I can’t believe it’s only been 6 months. As a well-known and highly-respected expert in my field I needed to GET OUT! My passion was being stifled! I did it with your encouragement, support and expert coaching!

When I started THE DEEP DIVE Coaching & Mastermind I was unable to express my true gifts and talents. Feeling depleted and defeated,I was boxed in by a business I had helped grow over the past 16 years. The leadership could not support my CREATIVITY – and my PASSION about what I bring to the world.

The support offered to me from Jan & the Mastermind Group has been to focus on me and not my circumstances, accountability to keep moving through the unknown, and an emphasis on seeing abundance in what looked like scarcity.

Jan forced me to Dream Bigger/Keep the focus on the My Vision while taking practical day to day action steps as I recuperated from my old job, re-energized and balanced myself. She has forced me to accept that I AM an Expert and a Thought Leader and to plan accordingly! It’s sometimes scary –but that’s where breathing and tap-dancing come in!

I’m now excited for the future and am being embraced by others who want to learn from me. I’m moving forward as the creative expert I am.

Alison B. Campbell
What IF?
www.InclusionFactor.com

My husband and I took Dr. Jan’s couples Big Picture Partnering program in a workshop years ago. It was affirming, informative and also fun. We enjoyed listening to other couples and sharing our own story. We especially liked being in a group with a variety of age groups.
Dr. Jan is very skilled in handling a diverse group of folks who have a variety of needs in their relationships. She educated us about how thriving positive marriages are supposed to work—through the skills of partnering. Her workshop felt safe and we learned a lot about each other and gained many tools, which we continue to use to this day.

We especially learned how our Wounded Inner Children impact our present relationship— if we let them! We also learned the skills of staying Adult, and as Dr. Jan say “Behaving with Grace and Dignity.” This was and remains revolutionary for us in understanding how to collaborate with each other in our daily lives.

Personally, over the years, I have learned a lot about balancing my life from Dr. Jan. I periodically invest in her Strategy Sessions. They are invaluable for overcoming specific obstacles and helping me achieve specific goals. She has helped me to slow down and think about what my priorities are. Once I do so, she has helped me see that I can find a clear path to getting things done that I wish to accomplish.

I especially appreciate that she really teaches me to lead an examined life. Examining things really helps me stay balanced.

Last fall I participated in the PAUSE.REFRESH.REBOOT YOUR LIFE workshop. After this experience, I felt really clear about what next steps I needed to take in promoting my business of making art. I now have a website up and running and I do know what to do next to make my art and promote my art business! I am very pleased with the goals I clearly set and the progress I’ve made—all within 90 days!!

Check out my new website and artwork!

Mary Simon-Casati
Visual Artist
http://www.mscasati.com

As a stay at home mom for seven years—a conscious choice for our family and a focus I’ve really enjoyed—this past year I realized that what was once fulfilling was no longer satisfying for me.

I adore my growing family and home life, but there was more to me that clamored to come out! I needed a new challenge. I missed working adult interaction, plus the creativity and stimulation of using my skills.

With the two girls happily in school and the young one adjusting well to preschool, I partnered with my husband and we agreed it was time for a change. I knew this was going to not only impact me but also the entire family. I was more anxious than I thought about following my heart, my instincts. Not only did I need to present my work skills at an updated level, I was also reordering home life for four other people!

I’d been looking for the right job using my skills in communications and landed a position I’m thoroughly enjoying. My family adjusted to the new routines within a matter of days—and my husband says he wouldn’t go back to the old way! We discovered that sharing work and family roles is currently more fulfilling for both of us. He gets to fully parent and I get to fully re-experience work life. While an organizational challenge we both feel stretched and happy that we’re growing in new ways.

An unanticipated benefit is the spark it’s added to our already solid relationship!

Looking back, three things really helped in this transition. The first was career coaching I sought out along with taking a temporary position—these gave me confidence in my resume, interviewing skills and working capabilities.

The second was the PAUSE.REFRESH.REBOOT YOUR LIFE workshop. This retreat helped me identify and outline the things I needed to put in place to make a smooth transition, balancing my career and lifestyle at home as I returned to work full time. With the guidance of Dr. Jan, and working with the other workshop participants, I was able to put into place some steps to overcome the scheduling and emotional barriers of making a major career move for me—and everyone in my family.

The on-going foundation to all this continues to be the solid Big Picture Partnering skills my husband and I learned years ago that continue to benefit us to this day! We still talk about your work all the time as we continue to iron out the wrinkles in our plans — ideas like living your dreams, setting goals, talking and listening frequently, tabling an issue to revisit when we can talk reasonably and so on. I highly recommend it for all couples going through transition.

Kara Pederson
Sr. Specialist, Internal Communications
Thomson Reuters

Making things happen and helping others has always come easily to me. I’m a “big picture” thinker and can see how to make people and services come together. But in this past decade, while running my own property management/real estate business, guiding my family’s philanthropic foundation, coordinating many volunteer projects, and working through some difficult personal challenges, I ended up on a treadmill that kept me running from myself. I truly felt burdened by it all, wanted to hide from the pressures and experienced no joy from all the giving.

All my life I have managed to get through on my own. Then Jan became my coach. First, she helped me realize that I need to take care of myself. Then she introduced me to THE DEEP DIVE Coaching & Mastermind. The individual coaching along with the group mastermind have helped me get my confidence back—to start living the life I want vs. the life that I felt that I had to live.

As a result, my real estate business is systematized and functioning smoothly, my family foundation is focused on important needs. While details are not my forte, learning to balance my big picture visions with systems and strategies is focusing my expertise in a new venture— addressing the issues that caretakers face in our society, providing them tools, resources & support—all the things that in the past I had to find on my own. Oh, and charging what my services are worth!

I truly believe Jan’s encouragement and ability to ask the hard question is what has put me back on the path to success. It is amazing to start developing relationships with others who are out of the box thinkers. This has once again become an asset in my day to day life.

Sue Gonyea
Your Caregiver’s Caregiver
www.yourcaregiverscaregiver.com

As a longtime acupuncturist, I was burned out trying to treat everyone for everything all the time. I jumped at the chance to sign up for THE DEEP DIVE Coaching Program & Mastermind.

In a few short months working with Jan, I’ve rediscovered passion for my profession, I’ve let go of old obligations, moved offices, and developed new systems to deliver my services that energize me.

Jan helped me see how focusing on my unique expertise—degenerative diseases of the eye, such as macular degeneration—and developing a program that addresses this increasing issue is an important role in healthcare that Western medicine can do very little to help. And I love it!

As a result of THE DEEP DIVE, I’ve developed a comprehensive program to address this increasing health issue called The Vision Repair Service for Degenerative Eye Diseases

I currently train other acupuncturists and look forward to training and collaborating with traditional eye care professionals.

For me, THE DEEP DIVE and working with Jan has been one of self-discovery—creating clarity in what I want to do and developing new systems to reach a much broader clientele with my expertise. It’s allowing me to joyfully drive in a straight line towards my goals!

Mats Sexton, Licensed Acupuncturist
Diplomate of Acupuncture
Vision Repair Service for Degenerative Eye Diseases

http://www.pindoctor.com

“I just wanted to tell you thank you for all the coaching and the Reboot & Balance Workshop. I had no idea how much I would learn.

The last few days I have been thinking of so many of my friends who are struggling with many of the same issues that I was as I went through the recent transition in my life. As women, we all have personal responsibilities–marriages, divorces, children, finances–that have absorbed our attention for so many years. Beginning to balance these commitments with my personal needs and desires is a HUGE transition! Individual coaching and the Reboot & Balance  Retreat helped reinforce that the tough decisions I am making and the life I desire is so worthwhile. I get a little bit afraid that the happiness I am experiencing will all go away, but the retreat and your individual coaching help me to see that it’s one-step-at-a-time and that I can do this!

It’s working–I’m loving my new life!”

Beth Klute

 

Nine years ago, while seriously dating, Richard and Karen participated in a 5 month long Big Picture Partnering couple’s coaching workshop. They learned how to partner very well! They became engaged, married, have moved a number of times internationally for Richard’s corporate career, and are raising two young daughters. This week they are celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary!

Attention to their relationship and family life has always been prioritized equally as important as Karen’s creative interests and Richard’s high-level career.

They also attend to their extended family values, needs, concerns with aging parents and si blings who are younger – developing their own careers and family lives and less well off.

To keep their priorities balanced—while keeping their eye on their long-range visions—this couple has continuously invested in all phases of the Big Picture coaching programs to stay connected and to stay on track individually and as a couple.

They each started with individual coaching basics where they connected to their values and passions. Then they learned to integrate this in a strong partnership. Currently they each coach in Individual Big Picture Mastery and together they are in the Powerful Couples Gold Program — offering high-level customized BPP coaching.

They regularly revisit their Big Picture vision. They began their relationship this way and they stay on track by giving themselves and their relationship visioning and self-reflection time in spite of how busy their lives may be. Coaching helps them do this consistently.

The other day during our individual coaching session I asked Richard what they were doing for their 7th anniversary.

Here’s what Richard said:

“We’re going to have a celebration dinner and talk about what we are most proud of over the past 7 years and what we want to be proud of 7 years from now.”

Now that’s quite a celebration!

Richard and Karen

In their late 50′s, married for 30-some years with 2 grown kids and a grandchild, Mary & Tom were in deep trouble. Mary was deeply hurt and royally pissed off. She felt Tom was shut down and put roadblocks up around anything and everything that gave her joy – projects, travel, shared adventures. Her mom had recently died and she felt life was too short. She just wasn’t going to take it anymore! She had talked to a lawyer, found a condo and was ready to move out. Tom finally understood just how serious Mary was and convinced her to come talk with me before taking any more steps toward divorce.

Together they decided that neither of them wanted to have any regrets, so they decided to give their relationship one more chance. They signed on for the Big Picture Partnering™ VIP Couples Coaching Program knowing that out of this work together they were going to get help, acquire the tools and mindset to make major changes, and see if their relationship was going to make it or break it.

“We feel like friends and companions again. Amazingly, we’re on the same page. We now know how to talk about things we couldn’t even discuss before! By talking I’ve changed my perspective. Things I assumed before I now see differently. It’s not that we necessarily agree, you simply taught us how to listen and talk to one another in a new way! It’s working.”

Tom and Mary

This couple has gone from the brink of divorce, fighting or shutting down, to chatting back and forth, laughing, sharing stories, companionship. Mary’s eyes light up when she shares something Tom is doing. He listens to her, encourages and praises her activities. Making plans together, completing projects together and financial cooperation, aspects they fought over, are problems of the past. They are totally aware when they need to talk and upgrade their partnering if they have the slightest hint of disconnect. They now realize they have a lot to lose if they don’t.

They are true Big Picture Partners fully enjoying the life they have learned to create together.

“Jan, after reading the SUCCESS STORY about Mary and Tom, I realized that Mary and Tom’s story is essentially what happened when you coached Jim and me in Big Picture Partnering years ago.

When I spoke with you recently I told you how much happier we are now, but I forgot to thank you! Your help was the turning point for us. You taught us how to listen for understanding, acknowledge before responding, and calm down before speaking. It has made all the difference in our long lasting marriage.

What makes me especially happy is to see how naturally this comes to our son. He learned these skills because this is the model he grew up with. He doesn’t know any other way; we have broken the dysfunctional communication/conflict resolution patterns that existed in our families for generations.

This is exactly what we wanted to do! Thanks!”

Margaret and Jim Henderson

You know I love to share my VIP couple’s successes! Well, checking in for their third (only their THIRD mind you!) Big Picture Partnering training module this week, Richard noted the many changes in his relationship with Carrie. Just a few months ago they were on the verge of divorce. Listen to what he says now:

“There’s a new atmosphere in our home. It’s different and positive and really, really, really nice. Carrie is being so much gentler and I feel more connected to her. There’s a lot more spontaneous affection and we’ve been practicing Regular Talking, Taking Turns Listening.”  

Looking back at the role-modeling from my mom and dad I realize I have very little knowledge about how to be a good husband and father, but I’m totally committed to learning!”

Carrie chimed in:

“I agree! I’ve been practicing ‘soft starts’ and it helps to realize my impatient, hurried and tough approach is not necessary. Richard’s really made a big, new commitment to me and our family and that feels so good.”

You can have this RELATIONSHIP SUCCESS too!

Richard and Carrie

Howard and Sarah have been in my Big Picture Partnering VIP program for nearly 4 months. Twice Howard has spontaneously offered his over-all endorsement, admitting it comes from a guy’s perspective!

The first time he was comparing the Big Picture program to another he and Sarah had experienced years back:

“When we came in you weren’t vague you said, “This is what you’ll get from this program. These are the benefits. These are the tools you’ll get. You can use them forever. This is how it will be delivered. And this is what you’ll need to do to achieve your goals. Boom. Not vague. Totally clear.

I’m a great salesman and that is great sales. It’s everything we are getting.”

About a month later, Howard said:

“You know I’m in sales.  So I’ve been selling your books. I’ve already told at least five guys I work with about your book, Romance Rehab.

It’s a fact. Everyone’s dealing with the same stuff. Everyone in relationship is going through stuff similar to me and Sarah. It’s human. Everyone needs your book and your program. Especially the guys. This is great stuff.”

Thanks, Howard. It’s true. And here’s how you can get your very own copy of Romance Rehab: 10 Steps To Rescue Your Relationship.

To get you started, check out one important tool highlighted in the program. It’s called “Regular Talking, Taking Turns Listening.” Get your very own copy of this simple, proven, highly effective tool today.

As a high-powered leader in an agency that for many years has taken her expertise but not rewarded in kind, in a short 6 months, Sharon has not only developed an exit strategy but she’s developing a start-up strategy for an agency of her own:

“As a typical successful, type-A, overworked, stretched-to-the-max director in a fast-paced agency, I had lost my ability to look at my career, my accomplishments and my setbacks in a way that would allow me to make good choices about what’s the next best step for me. I was bored, burned-out and feeling used by leadership that refused to bring me in as a partner, while financially profiting and creatively skating on my creative leadership and management skills. In the first phase of THE DEEP DIVE Coaching & Mastermind, Jan has guided me through fear and obstacles, to creating an exit strategy in a brief 6 months. It hasn’t been easy, but I’m in the middle of this transition and my crea tivity is starting to soar. Now we’re beginning to envision and strategize my new start-up company that I plan to launch later this year—Another DEEP DIVE, but the outcome will be all my own!”

Sharon J.

There are few things more important than honesty and getting honest feedback and an objective perspective on my career was something I longed for. As a typical successful, type-A, overworked, stretched-to-the-max director in a fast-paced agency, I had lost my ability to look at my career, my accomplishments and my setbacks in a way that would allow me to make good choices about what’s the next best step for me. My viewpoint had become more and more narrow and I was looking for someone to give me a process to work through to get clear about what I needed to do to truly create the life I want to lead. I began working with Jan in the Deep Dive coaching program and started sorting out the many irons I had in the fire—job, investments, side projects, and obligations. Jan helped me see my situation in a clearer light, helped me find people and resources to deal with the many open projects I had, and helped me start to create a new big picture for my life. I’m not there yet, but the support of the Deep Dive program has made a big difference as I make my way forward. I’m no longer stuck in what was; I’m moving forward into what I want my life and my new business to be.

Marla, a highly motivated 42 year-old, and Unconventional-Creative coaching client got very excited the day she realized how far she’d come in her life through coaching. She gets excited every coaching session as she embraces her successes. Hear what she has to say:

I come in here every coaching session and we just go after my old mind-set and beliefs and break it down into the new options and new steps I need to take.  I am finally so happy with who I am. I love my work. I still want a committed relationship but I’m much more relaxed about it. I’ve learned how to choose the right men to date and right now I’m seeing a very good man.

And I’m able to accept and deal with my very dysfunctional family in a mature way that keeps me sane and staying adult. They even step up to behaving more maturely more often!  I’ve become a role model for family and friends and a leader at work.

Thanks, Jan. You are right! You have to know yourself to know what you want in relationships! You have to know yourself to know and reach for what you want in your work!”

Marla

“I’ve coached with Dr. Jan at pivotal points along my career path–discovering the field of psychology, attending graduate school, developing my own very successful private practice in Michigan, and most recently returning to Minnesota where I am establishing my career and growing my family.” 

 

As I was starting my business, I had many self-doubts and did not know how to proceed. I’ve known that I’m talented and have unique gifts to share. Unlocking my unique gifts and connecting to the clients who want what I have to offer was clarifying and freeing for me. I felt reinvigorated and no longer stuck. Dr. Jan helped me uncover and articulate what I have to offer that others don’t. Then she helped me build a marketing plan around it. I not only gained a clear vision of what steps I needed to take next to get my business going, I had the enthusiasm and confidence to do it. When I get into bed at night, instead of fear and worry, I feel empowered. That’s priceless. I’m leading in my life and creating my career path.

Dr. Megan Plumstead
Psychotherapist
Minneapolis VA Medical Center

 

I run a small, out of the basement business helping people who are not technologically savvy fix almost any technology problem, from networking to virus repair, training in new systems to answering how-to questions. Needless to say, I’m a very busy guy. I was also a very stubborn guy doing it all myself, but enjoying the work less and less. I could not keep on top of my billing, organizing my week was totally reactive to whomever reached my on my cell at the time. And because I either work remotely or I drive to customer’s home or office, my equipment room spread throughout my entire basement, car and garage so much so I could barely walk into the spaces.

Plus I had little relaxing time with my family.

After coaching with Jan, I finally talked with my family about my needs. I was really resistant to the idea at first, but when I finally did, they were delighted I was going to get some help. And they insisted I hire the “in-house” experts I’d been overlooking these past 7 years while running my business all on my own. Right under my nose!

My wife, Marilyn is now my bookkeeper, invoicing clients and tracking QuickBooks, meetings with the CPA, lawyer, etc. Thing she’s always been really good at in our personal financial life.

Daughter, Sue, is recently graduated with her BA in communications and is looking for fulltime work. She’s taken on the equipment organization as well as writing a blog including all the suggestions I offer to people so they can look them up online.

In addition we hired a virtual assistant who works 2 hours each week helping with scheduling so I am not inundated with phone calls and a backlog of work or upset customers! We have a system in place that is working like a dream.

It helps to invoice on a regular basis. My profits have nearly doubled. But more importantly I look forward to getting up each day. Thanks Dr. Jan!

Bob Jamison

I love my new work! I officially celebrated 6 mo. in my new role at the MIA this week and some of the large changes we worked on in coaching last year have finally started to settle. You know me, Jan, I’m always going to reach for more and never settle! So, my work and life are stable and…now I’m ready to reach for more! In the next few months I’d like to explore how to grow even more in my professional life and create a personal life that supports other parts of my creativity and uniqueness.

It’s a good time for me to continue our coaching work together. I tend to naturally think of “seasons” so I’m looking forward to doing a “fall season” of coaching sessions with you to prepare and take me into the New Year.

I look forward to working with you again Jan. You were so instrumental in helping me get to the right footing during our coaching last year, and I feel ready to move forward–as a person and as a professional. I got more out of seeing you in 9 months than I did with a lifetime of counseling. Part of that is because of where I was personally–I was ready–but most of it is because you are really, really good at what you do! Thanks.

Marissa Miller, Staff Accountant
Minneapolis Institute of Arts

I was at a point where I thought that I was going to scrape through the remainder of my work years as a musician and music educator. Now I believe I can do more than “scrape through.” I can actually thrive, both how I feel about my work, and how my work can become economically rewarding. Now I feel optimistic about developing the tools I need in order to create the business I want and make an income doing it!

Now, the words “profit” and “passion” are in the same sentence–they’re not mutually exclusive!

• I have come to claim that I’m an artist and an unconventional creative. I’m gifted in what I do.
• I listen to people’s voices. I help them create vocal freedom. I assist them in feeling confident about singing.
• I am able to de-mystify the singing process, so the singer can get out of their own
• Each singer is unique, and I am able to creatively work with various levels of experience, habit, and self-image about the voice.
• I help adults take delight in their personal, musical journeys. I am non-judgmental and encouraging.
• I make a living doing what I love–and I’m loving making my business grow!

I am an experienced accompanist, pianist, organist, conductor and singer. I serve as the Minister of Music at First Congregational Church of Minnesota, UCC. I strongly believe in people’s call to make their own music.

Cynthia Mortenson
cynthiamo@comcast.net

Music With Cynthia can get you started growing and finding joy in your musical journey, whatever that is, and wherever it takes you!

Before coaching with Dr. Jan in THE DEEP DIVE Coaching & Mastermind Program, I was truly miserable. I had a paycheck but was stuck in an outdated human service role that was a daily drain on my energy. I was under-utilizing my years of experience and expertise. I was in a fog and could not see my way out. I just knew I needed help.

In our first half-day VIP session, with her gentle but laser-focused coaching, Jan quickly zeroed in on my consistent life passion. She’s helped me embrace my expertise as a Thought Leader in the world of aging robustly.

She’s helped me get clear inside and develop a written plan of action outside. She makes me be courageous inside and not cut corners on my outer path as I work to achieve my dream. She holds me accountable and has unwavering faith in me and my direction. She holds my long-term future vision while also creating a clear path of current work and influence to get there.

She helped me clear the doubts and inner clutter to then land a position I’m passionate about. I’m excited about the future and love getting up every day once again—Anything feels possible when you are supported and guided so fully!

Roxanne J. Cornell, MSW, LICSW
Marketing & Life Care Manager
Maser Amundson, P.A.

www.maserlaw.com

“Your rock in a hard place.”
rcornell@maserlaw.com