TESTIMONIALS
Business people, professionals, artists and performers and citizens at large
William Kong
"A friend of mine introduced me to Coach Minda. She was very patient while I described the challenges that I was having, gently questioned my assumptions on a situation, and gave me thoughtful advice on how to think about my problem differently. Sometimes an insightful idea is all you need to take decisive action and move forward. If you need someone who is an intuitive listener and will give you honest feedback, new perspectives and actionable advice, I highly recommend giving Coach Minda a call." 2021
I.K., PhD Candidate in Université de Montréal
I couldn’t believe my luck to find someone like Minda close to home. She has been a solid anchor in the path of my PhD (anthropology) and the midst of my bobbing personal life. Time after time, Minda provided me with warm support, clarity, insight and sometimes, the much needed sobering —sometimes jolting—perspective. Her keen empathy, thorough experience, balanced intelligence, pragmatic approach, and spiritual outlook make her the ultimate Holistic Coach and most capable of helping one in all aspects of their life, unseparated.
Minda has helped me: transform the overwhelming Mount Everest of my work (fieldwork and writing) into sizable bites; face and overcome great emotional challenges related to performance in the academic world and life transitions; learn new tools for getting work done in time; and most importantly, reflect back to me whom I needed to see when it mattered the most. Thank you Coach Minda, you rock! 2020
Angus M.R - Senior Manager
"I felt like I was in a bit of a slump professionally last year - working with Coach Minda was an incredibly powerful experience in turning things around...Minda asks all the right questions. She has this wonderfully thoughtful way of helping you see things differently in a way that can bring you new energy and inspiration. For anyone greeting the new year looking to recharge your batteries at the office, find renewed purpose and motivation on the job, or navigate bigger career challenges and dreams, I can't recommend Minda highly enough!" 2019
Michael McGuffin - Associate Professor, ETS, Montréal
"I've met Minda several times for coaching on how to better use my time and plan projects. From our first meeting, her advice was immediately applicable and yielded big benefits, but it's taken multiple meetings for me to learn new habits and benefit even more. Her many tips and strategies related to exercise, planning, sleep, and priorities have worked synergistically for me, improving my ability to know what I should be working on throughout each day, to concentrate during work, to avoid distractions and procrastination, and to jump into tasks that I used to dread. This has been transformational for me. She is professional, wise, very focused, firm in her prescriptions but also sympathetic and flexible." 2018
M.R., creative professional - Montréal
"Minda is an incredibly insightful coach, and her guidance helped me navigate some tricky professional decisions. She is able to ask the tough questions that maybe hadn't occurred on the surface, getting to the nut of the issue to help direct clear decision making. I was in a hostile work environment, and was struggling with how to handle certain personalities, and what my next professional moves would be. I had been faced with daunting life decisions, but with Minda's help, I was able to take steps with confidence and clarity. I am truly grateful that I had the privilege of working through this challenging and crucial time in my life through Minda's expert counsel." 2017
C.M, social worker - Montréal
"I worked for a long time in the non-profit sector in a job that – though intense and demanding – I could only describe as my dream job. I had worked for years in social services and had – I felt – been able to successfully protect myself from the ongoing and predictable stresses of burnout that social workers regularly have to deal with. But over a year ago, I began to realize that something was just not right with `the dream job`. In truth, something was definitely not right with ME.
My job demands had continued to escalate - 12 hour days became the norm, weekends and evenings became full of emergency phone calls. Vacations didn`t exist. A normally optimistic and energetic person by nature, I began to face my days with dread, anxiety, and a sense of exhaustion that never went away.
It took me quite awhile to clue into the fact that I was suffering from many of the classic symptoms of burnout. My normally helpful coping mechanisms ceased to exist – I was just too exhausted and overwhelmed to practise them. There did not seem to be much joy in anything that I did – only a sense of heavy burden and feeling trapped and unhappy. It was clear that something needed to change. I really needed some help. I did some subsequent research online and thankfully ended up connecting with Coach Minda. I had 5 sessions with Minda and the time I spent with her was so positive and life-affirming that as a result I had the courage and faith to make a decision that has changed my life in many ways.
Right away in my first session I knew that Coach Minda was the right coach for me. She was supportive and calm and had the ability to quickly assess the bigger and smaller picture of what was going in my situation. Initially I was so overwhelmed and discouraged with my situation that it was such a wonderful relief to be guided by her no-nonsense and practical suggestions – which encouraged me to make small realistic changes that immediately began to improve my circumstances.
Minda has an almost magical quality to the way she works. I trusted her completely.She instills confidence and faith and it wasn`t long before following her simple action plans – that I was beginning to regain a sense of inner balance. While the stressful parameters of my job did not abate, many of the anxieties and doubts about my relationship with my job did as my path became clear.
I made the decision to leave my job not long afterwards and have taken some well deserved time off.
Minda is a great coach. Though the ultimate decision to make such a big life change was mine alone, because of her help I was able to do it from a position of strength and confidence. She inspired me to work hard and I am still working hard. I continue to use the template she taught me of setting realistic goals and matching action plans in my everyday life and as a result I am more productive, focused, relaxed and happy." 2017
Anastasia, Senior Bank Manager and mother of two young children - Montréal
"I had started my sessions with coach Minda while being at the cross roads in my life. I left my career in the banking sector to work full time at home after the birth of my second child. Now I was considering several vastly different options such as going back to school, going back to my field, starting my own business or continuing to work at home. I felt conflicted by the choices in front of me and I needed guidance in establishing my core values and my true self.
I was recommended to see coach Minda by two other working mothers who were in similar situations and who spoke highly of their experiences during the sessions and of the results that they saw in their lives.
From the first ten minutes of the session I realized that coach Minda had an approach that fit exactly with my needs. She demonstrated a no-nonsense way of looking at my life and analyzing it from a different perspective. She encouraged me to name that values that were important to me and then pointed out the ones that were indeed true to myself and the ones that I adopted in my life but that were not representative of my core believes. With coach Minda’s guidance I created a life vision for myself and I then used this vision when contemplating my choices. In the end, I was at ease in deciding to enroll into a Master’s Program that allowed me to progressively find ways to dedicate thirty to forty hours a week to my professional development while still allowing me to provide my young children with special times and an unhurried childhood.
I came out of my sessions with coach Minda feeling peaceful with the next stage of my life while also being more in touch with who I am as a person today." - 2016
Dr. J.C - Montréal
"About a year ago, I was lucky enough to be given 4 sessions with Coach Minda as a gift by a good friend. I was not in “crisis mode” but I was definitely in “change mode”. It was becoming more pressing for me to act on my desire for change—necessary change, without which I would soon have been in crisis. Coach Minda helped me clarify and crystallize my goals (seems so obvious but how often do we actually do it?) and have honest discussions about who I feel myself to be now and where I really wanted my life to go. With Coach Minda, you also have to do the work, but it’s definitely worth it!
One key milestone with Coach Minda was recognizing my actual skill set as opposed to external definitions of my abilities such as degrees, awards, titles, promotions and perceptions. My true skills and experience turned out to be a lot broader than these latter definitions. This gave me the confidence to make a big career shift as well as significant changes to my schedule.
One year later, I now have a career I truly enjoy with much greater professional satisfaction, greater remuneration (yes, happiness equals success, not the other way around!), more free time and lovely colleagues.
Much of my chronic stress has left and I am now able to lead an artistic life parallel to my career, truly prioritize my health and start a family!
Coach Minda is a Life Coach, Career Coach and Personal Coach all rolled up into one! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Coach Minda can help you advance wherever you are on your path and help give you one of the greatest gifts of all: yourself. Thank you Coach Minda!" - 2016
A.B - Montréal
"When I started my search for my ideal life coach, I read through multiple profiles before finding Coach Minda. What really struck me about her profile was the mention of helping people through professional and personal life transitions and especially when feeling stuck and at an impasse. I wasn't quite sure if it was just my personal life affecting my professional life or vice versa? Once I started my sessions with her, we touched on both and worked on how one has an impact on the other. Minda took the time to understand my personality and gave me tools to use in order to improve both "lives" (professional and personal). I was coping with various challenges, but with her guidance, I started gaining confidence and taking action. Minda cares about each person she sees and for that I am very grateful! Thank you Minda!"- 2016
Brenda - Ontario
"Minda's direct approach and professional insights made easy work of the tedious task of short-listing best ways to creating, prioritizing and implementing not one, but two of my dauntingly large life goals: Getting a new job and becoming more healthy. After the first session with Minda, I began to take clear steps towards executing the required tasks. And this has triggered a very positive domino effect. After our third appointment, I had already reinvented my CV, and applied for a job in my field of dreams! I won't torture myself by beginning to imagine where I might have been if I had met Minda 10 years ago! I feel privileged to have made her acquaintance, and to have drawn from her guidance." 2015
Physician - Toronto
"I consulted with numerous therapists concerning my daughter who was having mental health issues which were impacting the whole family. Once things calmed down, someone suggested I contact Coach Minda to help me sort out how to set some boundaries and find more equilibrium at home which had turned into a “battle zone”. Between the massive demands of work and our serious challenges on the home front, my husband and I found Minda very helpful in learning how to work as a team. She helped us figure out what our values and priorities are and to use these to guide our decisions around our daughter, two other children and family life. Since we were consulting with various therapists, we became overwhelmed and found that Minda helped us make sense of where we stood in relation to all the suggestions. Minda has a unique no-nonsense approach and very practical. She listens and asks questions that really provoke insights previously unknown." 2014
George, consultant - Toronto
"What I got from Coach Minda was well beyond my expectations. My younger sister has been going through difficult times and has put our family through hell. Coach Minda has provided tremendous insight, advice and support. For a month, she coached me several times a week. I call her Coach on Call (COC). I really felt she was thinking about our problem in between calls and and I really appreciated she was there. She helped us develop a game plan and shifted our thinking so that we can more effectively deal with my sister. Thanks" 2014
Annat, on staff at hospital – Montréal
"I had the opportunity to work with Minda this past year. When I first came to see her, my morale was low. I was in a series of jobs where I was miserable and I did not know how to break the cycle. During our sessions, Minda showed me how to identify the real source of the problems I was facing. She helped me tap into my strengths and she challenged me to take action. I then started to grow and move forward. I greatly appreciated our exchanges. After every session, I felt hopeful and energized.
Minda has the gift of putting others at ease. I established a good rapport with her and felt very comfortable from the start. She has a unique way of teaching and she freely shares her own experiences with generosity and transparency. Minda's dynamic approach worked much better for me than previous experiences.
My experience was extremely positive and I gained insight into my challenges through Coach Minda's ability to ask the right questions. She is motivating, compassionate, engaging and thoughtful. She has a wonderful, warm, open personality that lends itself perfectly to her chosen field. Minda provides practical, results-oriented ways to make things you want happen, and she gave me valuable tools to maintain the positive changes. I would recommend her fully. Thank you for everything Minda!!" 2014
Lisa, Nutritionist Coach – Montréal
"After working in Corporate America for 15 years, I have been a stay-at-home mom for almost four years. I sought out Coach Minda to help me re-launch my career. For almost a year, we have worked not only on my career goals, but on the many life issues that get uncovered through the coaching process. Minda has a way of helping me find the answers I need so I am able to move forward and focus clearly on what needs to be done in the little “alone” time I have. Despite knowing that a career transition is a long process, it seems to be accelerating faster than I had imagined. I am more motivated to move forward and find it easier now to focus on the key tasks to achieve my goals. Being accountable to Coach Minda is what drives me forward – she is down to earth, rational, quick, positive, intelligent and very experienced in identifying career goals and making them attainable. Minda removes the grey areas and brings in the light. Thanks Minda for being a true help to all aspects of my life." 2014
Ana, Mother of three young children and visual artist– Montréal
Minda is a professional. She is very knowledgeable, approachable, kind and very honest. The perfect combination of traits that you need in someone you are trusting your career with. She was able to help me find within my self a sense of direction, and helped me develop the necessary organizational skills which will allow me to keep going in the right direction. 2014
Sonja, Ph.D. candidate at McGill University – Montréal
"I'm in the end stages of graduate school and am currently writing my thesis. This period is a difficult one, as it is you taking the 'Grand Stage', creating the final product of all those many years of work.
There are a lot of emotions that come together all at once, and lots of questions regarding your future. One can easily loose focus and get lost in a sea of expectations: expectations you have of yourself, expectations others have of you, expectations you have of others, and expectations you have of the expectations others have of you, etc...
Coach Minda has helped me to keep my focus by identifying distractions that decrease my productivity. Especially in times of 'writers block' and feelings of being overwhelmed (by emotions and random questions of the past, the present, and the future). Through techniques of problems solving and re-aligning expectations, Minda helped me sort through what was holding me back.
Coach Minda also introduced me to mindfulness meditation and relaxation which I started using on a regular basis and which I can only recommend to everyone who is reading this! Start with a guided meditation led by Minda, and then let yourself be carried through until you are able to ride the wave of meditation on your own.
When you feel you are swimming in open water and you don't know where the nearest harbor is, let alone the nearest floating device, take advantage of working with Minda. Identify your floating devices and then ride the waves safely into your harbor of choice. At the present moment, I have found my floating device and I have identified my harbor of choice... now it's all about paddling into the identified direction (and I, from where I am at right now, I can see the harbor already. :-) Thanks Minda!" 2014
Abbie, Ph.D. University Associate – Montréal
“Coach Minda has just the right mix of profound intuition and no-nonsense good sense. She is compassionate, dedicated and refreshingly frank. I would recommend her to anyone who has lost sight of the guiding light in their lives, or to anyone who just doesn’t see any light at all. She guided me through a process of defining my values and objectives and circumventing the obstacles that had prevented me from taking action sooner. She can help reconnect you with what matters to you. I noticed a remarkable increase in my mood, my productivity, and (most important to me) my sense of direction.” 2013
Mag, Ruffman Entertainment - Ontario
“Since beginning to work with Coach Minda several months ago, I've been able to turn my company around from a scattered, fragmented operation to a busy, productive business. Minda has helped me hone my vision and understand how to work with clients so that my company and staff has what it needs, emotionally, operationally and financially, to move forward. She has helped me understand how to make decisions based on the long-term arc rather than seeing only as far as the current week's challenges. This has really improved staff morale and also strengthened our relationships with our clients. I really look forward to my coaching calls because Minda is helping me build something meaningful in my life and career.” 2013
Daniel, Ruffman Entertainment – Ontario
“Minda has really helped me understand the way the corporate world works. As a small business operator I'm no longer confused by corporate timetables and interactions, so this increased awareness has really helped us secure support from corporate partners. We used to be afraid to ask for what we needed. With Minda's coaching we now understand that the sooner we ask and the more directly we communicate our vision to corporate players, the easier it is for them to greenlight our projects”. 2013
Chris, Lawyer – Montréal
“For several years, I had struggled with making career related decisions. During my sessions with Minda, I have been able to sift -through my thoughts and define my short- and long-term professional and personal goals. With Minda's help, I have put together a short-term plan, which allows me to grow and feel more comfortable within my present position while establishing a long-term plan to help me transition to a new career. Minda's ability to quickly hone in on the topics that needed to be "tackled" was impressive. Her positive approach allowed me to realize the unique skills that I could bring to a working environment. I now have a clear view of where to focus my energy in order to find career opportunities that fulfill my needs.” 2013
Bob Weingartner, Career coach – New York
“I was experiencing some challenges in moving forward with my new career coaching business and connected with Minda for some professional coaching. I was stuck and struggled in my sales and marketing efforts. Coach Minda led me through an exercise to dig deeper inside and I identified some goals I could implement for business improvement. She became my chief accountability officer to assure I followed through on my commitments. I appreciated the extra "push" because it is just what I needed to overcome my fears and strengthen my commitment to take the next steps. She was my cheerleader when I had made several strides to move forward. Minda's active listening and visioning skills are top notch. She can quickly weed through the details and coach the client to see the bigger picture, assure they work to a plan and assess what is holding them back. I would highly recommend Minda as a professional coach and would consider her services in the near future.” 2013
Shirley, Artist and teacher – Montréal
“Being coached has been a unique experience for me. Minda has a friendly, yet no-nonsense approach when we sit together. I tend to go off on tangents in conversation and in life, and organizational skills are not my strength. In just four sessions, she has helped me focus my attention on priorities and I have been enjoying the new me: I have started looking at things differently, and getting things in order. I am definitely seeing results. And I have learned new things about myself as a result of our interactions!” 2013
Victoria, Professional dancer and Pilates instructor – Montréal
“I went to Minda at a point in my life where I was feeling completely overwhelmed in many areas of my life. It was too much for me to tackle balancing the needs of a young family and a long-standing fulfilling career that was in transition. She helped to clarify what was important in my life and gave me the tools to achieve my goals. What seemed impossible, Minda showed is quite achievable, both through careful planning and taking on bite-sized goals, rather than having a long unachievable to do list. Best of all, she helped me to gain insight into my own problems and patterns that were causing me unnecessary stress. This new insight gave me an increased sense of independence, productivity and joy, in my home life and career.” 2013
Gabriella, College Student – Israel
“This is my first experience with coaching. I talk with her on the phone once a week for half an hour about my goals, my obstacles or difficulties, and discuss concrete steps I can take to make changes in my life. Minda creates a comfortable environment and I feel very open when I speak to her. By asking specific and insightful questions she helps me come to my own conclusions. I learned to take big things that I want to accomplish and break them down to baby steps: the importance of having "quality time" with myself and doing things I love, sorting through my priorities and feeling content with small successes. From week to week, I become excited with my different achievements and can't wait to tell her about them. I definitely get a feeling of success and self-satisfaction.” 2013
Mary Anna Smith, Mother of three young children – Montréal
“I had never even heard of a life “coach” before 6 months ago and so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began meeting with Minda. The experience was revelatory in many ways! While I had begun the partnership thinking I wanted to focus on career issues, through conversation with Minda, I discovered other areas in my life of greater priority. Minda helped me identify practical steps to accomplish my goals. While this may seem a simple description of what is involved in the coaching partnership with Minda, it is actually quite an art! As I was the ultimate source of the work, my investment and commitment was that much greater. I am very appreciative of the assistance Minda has offered and will continue the journey!” 2013
