Whether laddering up in your professional life or paving a path towards a new change, one thing remains true amidst all of this; we all need a little support. Makinsy Renne, a thriving spiritual life coach, has been working towards a similar goal; supporting her clients by promoting their goal attainment through actionable plans and strengthening their self-regulation techniques. 

Makinsy's coaching advocates the power within, enlightens deeper connections with oneself and creates healthy living. Her own journey of overcoming severe depression, several eating disorders, and anxiety urged her passion to help others transcend past their own limitations. 

While she is known to connect with her clients effortlessly, she aims to guide them to build a fulfilling life that she learnt the hard way.

According to her, “Everyone can benefit greatly from a life coach, it’s amazing what transformation happens when you have a space where you feel heard, validated, and supported!”

1) You have mentioned that coaching is not therapy. So how does your coaching transform people and their lives?

You're absolutely right, coaching is very different from therapy in that we tend to focus on the present and the future as opposed to the past. What I have noticed as a coach is that most people already know what step they need to take, or behavior they need to quit doing to move into that next stage of life. As a coach, being able to allow space for someone to come to their own realizations, and guide them towards that, is where the real transformation takes place. When people feel heard and empowered by their own wisdom, it creates a strength and resilience in them that affects every part of their lives.

2) How would you describe your early life and what encouraged you to prioritize spirituality in your coaching? 

My childhood looked very different from how I live my life today. I grew up not embracing spirituality, and not having a sense of connection or belonging to the world around me. It wasn't until I underwent my own awakening, where I came to the realization of who I truly was and who I wanted to be, that things started to change. This is what lead to it being such an instrumental part of my day-to-day routine, because I knew how much it had transformed my life, and how much it would be able to help out others in the same way.

3) How does a typical session look like with you?

A typical coaching session with me really varies. I leave the topic of each session open to my clients, so they are able to come in with anything they feel they need the most guidance with. I pride myself in allowing a lot of space for my clients to share, and I use my intuition to guide the conversation in whichever way I feel will bring about the most change. Sometimes, my clients will come in and answer their own question very quickly, and I love to sit back and point out their own wisdom in the situation.

4) What would you tell someone who is seeking professional expertise but is unsure about taking up spiritual life coaching? 

I would tell them to trust their judgement. Coaching may not be for everyone, or it may not be the right time for them, and that's okay too. If they are looking for a way to improve their life, I would advise them to try and find a coach that they feel they match with the most in terms of style and expertise. Then, it's just a matter of trying it out and understanding what will work best for them. Sometimes, individuals will benefit more from consulting or therapy, which is why it's so important to trust how you feel and do what you believe is best for yourself. 

5) What are your approaches to counseling individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems?

Great question. I do my best not to give advice, or counsel them through how to achieve something, even if I know how to get there. That's just not what coaches really stand by. Instead, I like to coach based off of helping them connect to their own inner guidance. I will ask them what they feel is the best move for themselves, or what the next best step to take is, while identifying what may be blocking them from accessing that knowledge. This allows my clients to walk away trusting themselves more, and not taking any power away by telling them what to do. 

6) What do you consider a successful coaching session? 

To me, a successful coaching session would be if my client walks away feeling more confident, clear minded and at peace. Sometimes, for a number of reasons, we won't be able to reach a breakthrough during a session. And in those moments, as long as my client can walk away with more wisdom and strength, I think I did my part well.