That's me - Sheila!
I help lawyers, creatives, and other service-based professionals figure out what they want, why they want it, and how they’re going to get it.
Most service-based professionals are exhausted, grumpy about their work/life balance, and burned out. I love that because that means I can help them find joy in their life again and create a life that works for them!
Why? Because I didn’t have anyone to help me when I needed it and g.o.d. knows I needed it. You don't have to do it like I did, though. You're not alone.
Being here is divine intervention. I’ve been put in your path to empower you and help you get what you want and deserve.
It doesn’t matter what's holding you back. You can move forward.
I’m here now. You're here now. So, let’s do this.
I know you. Yeah. We’ve met, right? You're old me, right?
- Trying to fix a problem on your own, or trying to start something up, finally admitting you want/need help
- Wanting relief from the overwhelming stress of job, life, family, brain, business
- Feeling like you can never catch up, living in a yo-yo world of finally-got-it-together-damn-I-lost-my-shit-again
- Feeling like there’s always one more thing to do, never being able to walk away from work
- Wanting balance, sleep, to take better care of yourself, to feel more in control of your day-to-day, and not letting your need for money overtake your personal time
- Wanting to get back to doing what you actually went to school for - to help people, make people’s lives better, make decent money, and live comfortably and be successful
- Sick and tired that it's always about the business, the metrics, the billable hours, the firm, the bottom line, blahblahblah
Yeah. That’s what I thought. We do know each other!
Before meeting me, my clients have (Parks and Rec) *literally* tried everything to get what they wanted - personally, professionally, in their business - and it's never worked. Maybe you have, too.
Have you:
- Taken vacations once a year to “get some rest” (only to wind up working anyway)
- Bought planners you stare at and never use, or start to use, then lose (magically - as if it never existed!)
- Gone to therapy (some, multiple times), but are missing that spark, that focus (and you take a breath when your therapist asks “and how does that make you feel?”)
- Thought deeply about taking a leave of absence, only to be so stressed about what wouldn’t get done at work that the thought of having to train someone else stopped you dead in your tracks, so you never take the time off
- Set boundaries (which work for a month or so before it gets all mucked up again)
- Job searched for ages, never finding the job you wanted. Or, if you got interviewed, you didn’t get the job. Or worse, if you did get the job - you hated the NEW job (hello, common denominator)
- Tried career coaches but got nowhere, being told to “just take any job” (gross) or to stop trying to start a business and “go get a job already” (double gross)
- Thought about starting your own business, but have no idea how to do that, what you want to do, and are afraid to leave the “security” of the j.o.b. (btw, not really secure)
- Watched webinar after webinar, hoping for the magic formula, only to wind up with 1,238 emails of people trying to sell you something (we don’t do that here)
- Taken meds for anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and more - none of which truly work
- Tried to start yoga and meditation, but the stress is still there in the moment, lingering on the back burner, creeping in, so it’s never truly restorative ...
And honestly, that's just the tip of the iceberg. My clients have tried more than I can list here, and I am sure you have, too.
No matter what you've done to fix your professional life, it failed. Know why?
Because you weren’t doing what you wanted to do.
Instead you were doing what you thought you should do (or worse, what *you thought* other people thought you should do).
After working with me, you'll know what you want, why you want it, and how to get it.
I know how hard life can be.
I used to work 100, 120 hours a week. I raised a kid on my own, worked full time, and went to school full time.
I built up other people's dreams, fixed other people's problems, always thinking I was going to get my "fair share" or a raise when "they" finally realized I'd “earned” it or that "thank you" ... and all of that never came.
Why? Not because I didn't deserve it. Nope.
I never got it because I did not demand my own worth. Or build what *I* wanted to build. Or do what *I* wanted to do.
It took two breaking points to do what was best for me. You don't have to break before you save yourself.
It's not as hard as you're imagining. Promise.
You’d think my first breaking point was when both of my parents died, but nope. Not even close.
I’ve been in terrible, abusive relationships with lying, manipulative narcissists and addicts - at home and at work.
It was only when my partner literally kept tabs on everything I said and did for six months, then turned that list over to a lawyer ... who then used it against me in an employment discrimination lawsuit that I hit my first breaking point: I was literally sleeping with the enemy.
I used to think my purpose in life was to take care of everyone else, no matter what they did to me.
Actually, my purpose in life is two-fold: to take care of myself and to empower others to learn how to take care of themselves.
Legal issues or life crises ... they're the same thing. They both have the power to tear you (and everything you love) down.
My first breaking point was earth shattering. Mind blowing. But ...
Four years later, I hit my second (and definitely my last) breaking point.
I walked away from a multi-million dollar law firm I built from scratch. The managing attorney refused to make me Partner after promising me equity for over 10 years.
Now, 10+ years later, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
I opened my own firm, started teaching and volunteering, making my community a better place to live.
I learned a third language (and am working on a fourth).
I earned a second law degree and lived in a foreign country.
I travel the world, splitting my time between New Orleans and Brussels, working remotely.
I live the life I want, on my terms, running my career and business the way I want, and I believe you should, too.
So, why work with me as a coach or lawyer or both (lucky me!)?
Because I’m different. Unlike any lawyer you’ve ever met.
- I meet you where you are, and I don’t make assumptions.
- I show up as you need me to show up, so you can show up for yourself.
- I work with you to go deep, to figure out what you want, why you want it and how to get it.
It’s easy to read affirmations, try to manifest stuff, and, yes, even ignore your problems.
You won’t get what you want if you don’t know why you want it.
The key is making sure your “why” is right. And honestly, that's a lot easier than you think. Really.
Once we get your "why" out of the way, we can work on getting you what you want (and deserve).
Sure, I have fancy titles, fancy degrees and fancy licenses: Attorney. Licensed Master Social Worker. Professor. Notary. Certified Ethics Trainer. Inspirational Speaker. Empowerment Coach.
But I also have some other not-so-fancy titles: Orphan. Indigenous. Single Mom. Survivor.
What I do for my clients is more than any single one of my titles.
I combine all of my knowledge, experience, skills, and tools into everything I do.
And I might be your coach, or I might be your attorney, or I might be both, but a legal issue or a life crisis isn’t a prerequisite for working together.
Life's challenges are hard, y’all. But they can be overcome.
And if you’re being honest, you know what you want.
You just need help getting there, listening to yourself, having your message reframed and reflected back to you in a way that makes sense and having someone help you make a plan that’s actionable.
That’s what I’m here for.
