About Arabella
What do I do?
I specialise in supporting women through their motherhood journey. I help them understand their emotions including maternal guilt and empty-nest feelings, and to navigate the transitions of being a working mother whilst creating plans for optimising well-being. I have helped women with challenging work or home relationships, uncertainty surrounding career choices or returning to work after maternity leave, and desires to regain person identity, well-being and aspirations.
What impact does my coaching have?
Women I have coached have gained clarity of thought, greater perspective on what matters in life, confidence in their abilities and strengths, and new ways of approaching difficulties. These women have gone on to feel less anxious and self-critical whilst on maternity leave, have smoother transitions back to work, and have a greater sense of purpose and confidence. I am deeply passionate about empowering mothers to grow and navigate life’s challenges.
What’s my applied background?
I have a decade of experience working in high-performance sport helping some of the world’s best Olympic and Paralympic athletes and senior leaders. Together with athletes we created strategies to enhance wellbeing, manage transition phases and plan for future careers. We explored the multiple identities of individual, athlete, mother, and student and found ways to understand and manage the complex dynamic of high-performance and every-day life.
I spent eight years with the Great Britain Olympic Cycling Team - one of the world’s highest ever medal grossing teams. As well as working with athletes I supported coaches and senior leaders to craft supportive, flexible, and inclusive cultures where riders could flourish. I worked in a fast-paced, demanding and high-challenge environment with driven leaders with a competitive mindset meaning I have a good appreciation of the environments in which many of my clients work.
What’s my academic background?
My positive psychology background means I have extensive knowledge in the science of well-being. My own PhD research investigated how people flourish and live optimally, understanding what is meaningful in people’s lives and how this changes through the lifespan. An evidence base is important to me and my solid foundation in psychology informs my coaching methods and my approach is underpinned by an evidence base.
Alongside my coaching…
I combine my ascending motherhood coaching with remaining involved in research projects and helping others translate research into applied practice. In addition to being an Institute of Leadership Management Level 7 executive coach, I am a Mental Health First Aider and regularly undergo training in post-natal depression and perinatal mental health thus ensuring my clients know they will be appropriately supported and can be sign-posted if their circumstances require it. Away from Ascending Motherhood I, with my husband, enjoy raising an active little boy and adventuring in the outdoors, plus backcountry skiing when I can.
