Frequently Asked Questions

As a fast growing subspecialty of medicine, I operate from CQC registered clinical sites, Woodlands Hospital Darlington or online through the Wellbeing Doctors.

I recommend you first book a complimentary session to discuss my different programmes, through my Lifestyle medicine page.

Depending on which programme you choose these can be anything between 4 to 8 sessions. I recommend a minimum of 6 x 1 hour sessions

Many of us have a strong sense that we would benefit from doing things differently in our life, health or careers, yet struggle to implement sustainable change.  For many this is because deep down the decisions we make are driven by fear. Transformational coaching is about belief in your potential to achieve more than you think possible, freeing you from inhibiting beliefs, traits and life scripts, ultimately reducing your levels of stress through life. 

You will find details of how to book a complimentary session on my Transformational Coaching page.

I am a UK & International registered Health Coach and hold a Transformational Coaching Diploma. Furthermore, you have the benefit of my very long and very broad lived experience and the fact that I am additionally qualified as a GP and lifestyle medicine doctor, lifestyle menopause and NLP practitioner. If you read the reviews you will see I am very reasonably priced. Furthermore, you can receive your sessions in beautiful surroundings with the option of outdoor coaching at any time.

Many coaches offer 60 minutes / session. I offer 75 minutes/ session. 

For lifestyle medicine, you will receive resource sheets to support your journey, alongside your personalised health questionnaire, blood tests and investigations. I offer bespoke advice on all health issues including: menopause; burn out, chronic pain and sleep disordered breathing.

I am active on Instagram , facebook and Linkedin and post regular blogs on my website. You are welcome to join the grow your life community where you will receive free guides, Newsletters and announcements regarding upcoming local events.

On occasion I provide free health presentations. Check out my events page.

I set up Serenity in Nature (formerly SerenitySTH) in 2018. This registered local charity provides occasional nature based sessions over Summer. Check out serenitysth.org for upcoming events.

I am a Trustee for Different Strokes National Charity. If you or anyone you know has been affected by stroke particularly at younger age, then you will see some of my posts, newsletters, podcasts and webinars. I also sit on a panel which provides low cost neurorehabilitation programs to those who would otherwise struggle to afford it.

I'm part of the BSLM lived experience group. We provide recovery in action webinars which are free and aimed at people living with a chronic illness or condition, looking to hear from others navigating a similar path.

As a Doctor my clinical services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission, so these have to take place at CQC registered premises (Woodlands Hospital) or online through Wellbeing Doctors. This only applies to Private GP, Lifestyle Medicine and Menopause Health appointments.

A good coach will both support and guide, as you move towards those outcomes and goals that matter most to you. Aligning your values with who you really are, is the smartest way to be truly at ease with yourself, no matter what life throws at you.

Absolutely!  I wish I had  known about coaching  before now, as this would have prevented so much physical and emotional harm. With the right support you can unlock progress where it’s most needed. A good coach will recognise those unhelpful character traits holding you back. This is where the transformation begins. Check out my  transformational coaching page for more details on the most common character traits which can become your traps.

Levels of training vary between coaches. Life experience of course matters and I have plenty of this to support my case. Practical experience is also important and I have over 30 years experience coaching people towards change as a GP. My coaching diploma provides me with additional and essential training, to tackle more difficult concepts such as hard change. I am skilled to address any emotional and psychological barriers. I use psychological tools such as CBC, transactional Analysis and Gestalt and have additional training in trauma awareness.

I provide sessions both face-to-face and online. I understand the importance of Nature in helping people to feel more relaxed and open and provide face-to-face sessions from a tranquil nature based Lodge.I'm one of only a few coaches nationwide to offer outdoor coaching. I offer further creative ways to help you open new lines of thinking.

As a GP, I have already experienced 30 years of listening in order to create change. As a coach I now also listen to create understanding, the key to good coaching. Connection and trust are also important  which is why I offer a free discovery call for you to decide if I am right for you. I understand trauma, burnout, loss on multiple levels. Furthermore, as a doctor, leader, mother, at times single parent, juggling multiple balls, I understand how difficult it can be to navigate this life. My personal experience and frankly, my mistakes along the way provide me a unique perspective on what works well and what doesn't. 

Working towards transformative change takes a minimum of 6 to 12 sessions. We all acquire traits and habits, informed by our life experiences and up to a point these serve the situations we find ourselves in. You develop these over many years and there can come a point where these traits become traps. It’s often the reason why we then struggle to effect sustainable change, even though we feel it’s the right thing to do for ourselves. It takes time to work through the traps now holding you back.

Should you express interest after your discovery call, you will receive a detailed coaching agreement. Our work together will centre on conversation between us where I will listen deeply and with curiosity, to enable us to understand your individual needs. I will help you to think beyond any limiting beliefs about your situation and consider your ideas and options. I will help you discover your capacity to make the changes that are meaningful, so you can generate and implement plans to achieve these changes.

There will be no expectation of specific changes. The intention of our work together will be to help you progress your thinking, leading to new actions where relevant. However, for some people it is enough to simply build confidence and self-belief…… It will be up to you. 

Whether in person or online each session lasts up to 75 minutes. Where we are in deep flow with our work I will ensure this is not interrupted and sessions may on occasion last up to 90 minutes. 

In certain circumstances you may be able to pay before each session rather than as block payments.

Lifestyle medicine is  the fastest growing sub-specialty of medicine. The training required to become a lifestyle medicine practitioner is comprehensive and 100% evidence based. Lifestyle medicine looks at the 6 pillars of wellbeing, how these directly impact your health and what you can do about it. I provide clear advice on how to prevent the onset of disease, and minimise or even reverse existing health conditions. 

Check out my lifestyle medicine page to discover more about each of these important pillars 

Over the last 60 years our lifestyle has changed, our stress levels are chronically higher and we are seeing an explosion of serious health conditions at an ever younger age. We may be living longer but on average a significant portion is spent living with ill health: 20 years for women and 17 years for men. When I started working in the NHS back in 1990, I didn’t see as many unwell adults with such a broad spectrum of life changing conditions. These days we all know someone, sometimes sadly still in their prime, with stroke, heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, the list goes on.

The good news is that only 10% life expectancy is influenced by our genes. This means 90% is influenced by how we live our lives, which is where I can help.

Over three decades the most consistent feedback I receive is that I listen so that you feel truly understood. Connection is key, so deciding whom to see is a very personal choice. Many LM doctors prefer to specialise, focusing for example on the menopause, disordered breathing or weight loss. 

I will focus on as many areas as required to achieve your goals. LM  is a rapidly growing and exciting area of medicine and we don’t know what we don't know. That includes me before I learned about each of the six pillars. In fact I am constantly learning, as science further explains why we face these modern health challenges and how we can fix them. 

Regardless of your current health status, understanding every aspect of your current lifestyle will reveal areas open to impactful change.  

You will receive fact sheets to support your journey, alongside your personalised plan

I offer bespoke advice covering all health conditions including: menopause; burn out; chronic pain

You cannot get a life coach on the NHS, but you may be able to access health and well-being coaches depending on your location. These focus on people with long-term conditions helping them improve their self management skills and cope with their conditions.

A good coach appreciates that the most sustainable change comes from internal motivation rather than external advice and information. Coaching supports you to work through the change needed due to unhelpful beliefs and traits. This results in sustainable change even when it appears difficult to achieve.

By far the best way for a coach to promote a healthy lifestyle, is for them to have a qualification in lifestyle medicine. The British Society of lifestyle medicine provides the most comprehensive training in healthy lifestyle, is 100% evidence based and is part of the international Society of lifestyle medicine.