About the Guest - Dr Julia Carden PhD MSc PCC FCIPD

Julia was born and raised in Cornwall and “made in the Royal Navy”, and now lives in Hampshire. She has been and continues to be on a lifelong journey in developing her own self-awareness. She works as a relational coach and coach supervisor practitioner, with an academic underpinning.  Her work focuses on working with the whole person (both individuals and teams) to expand and deepen self-awareness, so that individuals can connect deeply with others and develop the capacity to sit with uncertainty. 

Julia has a deep interest in self-awareness and how it helps individuals develop and grow, by enabling firstly self-connection and then connection with others. This approach is underpinned by her PhD research into Self-Awareness. Alongside her coaching and supervision practice, she is a visiting tutor at Henley Business School, teaching on the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching, MSc in Executive Coaching for Behavioural Change and heads up the Professional Certificate in Coaching Supervision.

Julia’s book “You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are” was published in October 2025.

About the Episode

In this episode, host Melissa is joined by Julia Carden to delve into the foundational and deeply human theme of self-awareness.

Together, Melissa and Julia explore how doing the inner work allows us to leave our ego at the door, drop the exhausting need to "perform," and build true, grounded confidence. They discuss practical ways to cultivate self-awareness, ranging from formal coaching supervision and therapy to taking mindful dog walks in nature. Importantly, they emphasise that self-awareness isn't a final destination or a neat box, but rather a messy, tangled "ball of wool" that requires continuous unravelling.

Key topics explored in this episode include:

• Dropping the Performance: How true self-awareness frees coaches from the need to "perform" or "fix," allowing them to comfortably hold space for a client's uncertainty.
• The Components of Self: Breaking down self-awareness into intrapersonal elements (beliefs, values, motivations, and somatic responses) and interpersonal elements (how others perceive our behaviours).
• Moral Courage in Coaching: Learning to trust that somatic "sharp edge" feeling and having the bravery to ask the difficult questions that no one else will dare to ask.
• The Power of Meaning-Making: Why life experiences—whether trekking up a mountain in Morocco, painting, or doing yoga—only build real awareness when paired with intentional reflection.
• The Ripple Effect of Compassion: How accepting our own "messy" shadow sides and unhelpful inherited beliefs fosters self-compassion, which then creates a ripple effect of love and compassion for our clients and communities.

Whether you are just beginning your reflective practice or are deeply engaged in navigating the tangled threads of your own inner work, this episode is a beautiful reminder that self-awareness is an ongoing, courageous journey.

Connect  with Julia:

Carden Consulting: https://carden-consulting.co.uk/
On LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliacarden/
More about the book "You Are Not As Self-Aware As You Think You Are": https://youarenotasselfawareasyouthink.com/

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About the Guest
Donna Ward-Higgs is a leadership coach, supervisor, and trusted Wing Woman to leaders, managers and coaching business owners navigating growth, pressure and big decisions. She supports people to untangle the noise, challenge unhelpful “shoulds”, and lead in a way that actually fits — combining sharp thinking, honest conversations and deep respect for the human side of leadership. 
 

Donna is a dear friend of host Melissa and a returning regular guest on the podcast. With a deep understanding of coaching and personal growth, Donna brings a calming and insightful perspective to complex emotional topics, emphasising the importance of giving ourselves the space to process feelings without forced judgment or expectation.

About the Episode

In this reflective and unscripted conversation, Melissa and regular guest Donna Ward-Higgs dive into the transformative concept of emotional agility.

Recording just 48 hours after returning from a rigorous emotional agility certification program with Susan David, Melissa shares her fresh, vulnerable insights and real-time personal experiences from the trip. Together, Donna and Melissa unpack what it means to stop fighting our feelings and start using them to cultivate long-term change and grounded confidence.

Key topics explored in this episode include:

• Emotions as Data, Not Directives: Learning to view our feelings as helpful information rather than absolute truths that must dictate our actions.
• Recognising the "Hook": Identifying the deeply ingrained stories that trap us, and physically creating the necessary space between stimulus and response to make empowered choices.
• Agility vs. Rigidity: The crucial difference between letting emotions pass through you and holding onto them so tightly that they define you.
• The Power of the Pause: Donna and Melissa discuss how stepping back to ground yourself—whether through taking a quiet walk in nature or simply petting a dog—is essential before reacting.
• "You Are the Sky": Embracing the liberating concept that our emotions are just the "clouds" passing by; they are a part of us, not all of us.

Whether you are navigating your own emotional hurdles or looking to better support your coaching clients, this candid episode offers practical wisdom on finding your ground and replacing old stories with courageous new choices.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About Jane Gilham:

Coach | Advocate for Women’s Wellbeing & Leadership | Grief Educator in Training

Jane Gilham is a coach and mentor for high-achieving women who’ve spent years carrying responsibility, pushing through overwhelm, and quietly losing pieces of themselves along the way. She helps female leaders, executives, and professionals reclaim clarity, meaning, and
emotional freedom, without burning out or abandoning their own needs.

Her work is deeply rooted in her own story, decades of high performance, caregiving and navigating complex relationships. The grief of losing her father and the gradual erosion of self that can happen when you’re endlessly strong for everyone else. These experiences shape her compassionate, grounded approach to coaching, one that welcomes the whole human, not just the polished parts.

She supports clients through challenges such as self-doubt, over-responsibility, imposter feelings, grief (in all its forms), work-life imbalance, and the pressure to hold everything together. Her coaching blends emotional resilience, psychological flexibility, values-led growth and nature-based reflection to help women reconnect with who they are beneath the expectations. Jane is currently completing her Grief Educator Certification with David Kessler’s 2025 Fall cohort, expanding her work to support individuals through the many forms of loss, not just death, but identity shifts, life transitions, and the quiet, unnamed losses that shape us.

She is the founder of Awareness Coaching, where she offers 1:1 coaching, workshops, and reflective spaces for women who want to live intentional, meaningful, and healthier lives. Her leadership background, alongside years of mentoring and advisory work, gives her a unique ability to ask courageous questions and guide others through periods of change. She is also a volunteer youth coach.

When she’s not coaching, you’ll find her walking in nature with Woody, her cocker Spaniel, studying or spending time with her family.

Jane is a member of the Association of Coaching, Dare to Lead™ Trained and part of the Henley School for Coaching Alumni.

About the Episode:
In this episode, Melissa pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build grounded confidence and live courageously.

Melissa is joined by Jane Gilham for a rich, honest conversation about the vital role values play in our lives and businesses. While many of us can list our values, Jane and Melissa dig deeper into the difference between simply professing them and actually practising them—especially when life gets hard.

In a vulnerable and powerful discussion, Jane shares her personal journey of identifying her core values—Compassion, Curiosity, Family, Health, and Nature—and how they have served as an essential anchor during a season of profound grief and physical challenge following the loss of her father.

Key topics explored in this episode include:

• From "Fixer" to Curious Observer: How leaning into the value of Curiosity helps coaches avoid the trap of "fixing" and instead build a 3D context for their clients.
• Values as a Compass: How values like Nature and Compassion can guide difficult decisions and daily habits, even in the midst of trauma and loss.
• The Hard Work of Alignment: The reality of living into your values when they are being tested, including managing boundaries and avoiding emotional enmeshment.
• Grounded Confidence: Using values to filter out the "noise" of the world and stop worrying about what others think.

Whether you are new to values work or looking to deepen your existing practice, this episode offers a moving real-world example of how values support us to be courageous with our clients, our businesses, and our lives.

Jane's Links:

www.awarenesscoachinghr.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-gilham-8765a32b/

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About This Episode

Welcome to the premiere of Season Three! In this solo episode, host Melissa Hague sets the foundation for a season dedicated entirely to Grounded Confidence. Moving past the myths that confidence is about being loud, shiny, or perfect, Melissa explores a steadier, more human form of confidence that allows coaches to step into courage without "armouring up".

Drawing heavily on the "Arena" metaphor from Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead work, Melissa breaks down what it means to be vulnerable in our coaching practice and introduces the core components of grounded confidence that will be explored throughout this season

Key Topics Discussed

The Myth of Confidence: Why confidence isn't about boldness, certainty, or polish, but rather about self-trust, presence, and steadiness.
The Arena Metaphor: Understanding the "arena" as any moment where we share ourselves (opinions, feelings, work) without control over the outcome.

Armouring Up: How we use self-protection mechanisms like over-preparation, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and even reflective practice to avoid vulnerability.

Defining Grounded Confidence: A confidence built on solid ground—rooted in self-awareness, courage, and practice rather than arrogance or posturing.

The Core Components of Grounded Confidence:

• Values: Practising values behaviorally (e.g., using curiosity when you don't know an answer) rather than just professing them.
• Emotional Awareness & Regulation: Staying with emotions rather than suppressing them to shape our presence.
• Self-Awareness: Understanding our patterns, triggers, and blind spots to create clearer boundaries.
• Curiosity: The vulnerability of admitting "I don't know" and leaning into uncertainty.
• Mindfulness: The power of the "pause" to create space between stimulus and response.
• Embodiment: Moving out of our heads to access the wisdom and cues of our bodies.
• Mastery: A commitment to being a student of the craft, prioritising practice over perfection.

Next Week

Join us for Episode 2, where Melissa will be joined by Jane Gilham to dive deep into Values—specifically how they serve as an anchor for grounded confidence during challenging times.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa
Connect with me on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/melissa-hague

Sign up to my mailing list here - https://mailinglistsignup.melissahague.com/landing-page-8347

Or, If you’d like chat about all thing’s courage, then you can book a chat with me here - https://calendly.com/melissahague/let-s-talk

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Episode Host:

Kate Chastey is a business mentor and marketing strategist known for helping solo business owners (especially women) build financially stable, emotionally sustainable businesses rooted in clarity, courage, and joy.

After 15 years building her own freelance business into a respected franchise, The Passionate PA, Kate made the bold decision to close that chapter in 2024. That transformation was supported by Melissa Hague through the Dare to Lead™ programme—a pivotal experience that helped Kate realign her future with greater authenticity and purpose.

Now, through her consultancy, Kate offers mentoring and strategy for service-based solo business owners who want more than just income—they want impact, intention, and a business they don't need a holiday from. Her specialisms include marketing strategy, outsourcing advice, and business growth mentorship, particularly supporting freelancers and consultants to move past the £5k/month barrier with smart strategy and mindset support.

Kate lives on a small farm on Dartmoor and runs her business from her "office with a view," often accompanied by her Barketing Assistant

This podcast episode represents a full-circle moment for Kate—from being coached by Melissa to now interviewing her, bringing insight, warmth, and curiosity to a conversation about courage, leadership, and personal evolution.

Connect with Kate:

• Website: www.katechastey.co.uk
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katechastey/

About The Episode:

Welcome to episode 24 of the Courageous Coach podcast—something a little different this time! Host Melissa Hague has handed over the mic to the brilliant Kate Chastey, business mentor, marketing specialist, and someone who has walked her own incredibly courageous path.

In 2024, Kate made the bold decision to close The Passionate PA, a franchise business she had built from the ground up over 15 years, to step into more aligned and meaningful work. This transformation was supported by Melissa through the Dare to Lead™ programme—a pivotal experience that Kate describes as her biggest arena moment.

Now the tables have turned, and Kate brings her insider's perspective to interview Melissa about her journey from employed life to entrepreneurship, the pivotal moments that shaped her career, and what it really means to be a courageous coach. This conversation offers a rare glimpse into Melissa's own vulnerability, her arena moments, and the ongoing work of building courage both personally and professionally.

It's a full-circle moment that beautifully illustrates how courage builds courage, and how the work we do on ourselves ripples out to transform others—and sometimes comes back to us in the most unexpected and beautiful ways.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Self-awareness is just the beginning: Melissa emphasises that while coach training teaches models, techniques, and tools, the real transformation comes from doing your own inner work. You can't just tell people to be courageous—you have to role model it authentically, which requires knowing yourself deeply and doing the ongoing work of personal development. 
• Loosen your grip on perfectionism: One of Melissa's key insights for coaches is learning to trust yourself earlier and hold less tightly to rigid structures. If you don't know the answer, that's okay—you're not meant to know. If you've forgotten where you are in a coaching model, that's fine too. This trust and flexibility creates more flow and ease in coaching relationships. 
• Arena moments happen daily, not just in big life transitions: While we often think of courage as grand gestures, Melissa reminds us that arena moments happen all day, every day. Every new client conversation, every vulnerable share, every time you step into uncertainty as a coach—these are all opportunities to practice ordinary, everyday courage. 
• The transformation happens between sessions, not during them: A crucial realisation for coaches is that the biggest breakthroughs and "aha moments" typically don't happen in coaching sessions; they happen in the spaces between, when clients are processing, reflecting, and applying what they've explored. This takes the pressure off coaches to create immediate transformation. 
• Who you are is how you coach—so get deliberate about knowing yourself: This isn't just a nice coaching philosophy—it's a practical imperative. Melissa advocates for being intentional and deliberate about your own development work rather than just hoping you'll figure it out along the way. The more consciously you do this work, the more authentic and effective you become as a coach.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Guests:

This roundtable features five members of the Courageous Coach community:

• Amy Wilkinson – A down-to-earth, real-talk advocate for ditching coaching snobbery and embracing imperfection.
• Jane Gilham – Speaks powerfully about grief, transition, and finding courage in life’s hardest seasons.
• Donna Ward-Higgs – Brings heartfelt insight into the power of safety, self-awareness, and returning to community as a restorative act.
• Kathryn Smith – Shares her reflections from inside the NHS and academia, anchoring herself in the idea that she’s already enough.
• Gayle Tong – Champions the idea of community without comparison, and of learning who you truly are beyond corporate life.

And of course, your host Melissa Hague, whose vision, vulnerability and human-first ethos shape the Courageous Coach experience.

About The Episode:

In this heartwarming, laughter-filled, and deeply honest roundtable, host Melissa Hague is joined by five founding members of the Courageous Coach community: Amy Wilkinson, Jane Gilham, Donna Ward-Higgs, Kathryn, and Gayle Tong. What started as an experiment became a powerful conversation about what community really means in the context of coaching beyond credentials, beyond branding, and into what it means to simply be human together.

This episode explores the behind-the-scenes of building a values-led coaching practice while staying anchored in authenticity, connection, and courage. Expect real talk, no polish, and a powerful reminder that you're not alone on the path.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Community isn’t noisy, it’s nourishing: The Courageous Coach community isn't about constant WhatsApp pings or forced interaction. It’s a space to ebb and flow, show up when you need to, and know someone’s got your back without the pressure to perform.
• Courage is contagious (and deeply human): When one coach dares to be vulnerable, it opens the door for others to drop the mask. These conversations are rooted in real-life grief, identity shifts, imposter syndrome, and the courage to keep showing up anyway.
• We are humans first, coaches second: The magic of this community lies in not needing to posture. There’s no model-off, badge flex, or acronyms-as-armour. Coaching here starts with humanity, not hierarchy.
• You’re already enough, and still becoming: Many of the coaches speak openly about comparison, chasing qualifications, and wondering, “Am I doing this right?” The consensus? You grow as a coach by being yourself, not by collecting more letters after your name.
• Ongoing development is an anchor, not a tick-box: Whether it’s returning to a gathering, revisiting the programme themes, or simply staying connected, the work of being a courageous coach isn’t one-and-done. It's lifelong, evolving, and sustained by community.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches 

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Guest:

This episode features no guest just the honest, encouraging voice of the show’s host: Melissa Hague. Melissa is a coach who helps others lead with courage, show up more fully, and build meaningful practices from the inside out. Her work is rooted in integrity, self-awareness, and the belief that being human is more than enough.

About The Episode:

In this solo episode of The Courageous Coach, host Melissa gets beautifully vulnerable as she reads a heartfelt letter to her past self, the version of her just starting out in the coaching world. This isn’t just a pep talk. It’s a grounded, soul-nourishing reminder of what it really takes to build a coaching practice with heart, humanity and courage. Whether you’re new to coaching or simply circling back to your “why,” this is a letter worth hearing.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Courage doesn’t wait for readiness: You don’t need to feel “fully qualified” or confident to begin coaching. Courage shows up when you do - uncertain, imperfect, and still willing to serve. The transformation starts not when you feel ready, but when you choose to begin anyway.
• You’re not missing a magic credential: That urge to do “just one more training” before calling yourself a real coach? It's a distraction. Real coaching is built through presence, care, and a willingness to keep growing, not through an endless list of certifications.
• The business side requires its own kind of bravery: Building a coaching practice is one thing. Turning it into a business? That’s a whole other dance with vulnerability. Pricing your work, being seen, and saying “this is who I am and what I do” takes guts, and it gets easier with practice.
• Marketing can be human, slow, and values-led: You don’t have to sound like a marketing guru. You don’t have to manipulate. Just speak from your truth. Let your content be a generous invitation rather than a polished performance.
• Slowness isn’t failure - it’s part of the rhythm: Quiet seasons with no new clients or visible progress can feel like failure, but they’re often where integration, healing, and refinement happen. Long-term success isn’t always loud; it’s consistent, honest, and sustainable.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Guest:

Diane Lloyd, MA, PCC is a leadership coach, speaker, and facilitator dedicated to empowering midlife women to step into their full leadership potential with confidence, clarity, and courage. With decades of leadership experience and a deep understanding of personal reinvention, Diane has lived the transitions she now helps others navigate.

At 43, she made a bold career shift from a successful role in revenue development to becoming an executive coach, and now, at 57, she is reinventing her business to focus on supporting women leaders in midlife. Having personally experienced the challenges of perimenopause and menopause, Diane is passionate about ensuring that women don't lose faith in themselves during this critical life stage.

Diane created the Inspiring Midlife Leadership program, where women reclaim their confidence and access their courage with a view that midlife is a time of opportunity rather than decline. She holds the PCC credential with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is certified in Navigating Transitions (TQ), Emotional Intelligence (EQi 2.0), and the Neuroscience of Coaching. Additionally, she teaches in the Certified Executive Coach Program at Royal Roads University, where she was honoured with the 2022 Kelly Outstanding Teaching Award.

When she's not coaching or speaking, Diane enjoys adventuring on Vancouver Island, exploring Okanagan wine country, diving into a great book, or finding peace on her yoga mat.

Connect with Diane:

• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dianelloyd/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.dianelloyd.com
• Inspiring Midlife Leadership: https://inspiredresultsgroup.mykajabi.com/inspiring_midlife_leadership_program_2-0 

About The Episode:

Welcome to episode 21 of the Courageous Coach podcast, where we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be courageous with your clients, your business, and your life. In this powerful conversation, host Melissa is joined by leadership coach and facilitator Diane Lloyd for an intimate exploration of courage, vulnerability, and the transformative journey of midlife leadership.

Diane and Melissa, who first connected through their Dare to Lead training with Brené Brown, share deeply personal insights about their own courage-building journeys. This isn't just a theoretical discussion - it's a raw, honest conversation between two coaches who are actively doing the work themselves while supporting others on their own paths to courage.

From discussing the challenges of sitting with difficult emotions in coaching sessions to exploring how midlife women can step into their power to change the world, this episode offers both practical wisdom and profound insights for coaches, leaders, and anyone navigating their own courage journey.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Courageous coaching requires embracing hard emotions: Rather than rushing clients toward the light or trying to reframe difficult feelings, truly courageous coaches learn to sit with discomfort—both their client's and their own. This means being curious about shame, grief, and other challenging emotions rather than avoiding them or immediately trying to fix them. 
• Self-awareness without self-compassion equals self-cruelty: This powerful insight from Jessica Griffin reminds us that developing self-awareness is only half the equation. Without the accompanying self-compassion (and the important middle step of self-acceptance), increased self-awareness can become a tool for self-attack rather than growth and healing. 
• Intuition is both a whisper and a body experience: Learning to trust your intuition as a coach involves tuning into both the quiet voice that offers "drop-down one-liners" and the somatic signals your body provides. The key question Diane uses to access her intuition is: "What does my heart tell me to do?" 
• Confidence comes from courage, not the other way around: Rather than waiting to feel confident before taking action, courage is what enables us to take that first step, then another, and another. Each act of courage builds confidence over time, especially when paired with self-compassion when things don't go as planned. 
• Midlife women have the power to change the world: There's incredible untapped potential in women navigating midlife who are ready to step into their full power. By addressing the "invisible barriers" like perimenopause, patriarchal conditioning, and shame, midlife women can access their wisdom, emotional intelligence, and collaborative leadership style when the world needs it most.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Guest:

Jean Burke supports purpose-driven leaders and teams to thrive, not just keep going. With over 30 years of experience in leadership, coaching, and workplace wellbeing, she brings a psychologically informed, deeply practical approach to helping people lead with greater clarity, connection, and self-awareness.

Her work is rooted in the belief that leadership is relational and that meaningful change happens when we pay attention to how we connect with ourselves and one another. Jean is an accredited psychotherapist, experienced executive coach, and Strengths Profile Master Practitioner, specialising in group dynamics, reflective practice, and healthier ways of working in high-pressure environments.

Jean's unique background in both psychotherapy and executive coaching allows her to work holistically with senior leaders, particularly those in high-stakes, high-pressure environments such as healthcare and social care. Her research on courage in psychotherapy provides valuable insights that inform both her therapeutic and coaching practice.

Connect with Jean:

Website: www.jeanburke.net

About The Episode:

Welcome to episode 20 of the Courageous Coach podcast, where we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be courageous with your clients, your business and your life. In this episode, host Melissa is joined by Jean Burke, a psychotherapist and executive coach who brings a unique dual perspective to the conversation.

Jean and Melissa explore the fascinating intersection of coaching and therapy, delving into the importance of self-awareness and the role of courage in both practices. Drawing from her research on courage in psychotherapy, Jean emphasises that courage is entirely subjective and unique to each individual practitioner and client relationship.

This rich conversation highlights the critical importance of real connection in coaching relationships, the everyday acts of courage that lead to meaningful change, and the essential self-work that coaches must do to show up authentically with their clients. From understanding our defence mechanisms to embracing the "curse of the coach," Jean and Melissa offer profound insights into what it truly means to be present and courageous in the service of others.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Self-awareness begins with understanding your defences and relationship with uncertainty - As coaches, we must recognise how we deal with anxiety and the unknown, because our ability to sit with a client's vulnerability and uncertainty depends on our comfort with our own. Understanding our defence mechanisms and how we armour up when feeling vulnerable is crucial for maintaining an authentic connection with clients. 
• Courage in coaching is entirely subjective and evolves over time - Jean's research revealed that courage looks different for every coach and grows with experience and development. What feels courageous for one coach may not for another, and what challenges you early in your career becomes comfortable over time. This subjective nature means avoiding comparison with others and honouring your own unique brand of courage. 
• Real connection requires bringing your whole authentic self into a relationship - Courage in coaching isn't about technique or skill-building—it's about the willingness to be genuinely present and authentic with another human being. This means being willing to name what's happening in the room, share your own vulnerability when appropriate, and engage with clients as whole human beings rather than just their professional selves. 
• The competence boundary between coaching and therapy is felt, not tick-boxed - Rather than rigid rules about when coaching becomes therapy, experienced practitioners develop a felt sense of when they're moving beyond their competence. The key is staying connected to yourself, using supervision effectively, and having courageous conversations with clients about re-contracting when needed, always prioritising the client's best interests. 
• Every day courage matters more than heroic acts - While we often think of courage in terms of big, bold actions, the most important courage in coaching happens in small, everyday moments—naming what you're noticing, sitting with not knowing the next question, or admitting when you feel out of your depth. These ordinary acts of courage strengthen the coaching relationship and create space for real change.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches 

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.

About The Guest:

Amy Wilkinson is the founder of Fearless Foodies, a coaching and training company dedicated to empowering professionals in the food industry to communicate with confidence, influence, and impact.

After more than two decades in new product development, commercial and marketing roles within corporate food manufacturing, Amy took the leap to start her own coaching business nearly five years ago. Drawing on her wealth of industry experience and her passion for people, she now delivers transformative workshops and coaching that inspire emotionally intelligent leadership and confident communication.

Known for her engaging and relatable style, Amy helps individuals embrace their unique voice, navigate challenges with courage, and achieve their personal and professional goals by "feeling the fear and doing it anyway". What started as a solo coaching practice has evolved into a team of 10+ associate coaches, creating what Amy describes as not just a business, but a movement within the food industry.

Connect with Amy:

• Website: fearlessfoodies.co.uk
• Blog: ohforfoodssake.co.uk

About The Episode:

Welcome to episode 19 of the Courageous Coach podcast, where we pull back the curtain on what it really takes to be courageous with your clients, your business and your life. In this episode, host Melissa is joined by the wonderful Amy Wilkinson, founder of Fearless Foodies, for her second appearance on the show.

Amy returns to share the evolution of her coaching business journey, exploring how she transformed from a generalist coach to building a powerful movement within the food industry. This candid conversation delves into the challenges and triumphs of building a coaching business, the transformative power of niching, and the daily courage required to show up authentically in business.

From her first vulnerable speaking moment to six women on Zoom to presenting to 300 people at Asda head office, Amy's story demonstrates how small acts of courage compound into significant business growth. We explore the balance between comfort and courage, the importance of self-awareness in business, and how to find the right support while avoiding the noise of "six-figure by Christmas" promises.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Niching amplifies your voice and accelerates growth - The more Amy niched into the food industry and then specifically product development teams, the louder her marketing voice became. By speaking directly to one person's experience and using industry-specific language, her content resonated powerfully with her ideal clients, leading to exponential business growth and recognition as a thought leader. 
• Small courageous actions create cascading opportunities - Amy's pivotal moment came when she vulnerably shared her burnout story with just six women on a Zoom call. This single act of courage led to increased authenticity in her social media, which built momentum and eventually resulted in speaking to 300 people at major corporate events, demonstrating how courage compounds over time. 
• Building a business that feels like you require deep self-awareness - Understanding her ADHD, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, and working style allowed Amy to build a business model that works with her brain rather than against it. This included outsourcing sales-focused content and focusing on attraction-based marketing rather than hard selling, creating sustainable success aligned with her values. 
• The evolution from coach to business owner demands different skills - While coaching skills allow you to work with anyone, building a successful coaching business requires marketing, sales, and business development skills. Amy emphasised the importance of investing in business education and finding trusted advisors who can provide both strategic guidance and emotional support through the challenges. 
• Early-stage compromises are necessary stepping stones - Both Amy and Melissa acknowledged that new coaches often can't afford to be selective about work in the beginning. Taking on projects that aren't perfectly aligned is sometimes necessary for survival, but the key is maintaining a North Star vision of where you want to be while being practical about current financial needs.

Go Deeper with The Courageous Coach Program

If these conversations are resonating, you might be ready to go deeper. The Courageous Coach program is designed for qualified coaches in the early years of building their independent practice. If you want to coach with more courage, clarity, and humanity and grow a business that truly reflects who you are, this is for you.

You can find all the details here: https://www.melissahague.com/courageous-coaches 

Connect with Melissa

Come and find Melissa on LinkedIn. Whether you have questions about the program, want to share what resonated from this episode, or just fancy a chat, she'd love to connect.

Support the Podcast:

• Follow & Subscribe: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next.
• Share with a fellow coach: Know someone who could use a little courage boost? Pass this episode on—courage is contagious, after all.

Thanks again for listening. Until next time, stay curious, stay human and keep choosing courage.