About Me

Hi, I’m Debs, a Personal Development and Leadership Coach.

Here is a really bold statement to start this section…Over the last 10 years coaching has transformed my life! I know that sounds like a sensationalised headline in a newspaper but it really is true and here is the reason why…….

My story is probably similar to yours, in my teens I had huge ideas about having a successful career and having the perfect family, house and car to go with it! I quickly started to deviate from that plan when I decided I no longer wanted the career I had decided upon (aged 4!) and actually I wanted to try something completely different.

I began working for a large organisation and after a few years I gained promotion and found myself managing staff for the first time, most of whom were older than me. I found that tough, trying to find the balance of being assertive and confident and feeling anything but.

That was when I first experienced coaching. My manager at the time was a coach and instead of giving me the answers (which I so desperately wanted!) she asked me questions about what I wanted to do, how I wanted to feel and how I was going to approach the management of my staff. She empowered me to make my own decisions and with that my confidence and belief in myself grew.

Fast forward a few more years and I returned to work after a year off for maternity leave. Before I had my son I was the person who would come into work early, leave late and work weekends to get the job done.

I was organised, 100% committed and work was my top priority. I was climbing the career ladder and when I returned from maternity leave I was going to climb even further.

But then life changed…

I hadn’t ‘planned’ for being a mum, I mean It obviously hadn’t come as a surprise I was having a baby(!) but I hadn’t planned that my priorities would change so much. I didn’t really want to go back to work and leave my son. When I did get back to work I felt that every bit of confidence had left me.

I wasn’t really sure what I was doing, I had to work set times to fit in with child care, things didn’t motivate me the way they used to.

I felt guilty when I was at work for leaving my baby and guilty when I was at home for not being at work.

I now know this is all quite normal but back then I was lost. I didn’t know who I was or where I was heading.

That’s when I met my coach…

Working with my coach allowed me to explore my changing priorities and what was truly important to me, rather than what I ‘thought’ should be important to me. I explored my strengths, my values, what kind of balance I needed in my life and what was the right career path for me.

The rest is history!

I still access coaching now, more recently after I suffered from ill health and I needed to re-evaluate my priorities once more. My coach once again supported me to recognise what was important and what I needed to let go.

Hopefully now you can see why I love coaching so much and how i truly believe it has (and continues) to transform my life!

From my first coaching experience I was hooked and I wanted to support others to feel the same way I did, to achieve their goals and make changes (both big and small) in their careers and lives.

I truly believe in the importance of living in the here and now, not dwelling on the past and not overly worrying about the future, just living life and being happy with the person, mum, wife, daughter, friend and coach that I am!

Working and supporting others is my passion. If you have a goal or a change that you want to make, but you are finding it tough to do that on your own, then I would love to support you on your journey.

My credentials

My background is in Organisational Development, with over 19 years’ experience of working with individuals, groups and teams to help them achieve their outcomes and become more productive and effective. I have successfully led and managed several teams.

I have supported a large organisation to implement and develop an Internal Coaching Pool which underpins the coaching culture they are creating within the organisation.

I work with several organisations to support their staff to achieve the ILM 5 Coaching and Mentoring qualification.

In 2013 I completed the ILM Level 5 qualification in Coaching and Mentoring. I went on to qualify as an ILM level 7 Executive Coach in 2016

I also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Coaching Supervision and provide coaching supervision to fellow coaches.

Continuous professional development is integral to my coaching practice. I attend regular development sessions with my coaching peers to ensure i am offering my clients the best experience.

Most recently I have attended workshops on: Coaching to support mental health, Supporting clients to increase their personal resilience and Building confidence through coaching.

I also regularly access Coaching Supervision with a qualified coach supervisor.

I am a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and subscribe to their coaching code of ethics.

Testimonials

Coaching is accessible and transformational for anyone who wants to make a change or explore their future plan. I work with clients from all backgrounds and across all sectors. Those starting out in their careers and those who are established and looking for their next role. Leaders looking to grow their business and those starting out in a new venture.

Many of my clients come with their own personal goals around confidence, leadership, work/life balance (to name but a few).

No matter what you are looking for, i will support you to find your solutions and achieve your goals.

Coaching came at a time when i was really struggling to find a balance between working and being with my family. I was in a job that I hated but it paid the bills – i felt stuck but i had convinced myself that this was my life until the kids got older.

Someone suggested that Debs might be able to help me. If i am honest I didn’t believe that she could! I spent the first session explaining my situation and all the reasons why I couldn’t change it. Debs listened and then very carefully and with lots of kindness she repeated back to me what I had said. That was a huge moment – hearing myself in her words made me feel hugely emotional, embarrassed and angry with myself. She then simply asked ‘do you want to make a change?’

I did and after 2 more sessions I had come up with a plan to leave my job, find part time work and go back into part time education – something I hadn’t realised I really wanted to do.

I am now studying, working and spending quality time with my children. It’s hard work but I am happy! Without Debs listening to me and questioning me I would not have made that change. She is kind and caring but it was the tough questions she asked that made me make my change.

Part Time Student / Full Time Mum

At 23 years old I felt lost and without much direction. I was suffering blows from each and every negative emotion possible, I met Debs through work and after found out about her coaching. I decided to jump on board, I needed the help. The coaching was a game changer for me; it helped to bring some clarity to my thinking patterns and why my destructive emotions were preventing me from moving forward. The coaching helped me to organise my thoughts, promote healthy functioning and get myself back to living each day at a time with minimal anxiety and despair.

Debs was the icing on the cake, her compassion, ability to breakdown my issues and to call me up on anything that wasn’t serving me was brilliant, I remember one session talking at her non stop and weeks later she brought up specific sentences that I had briefly said and showed me how the narrative was changing through coaching. It was a powerful experience and one that greatly served me at the time of need.

Today I have the business I heavily struggled to start, the family I was super fearful to create and a daily strength to move forward whether or not the negative narrative or emotions set in.

Forever grateful!

Business Owner

I met Debs when I was at a cross roads in terms of my career. I knew I wanted to do something different but i didn’t know what it was or where to start. I wasn’t sure that talking it through with a stranger would help but I decided to give it a go!

Three sessions in and I had decided exactly what i wanted to do and I was starting to formulate my plans to help me get there. I had a few ‘wobbles’ along the way but each time Debs would offer reassurance but without giving me advice. She asked the right questions and helped me to think about things I would never have thought about on my own.

I now run my own business and I could not be happier. I occasionally call upon Debs for one-off coaching sessions to help keep me on track and working towards my plans.

Debs is kind and caring and has a great way of making you believe you can achieve anything.

Business Owner

I have known Debs Hirst for over 3 years in her role as an Executive Coach. My initial introduction to Debs was via a Chief Executive who suggested I would benefit from career perspective if I was coached by Debs. Initially cynical, and never being coached, I agreed and as the saying goes, “The rest is history”

From day one Debs brought her calming and caring nature to the coaching session. She was very professional and I quickly connected to her approach. Within the first two hours, she helped me to set my goal, by gentle encouragement and the correct amount of questions. She is extremely emotionally aware and I am confident she could connect with anyone in a coaching capacity.

Over a period of 4 coaching sessions, Debs assisted me in truly establishing what I needed to do to move forward and more importantly to be true to myself. She allowed me to determine what was really important to me and how I could sustain my approach.

I can genuinely say that Deb changed my whole approach to Homelife and Work. My honest view is that you will be privileged to be coached by Debs, she will change your life for the greater and better.

Director in Local Government