Testimonials

Blessings,               
Deborah          
June 2009          

I wanted to take the time to comment on the quality of coaching we (my husband and myself) received from Sandy. First of all, she is so easy to talk to. She really understands the dynamics of a step-family and is able to quickly identify areas that perhaps need work. She takes the time to talk to each individual involved, either in a group with each spouse involved, or privately if needed. She has many suggestions pertinent to unique situations. Also, initially I was uncertain as to how coaching would work, especially over the phone, but that proved not to be an issue. You just talk as you would if you were sitting in someone's office, so no big deal there.

In my particular case, she was there to remind me that perhaps there is no solution per say, other than a need to find peace and acceptance in areas that I cannot control. Though sometimes accepting a situation as it is seems the only obvious solution to outsiders, it is often hard for those involved to do so. Sandy is able to coach you in this area and help you identify ways to accept things you cannot change. And in areas that each partner can work on, she offered suggestions in how to do so and encouraged us to talk and come up with ideas that work for our family.

Sandy recognizes how difficult the transition can be in regards to forming a new step-family and is able to facilitate expressing the feelings that come with this in a way that does not make the biological spouse feel attacked or guilty. It is just a natural part of the process and sometimes it helps to have a third party involved that can act as sort of a mediator in sorting through all this. It also helps to just get the education in regards to the dynamics involved with step-families. Sometimes knowing "this is all normal and to be expected" when you feel completely overwhelmed is very comforting in itself. She is there to offer resources and insight in a warm, accepting way. She is wonderful!

I really struggled when I first talked to Sandy. I wanted to help our very new step family very badly. The issues my significant other had involving my two teens was a tremendous pressure point in our relationship and still is. I was having a hard time talking to her about it and trying to find help. Defenses were up. With the short time I talked with Sandy and the things she said to me opened me up to a new path to to help my kids and myself make changes in ourselves. My two boys and I are well on our way to a happier home, and I am still working on the other half with my significant other.

We are SO THANKFUL for the direction Sandy has given to us...A new step-family situation can seem like a mine-field of problems without solutions...And each day you think you are making progress you step on another hidden explosive that blows away your confidence that you are making headway.

But one-by-one the "mines" can be found and defused... leading one step at a time to what you really wanted the whole time...warm relationships among every member of your family - something that cannot be "purchased" at any price.

Thank you Sandy for providing a road-map to a happier family with members that better appreciate each other, respect and look out for each other, and are more in tune with how to be in harmony with each other.

~ Nadine & Kelvin Parker         
February 7, 2007         

Before I met Sandy, I had many unanswered issues, I had been married for 19 yrs and have 4 boys that I raised alone after the divorce. I fell in love with the most wonderful man and he had 2 daughters, when we married we now have our daughter...that makes seven! His ex was our only bump in the road...but now his youngest daughter is being used as a pawn and it has caused a lot of problems, I had to find out the hard way, that as a step mom, I have NO rights! But I did have the huge responsibility of raising someone else’s child. That knowledge actually lifted a burden off of me. Now I can be me and try and do the best I can to help this child grow up and be healthy.

Sandy taught us ways to diffuse situations before they happened. She had experienced similar problems with her ex and we understood each other completely. As a result of e-mails and phone calls with each other, I feel healthy all over! My husband and I feel relieved and strong about our family and the decisions we make for our children we share with each other and the ex's. I will never stop researching and trying to find better ways to help my family be a happy one. Sandy gave me just what I needed at a very low point in my life and I now feel great! Thank you!

“In less than half an hour I examined an issue that had really been bugging me, realized why it was bugging me and decided what to do about it.  Sandy allowed me the space for some quality thinking, prompting me with skillful and useful questions.”

“I was able to see that I could actually conquer my problem and that my problem looked bigger than it actually was.  The coach gave me the ability to make my problem more manageable by showing me another way to look at my problem.”

“I felt she listened generously, validated and understood me well.  She gave me the time and space to fully express myself and in that process I had a revelation about my situation.  We had a great rapport and I appreciated her own stories which helped give me perspective in my situation.  I moved forward towards my solutions.  Thanks, Sandy!”

“I had several fears about a major life/family transition.  In one call, Sandy helped me get to the root of my fears and gave me ways to break old habits that had kept me from living my dreams.”