my footprints along the south shore of gitche gumee (aka lake superior)
When I decided to blend coaching with ancestral connection work, it wasn’t simply a professional choice—it was an intentional approach born from experience, purpose, and a deep desire to help people rediscover themselves through their roots. For me, coaching represents not only a journey forward but also a bridge to the past, allowing each person to see how their own story intersects with the resilience, values, and legacies of those who came before. Here’s why I chose coaching as my modality for partnering with people on this transformative journey.
Coaching: A Pathway to Self-Discovery and Empowerment
Coaching is a collaborative, client-centered practice. It prioritizes each person's unique goals, values, and insights. Unlike directive or prescriptive paths, coaching emphasizes self-discovery, inviting you to explore your own beliefs, values, and aspirations. This is crucial in ancestral work, where many of us are connecting with complex legacies, family histories, and cultural contexts.
Rather than delivering answers, I use coaching to support clients in finding their own truths. For descendants of the transatlantic slave trade, those whose ancestors were forced into displacement, or those who have voluntarily migrated and assimilated, the journey to connect with roots can be emotionally loaded and intricate. Coaching offers a respectful, non-judgmental space for clients to explore their past without being defined by it, making room for healing, self-compassion, and genuine growth.
A Modality That Honors Individual and Collective Legacy
As a coach, I work to hold a space where clients can safely explore their stories and discover how these stories inform who they are and where they want to go. I see ancestral work as more than connecting to one’s heritage; it’s an opportunity to gain clarity on life’s purpose and align with something bigger than ourselves.
Legacy can feel like a distant or even burdensome concept to some, but through coaching, it becomes a living, breathing aspect of our present. Whether helping clients find purpose in their career or creating more aligned life choices, coaching allows me to support their path in a way that resonates with their values and dreams, creating a space for the kind of legacy that feels true and empowering rather than forced or obligatory.
Bridging Ancestors and Purpose: The “Why” Behind My Method
Through ancestral coaching, I help people connect with stories they may never have heard before—the voices of their ancestors, the sacrifices they made, and the values they held. For people feeling disconnected from their lineage or wary of connecting with their past, coaching enables them to approach this exploration with curiosity and openness, encouraging them to find aspects that resonate personally rather than feeling weighed down by an inherited narrative.
Many of my clients are millennials and Gen Xers, people who feel the tension between societal expectations and personal fulfillment. They may have achieved success but still feel a lack of purpose. Through coaching, I help them discover a sense of purpose that isn’t limited to a job title or societal role but is tied to a deeper, more personal legacy. This type of clarity goes beyond just making a living; it’s about making a life that honors where we come from and who we truly want to become.
Why This Matters: Supporting Change Makers to Live Authentically
Ultimately, I choose coaching as my modality because I believe it honors the autonomy of my clients. Coaching provides the tools for them to reclaim their narratives and create legacies that feel aligned with their authentic selves. Many of my clients are “badass change makers”—people already driven by a desire to impact the world, even if they may feel stuck or uncertain of their next step. My role as a coach is to support these individuals in defining and stepping into that next chapter, not by handing them a ready-made blueprint, but by partnering with them through the process of rediscovering themselves and their path.
Ancestral work and purpose alignment are deeply personal, and coaching respects that. This modality invites each person to walk their own journey, equipped with tools for self-discovery, resilience, and a vision that’s rooted in both the wisdom of the past and the possibilities of the future. For me, it’s a privilege to facilitate this connection and support others in uncovering and living their true, purpose-driven lives.
