I often ask the people I coach, “What brings you joy?” It’s a deceptively simple question because it invites us to pause, dig deep, and reconnect with what truly matters. Given how often I ask it, it’s only fair I answer it myself!

What brings me joy?

I can now say, without hesitation, that it’s helping others reconnect with their inner strength, rediscover their purpose, and find joy within themselves, so they can stop merely surviving and start truly leading and loving their lives.

(Well...that's aside from my two gorgeous daughters and three very cute fur-babies!)

But I couldn’t always answer that question so clearly. There’s a story behind how I got here.

I’ve been an Organisational Psychologist and leadership coach for over two decades, having trained and begun my career in South Africa. During that time, I’ve worked as a management consultant across diverse industries, supporting executive teams, facilitating leadership development, and guiding large-scale transformation programs. At various points in my career, I partnered with major consulting firms, including Deloitte, Randstad, and Hudson as an Associate, deepening my understanding of diverse methodologies and organisational systems. I also spent 18 years in senior roles within two boutique consultancies, where I led organisational development initiatives, conducted psychometric assessments for executive and safety-critical roles, and supported complex change and culture programs.

But my professional story can’t be told without the personal one.

Despite having an established career and a new baby, growing uncertainty and a few brushes with crime, led to a complete reset. We made the difficult decision to emigrate from South Africa and start over on the other side of the world. Rebuilding a life and career from the ground up while raising a young family was tough. Having to prove myself, re-learning the ropes, and finding my place in a completely new professional world took time...and more than a few tears!

For years, I juggled deadlines and daycare runs, regularly running from boardrooms and airports straight into bedtime routines. I would wake up exhausted, only to lie awake again at night, mind racing - wondering how I’d hit the next deadline, pack lunches, prep meals for the week, and still make it to the school play… questioning how many of the little things were quietly slipping through the cracks. And mostly worrying that my kids weren't getting enough of their mum.

In my work with high-performing leaders and professionals, I began to see familiar patterns, particularly in women. So many seemed to be managing it all, but underneath, they were struggling: overwhelmed, disconnected, constantly feeling guilty, and burning out. I recognised their struggle, because it was mine too.

In that time, something started to shift. I realised: before we can lead others well, we have to learn how to lead ourselves - with compassion, clarity, and courage. And that’s not just about building your leadership skills in a work role – it’s about redefining the relationship you have with yourself first.

That insight changed everything for me. I immersed myself in the neuroscience and psychology of burnout, motivation, and self-regulation—seeking to understand how to ease the emotional toll of the invisible load, so often carried by women balancing demanding careers and caregiving. But more than just strategies, I discovered a different way of being. I realised it wasn’t about pushing harder or squeezing more into the day. It was about understanding my limits, getting clear on my values, and building habits that actually supported my wellbeing. Over time, I stopped trying to be everything to everyone and started focusing on showing up in a way that felt more manageable, more purposeful, and more aligned with who I really am.

That shift brought new clarity - and even more change.

I realised that obsessing over scope, billable hours, and business development was sucking the life out of me. I get it - those things have their place. But for me, real value comes from the trust I build, the growth I witness, and the meaningful change I can support in others. And with that clarity, the question of what energises me - what brings me joy - became incredibly easy to answer.

That’s why I established WorkPsych Coaching and shifted my focus from developing leaders at work, to coaching leaders in life.

Throughout my journey, one thing has become clear: leadership is a life role, it’s not a work title or something only a select few should aspire to. I believe there’s a Life Leader in each of us, and they come in many forms: quiet, bold, reflective, outgoing...sky's the limit.

Each, in their own way, has the potential to shape culture, influence future generations, and impact the people around them in meaningful ways. That’s a responsibility I take seriously - and one I help others recognise and embrace, not just in their careers, but across every part of their lives.

So, what’s my story?

It’s hardly heroic - it's one of finding joy in the everyday, being fully present in moments of beauty, and finding peace and gratitude in all of life's messy, chaotic, and even mundane cycles. It has been about finding the Life Leader in me. And now it is about helping others fall in love with their own story, to come home to themselves, and become the Life Leaders they were meant to be.

If you’re ready to be a Life Leader and reclaim your clarity, your energy, and your joy - I’d love to walk with you on that journey.