Self-Advocacy Coaching is a form of life coaching that can help you develop the confidence, skills, and strategies needed to effectively speak up for yourself and make informed decisions about your own life. This type of coaching branches out from life-coaching is particularly valuable for teens with neurodivergencies, those working on gender or sexual identity, or anyone who faces barriers to being heard or understood.

At Unbound Roots, we also specialize in advocacy coaching centered around hypermobility and other chronic-pain disorders. It can be brutal enough to learn how to speak up about a “normal” body, let alone one that does not cooperate with you. At Unbound Roots, we will work on how to center yourself and listen to your own needs while also learning to set healthy boundaries around them.

In this space, we work on:

• Empowering ourselves to recognize our own strengths, needs, and rights

• Workshopping communication strategies for expressing opinions, setting boundaries, and requesting accommodations or support

• Building confidence in making decisions and taking initiative in different areas of life

• Developing tools to navigate tough life systems such as education, healthcare, or social engagements/interactions

• Goal-setting and accountability in multiple areas of life and gain personal growth

Generally speaking, coaching can help you form better tools and skills to get through the parts of your life where you really need someone in your corner. It is important to note that a coach is not a therapist. While there may be some overlap in this field, the two types of support are very different.

Putting it shortly, a coach can help you figure out what you want, make a plan, and stay motivated to reach your goals. They focus on where you are now and where you want to go. A therapist can help you understand your feelings, work through tough experiences, and take care of your mental health.

Coaching is about progress and building skills; therapy is about healing and emotional well-being. If you feel that your life is at risk or that you are having serious mental health issues, please contact a licensed therapist.

Unfortunately, no.

Life coaches usually don’t take insurance because coaching is not considered a medical or mental health service. Insurance companies typically only cover treatments that are diagnosed and provided by licensed healthcare professionals—like therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists.

While coaching is not legally protected like psychotherapy, here at Unbound Roots, we treat all sessions with the same level of privacy and safety. We also have the same exceptions:

• If we suspect that an individual may be involved in child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse.

• If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person.

• If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The coach will make every effort to work with the individual to insure their safety. However, if an individual does not cooperate, additional measures may need to be taken.

While coaches aren't required to have a formal license or governing board, I take my role very seriously and understand the importance of the faith and trust that you put in me. I continuously invest in professional development and educational opportunities to strengthen my skills and broaden my knowledge. I also draw deeply from my own life experiences, which shape my coaching style and give me real-world insight into the challenges my clients face. My approach is both informed and personal—grounded in learning, growth, and lived understanding. All melded together to help you live unbound.