I’ve spent over 20 years working with the UK’s brightest minds in top universities who have all needed a space to find their true direction. Whether you are not sure you are in the right place, are encountering unhealthy power dynamics or just want a space to find your voice, come and talk to me.
I came into coaching by accident. All of my life people have literally been queuing up to tell me their problems and to seek my sympathetic listening ear. I initially channelled this into an academic career where I was, and still am, passionate about helping students to reach their potential. Whilst working in the Graduate School at King’s College London, I started to see a lot of researchers, PhD students and academic staff with development needs and deeper, more existential concerns, which frequently centred around the same question – where they in the right career?
I was struck forcibly by the fact that these were incredibly intelligent people who could absolutely solve their own problems themselves but needed a space and a helping hand to do so, and did not need expert advice. It was suggested to me that coaching might the kind of intervention that I was looking for in order to help these people, so I set up a coaching service for researchers at King’s and enrolled on a Postgraduate Certificate in Coaching at Henley Business School, where I truly felt that I had found my calling. The Certificate taught me how to enable others to help themselves and I love coaching because it truly empowers people.
I am a coach because I believe passionately that people have the inner-resources to solve their own problems and it is hugely rewarding to help unlock those resources. I am a coach because I am curious and interested in people. And I am a coach because I know that people feel better after an hour in my company and that my coaching helps people to change their lives – and it is an enormous privilege to be part of that.
I have worked at The Iversen Practice for over a year and I mainly coach those who are seeking to build careers in academia but may find the culture to be confusing and create tension with other areas of my life. If any of this strikes a chord with you, do get in touch.
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"I started working with Fiona at a time of personal and professional transition that had contributed to an unhealthy dose of 'imposter syndrome' and uncertainty about my career direction. Fiona's particular strength is her combined skills in tackling both relatively superficial issues, such as work/life balance and time management, as well as uncovering and understanding the role of past experiences in current professional behaviour and feelings. She does this through the skilful mix of an empathetic approach and deeply challenging questions that leave one thinking long beyond the session. With Fiona's support, I have been able to move into a successful new career, have an improved sense of self-worth and healthier boundaries between my work and home life. I firmly recommend Fiona to anyone who is considering professional coaching."
Academic, University of Cambridge