Discovering Your Inner Wisdom

Every day, nurses face complex decisions that go far beyond clinical expertise—from navigating difficult conversations with colleagues to choosing career paths that align with their deepest values. Yet many nurses struggle with these challenges alone, carrying self-limiting beliefs that hold them back from trusting themselves and reaching their full potential.

According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics, coaching is "partnering with Clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential."¹ As a certified coach, I adhere to the ICF Code of Ethics¹ and the ICF Core Competencies² and want to bring this transformative process to nurses at every level of practice.

Coaching Beyond the Executive Suite

I have found that nurses who have experienced coaching are typically in executive leadership or management positions, with coaching sponsored by their organizations. However, it is my firm belief that nurses at all levels of practice can benefit from coaching. Whether you're a new graduate navigating your first year, a seasoned nurse considering a specialty change or advanced degree, or a nurse leader managing complex team dynamics, coaching provides the clarity and confidence needed to make decisions that truly serve your professional and personal growth.

I believe nurses must first understand their core values to determine if a position—or any professional decision—is truly right for them. This approach ensures that career moves align with who you are at your deepest level, not just where you think you should be.

Reframing Self-Limiting Beliefs

Here's an example of how I partner with clients to transform limiting thoughts. A nurse client once told me, "I am terrible at confrontations," which was preventing her from addressing a challenging work situation. I asked her, "What is a more empowering belief? What new belief will generate the outcome you want?"

These questions worked together to help the client reframe her self-limiting belief. Her transformation was powerful: "I am calm and centered in who I am, and I approach confrontations with grace and compassion"—grace and compassion toward herself and the other person. My goal is to help clients gain confidence, trust their inner wisdom, and view even the most challenging situations as growth opportunities.

The client later told me, "I never thought I could be someone who speaks up with confidence and kindness at the same time."

My Approach as Your Coach

You might be wondering about my intention when meeting with clients. First, I believe that clients are creative, resourceful, and whole—they have all the answers within them. My coach training was anchored in a framework centered on fulfillment, balance, and process.

My role is to elicit a client's goals and desires, hold their agenda, listen deeply, notice and bring awareness to shifts in emotions and body language, provide reflections, acknowledge insights, ask powerful open-ended questions, and invite clients to celebrate their wins.

Second, I am a witness to a client's transformation. Through our creative process and trusting relationship, clients learn to align decisions with their values, shift perspectives, and recognize they are always at choice around how they want to be or what actions they want to take. With the client's permission, I may offer ideas that have worked for others and ask what they think. I never tell a client what they should do—the wisdom comes from within.

The Transformation in Action

What I witness in my coaching relationships consistently amazes me. Nurses discover they can speak up with confidence, make career moves that energize rather than drain them, and approach challenges with curiosity and confidence rather than dread. They learn to trust their instincts, honor their values, and create professional and personal lives that truly reflect who they are.

One client, a nurse manager struggling with burnout, discovered through our work together that her core value of connection was being violated in her current role. Rather than leaving nursing entirely—which she had been considering—she transitioned to a patient education role where she could build meaningful relationships with patients and families. "I remember why I became a nurse," she told me six months later. "I just needed to find the right way to express it."

Is Coaching Right for You?

If you find yourself asking questions like "Is this really where I want to be?" or "How do I handle this situation with confidence?" or "What's my next step?"—coaching might be the partnership you've been seeking.

Consider coaching if you're experiencing any of these:

• Feeling stuck in your current role or unsure about your next career move
• Struggling with difficult conversations or conflict resolution
• Questioning whether your current position aligns with your values
• Wanting to develop stronger leadership skills
• Feeling overwhelmed by professional or personal decisions

The nursing profession needs confident nurses at every level. Through coaching, you can discover not just what you want to do, but who you want to be as you do it.

Ready to explore how coaching could transform your nursing career? Start by reflecting on this question: "What would be possible if I trusted myself completely?" Your answer might surprise you—and it might just be the beginning of your own transformation.TN