“It’s such an amazing programme to help you, I can’t describe it in three words”
These were the exact words M, aged 9 responded with when I asked her to describe The Explorer Programme in three words & as her coach, I could not help but look back at my own childhood and wish I had this same support when I was her age.
From as young as 8, I remember struggling with big worries, anxieties and stresses as I navigated primary and later, secondary school. I always battled with feelings of inadequacy, often compared myself to others and would always identify things I did as simply being never good enough. I was someone who was good at most sports, made it in the teams but was later dropped due to low self confidence never. I was someone who was academically intelligent but this was never evident in my test results due to anxiety, self doubt, low self worth getting in the way. Careless errors would be the bane of my existence and I simply did not understand why I felt like such a failure in everything I did.
Now, aged 31, I can proudly say that the obstacle that was IN the way has become the way for me. Anxiety is a part of who I am, something I am learning to navigate daily in adulthood and one of the sole driving forces for why I set up Mind Station Coaching. My coaching company exists to support girls with similar challenges surrounding anxiety to mine in school. I want to provide support to those children who struggle to believe in themselves, who battle with daily worries and hyperactivity in their minds, who struggle to identify their strengths, who have been subject to bullying and who have lost or never found their inner voice and limitless potential.I want them to understand that feeling stuck is not their only option. Instead, we can envision a bright future together, crafting a positive action plan and embarking on a journey of self-discovery. Through this experience, they can connect with their most authentic and brilliant selves, while gaining a deeper understanding of their own minds.
It is my own experience and understanding that fuels me daily to empower young minds, particularly girls, to emotionally connect and identify who they want to be in this world and how they want to show up . I was subject to unkind emotional bullying in my primary years at an all girls school , because I wasn’t ‘good enough’ to be in the gymnastics group or I didn’t look ‘old enough’ like the other girls, or I wasn’t ‘clever enough’. This simply knocked my confidence when I was in year 3 and fuelled my anxiety, limiting beliefs and academic performance. Not only was the all girls school choice wrong for me, it completely killed my creative, adventurous, and once courageous identity. Throughout secondary school, my struggles with identity & anxiety deepened, leading me to believe I had to conform to fit in with the crowd. In hindsight, I realise I should have aimed to be a courageous shepherd rather than a shy sheep.
This is a problem we are still seeing today. I am losing count of the amount of families coming to Mind Station because their daughter is experiencing anxiety, or being subject to bullying, or having regular outbursts at home from experiencing tricky friendship challenges at school. The list goes on. Undoubtedly, schools are currently overwhelmed and often unable to adequately support children’s social and emotional well-being. This is where Mind Station steps in to fill the crucial gap. Young girls facing the challenges mentioned earlier thrive in 1:1 coaching settings because they feel heard and understood. They have a coach, like myself, validating their feelings, empathising with their situation, and helping them to vocalise & identify the obstacles that are in their way and map out a plan in order to overcome them. I have coached nearly 100 children 1:1 in the past three years, through my science backed programmes that empower and nurture emotional connection, courage and resilience in young girls.
Let’s look at M’s journey at Mind Station:
M, hesitant at first of what coaching was – made many breakthroughs personally, & absolutely soared through our 10 week The Explorer Programme! Through the programme, M learnt all about her amazing brain, identified & connected to her unique strengths, reframed her negative thoughts and developed so much courage and a positive empowered mindset!
In M’s words – “ It’s such an amazing programme to help you, I can’t describe it in three words”
In M’s parent words “She is has made many breakthroughs, is so much more confident, playing with everyone again. I think you should do level 3/ 4/ & 5!!”
M loved The Explorer Programme so much that she has recently enrolled in our Level 2 10 Week Integration Programme, to continue to work through the current challenges, embed previous learning, learn new advanced coaching techniques and further enhance her self leadership skills! We are SO excited to see her thrive personally, socially and emotionally for the remaining academic year.
Looking back to my own childhood, the greatest absence when I was 8 was the lack of validation or explanation for my feelings, as well as understanding the happenings of my own mind and brain. Once you have that knowledge and understanding, anything is possible and children are more than capable of making the changes they need to feel more confident with themselves.
So the big question is, when is the right time to take action for your child?
& the answer is,
Now.
Looking for further support for your child?
If you are a parent whose child is experiencing low self confidence, anxiety and emotional sensitivity , we recommend filling in the application form below and booking in a call with Chloe , the founder here who will advise and guide you to the best solution moving forwards.