two sessions, it hit me – I needed a safe space to talk through my life experiences.
It didn’t matter if my session was about work, my future, my past, or my family. I needed someone who I could trust to safely hold my thoughts without judgment or a stake in the outcome. Someone to clear space for me to explore possibilities.
Gemma has this innate ability to ask questions that allowed me to realize new possibilities. I was so in the trees I couldn’t see the forest.
I didn’t expect to learn new skills that I could lean on to help shift my perspective – yet there I was, a week later, using what I learned in session on myself and my colleagues.
Being open and trusting someone else in this way is foreign to me. Yet, I knew I could be both with Gemma. With that leap of faith, coaching has been so much more than I ever thought possible.” ~ A. B
“I have worked with all kinds of coaches and I greatly appreciate Gemma’s style. She didn’t hesitate to try different approaches, dig in when something seemed misaligned, rely on her intuition, or drop an f-bomb to shift the energy or emphasize a point.
I talked through business and family issues to get a fresh, judgment-free perspective which helped reframe how I’ve been viewing some things in my life.
With great care and warmth, Gemma held space for my emotions and scattered thoughts so I could explore my limiting self-doubt. Through our work, I’ve created more work-life success.” ~ D.G.
“I started working with Gemma on a myriad of issues from my impending empty nest anxiety to post-cancer goals.
I loved working with her; sessions are like talking with a close friend who is legitimately interested in helping you achieve your goals. She’s a caring and attentive listener who knows when to ask probing questions to help you think about things in different ways.
I needed to be accountable to someone besides myself and she would text me periodically to see how I was doing on my goals. She was willing to do as much or as little as I asked her to help keep me accountable.
With her encouragement and follow-up, I developed better habits!” ~ D.T.
A Partners Perspective
Thoughts from spouses of Coaching Clients
“I watched my fiancée burn the candle at both ends and lose hours of sleep every night. She was one person doing the work of many, saying “yes” to every client ask, tracking her processes in her head, and constantly thinking about the next day’s to-do list.
She shared her idea of hiring a coach, and I could immediately see the upside for her and her business. I was all in.
In the seven months since coaching with Gemma, my soon-to-be wife built a small yet trusted team, allowing her to focus her time and energy on bigger projects, she delegates administrative and daily operational tasks to others, and she’s working on process documentation to keep her business organized, out of her head and position her business for growth.
Before coaching, no client ask was turned down – even if it was beyond her scope of work. Now, she’s more confident in her business and clearly sees how she can best serve her clients. She is comfortable saying “no,” setting boundaries and protecting her time in support of her larger goals.
What I didn’t anticipate was the positive shift in my partner’s mental health. Coaching gave her dedicated space to discuss fears and past traumas, what kept her stuck, to learn supportive tools, how to get comfortable slowing down and examining her thoughts, exploring their origin, and learning to reframe them when they show up in everyday life.
My fiancée is finally getting much-needed rest, she’s intentional with her decisions, is more confident, focused, and resourceful, and embraces the power that comes with asking for help. Her goals and aspirations for herself and her business motivate her, and she continues to practice and prioritize turning her work brain off when possible so we have the opportunity to enjoy our life together.” ~ C. B.
Business Support
“I’ve worked with a virtual business support before, but partnering with Gemma was different. It was satisfying to know I could trust her to be “in the weeds” of my business; she approached uncertainty honestly and tracked down answers with tenacity. By contract end, I realized, unexpectedly, that her gentle and inquisitive questions helped me become a better leader.
She’s a tenacious, generous, organized, and supportive communicator. In a few short weeks, we migrated from WordPress, launched a new website in Kajabi, had systems to stay organized, and renewed confidence in our operating procedures.
Her attention to detail was what we needed. My only regret is not being able to onboard you as a permanent team member!”
“Downloading my mental clutter for someone else to organize felt good.
Initially, I was worried I wouldn’t have the time to prioritize our sessions. Gemma’s flexibility honored my time and respected my patient commitments. Her willingness to work and connect outside of regular business hours helped tremendously.
Gemma has a calming presence that balances her directness. It was obvious when she shared her final overview of why she asked the questions she did. Each one helped build an organized, easy-to-implement action plan.
If I didn’t pursue the Brainstorm, I would have hired an Administrative Assistant who had no clue where or how to help. Or worse, I would have lost my mind.
Instead, I prioritized my business, things are getting done, and there’s a great flow to my clinic!”
Worker Support Coaching
“I am grateful to [Company-Sponsor] for the support coaching session. It helped me shift my focus back onto a positive path forward. It also strengthened my belief that my employer cares about their team.”
Client, Call Center Industry
“Outside of Human Resources, where we work hard to create a culture and atmosphere where people feel comfortable talking with us, having an external resource/outlet allowed our employees to feel supported and comfortable talking about the topics weighing on them the heaviest. Your time on site was a huge success.”
Human Resources Administrator, Company Sponsor, Call Center Industry
“I felt heard and understood.”
Client, Call Center Industry
“Gemma understood my challenges quickly! She helped me with some issues that have been plaguing me for a long time. The coaching sessions were far more valuable to me than any of our other workplace incentives. It was an awesome fringe benefit. I would go each and every time it was offered.”
Client, Call Center Industry