Spence's True North

Trauma-Informed Coaching

What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
At Spence’s True North, we practice Trauma-Informed Care—an approach that recognizes the deep and lasting effects trauma can have on the body, mind, and spirit. We create safe, compassionate spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered to heal without judgment or re-traumatization. Instead of asking “What’s wrong with you?” we ask “What happened to you?”—honoring your story and walking with you toward resilience and restoration.

Marriage counseling

What Is Marriage Counseling?
Marriage counseling is a supportive and structured process that helps couples improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen their emotional connection. At Spence’s True North, we guide partners through honest conversations, practical tools, and healing strategies to rebuild trust and rediscover unity. Whether you're navigating a rough season or simply want to grow together, marriage counseling offers a path toward deeper understanding and lasting partnership.

Executive Leadership Training

What Is Executive Leadership Coaching?
Executive Leadership Coaching is a results-driven partnership designed to help leaders unlock their full potential, sharpen decision-making, and lead with purpose and clarity. At Spence’s True North, we focus on self-mastery, emotional intelligence, and strategic thinking to elevate leadership performance and impact. Whether you're transitioning into a new role or refining your leadership style, our coaching empowers you to lead with confidence, integrity, and vision.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach out to us at edspence@spencestrenorth.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What is the difference between a life coach and a therapist?

Therapists and life coaches both aim to enhance individuals' lives, yet their approaches and areas of focus differ significantly, serving distinct but complementary roles in personal development.

Therapists primarily focus on diagnosing and treating mental health issues, often delving into the psychological underpinnings of emotional distress and past traumas. Their introspective approach aims to uncover and resolve deep-seated emotional wounds through various therapeutic techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, or other modalities. This method is crucial for individuals who require clinical intervention to manage mental illnesses or heal from past psychological injuries, with therapy typically centered more on healing and resolving rather than pushing toward future goals.

In contrast, life coaching adopts a distinctly different and complementary approach. Life coaches do not diagnose or treat mental health disorders. Instead, they focus on helping clients identify their personal and professional aspirations, providing motivation and devising strategies to achieve these goals. The coaching process is dynamic and future-focused, emphasizing personal growth, accountability, and action. Life coaches work with clients to enhance their overall life satisfaction by helping them navigate through life's decisions and encouraging them to maximize their personal and professional potential.

Moreover, life coaching involves a collaborative partnership where the coach supports the client in exploring how to use their strengths effectively, developing resilience, and implementing practical steps toward their desired outcomes. This method is particularly beneficial for individuals who are already functioning well but seek to improve their effectiveness, achieve specific ambitions, or manage life transitions more successfully.

Overall, while therapists concentrate on healing and resolving past issues, life coaches are dedicated to building upon the client's current strengths, fostering growth, and achieving future successes. This clear distinction ensures that clients can choose the service that best suits their needs at different stages of their personal or professional lives, making both therapy and coaching essential in the broader spectrum of personal development services.

What is your approach to goal-setting?

As a certified professional coach, I utilize the SMART goal-setting framework—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound—to meticulously plan and execute personal and professional objectives with my clients. This methodical approach not only clarifies their ambitions but also includes developing a detailed action plan, establishing step-by-step processes, and integrating a rigorous accountability system to monitor progress and ensure continuous advancement towards their goals.

My coaching services are comprehensive, covering a wide array of specialized areas tailored to meet diverse needs:

Career Coaching: Assistance with career planning, performance enhancement, and navigating professional changes.
Leadership Coaching: Cultivation of leadership skills, including effective decision-making, team leadership, and strategic vision.
Trauma Coaching: Tools and strategies to manage the aftermath of trauma, promoting healing and personal strength.
Relationship and Marriage Coaching: Techniques to improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen relationships.
Parenting Coaching: Guidance on effective parenting techniques that foster healthy child development and family relationships.
Personal Growth Coaching: Strategies for self-discovery, boosting self-esteem, and overall personal development.
Stress Management: Methods to effectively manage and reduce stress for a healthier lifestyle.
Group Coaching: Facilitation of group sessions that provide mutual support and collective growth opportunities.
Anxiety Coaching: Strategies to manage and mitigate anxiety, helping clients achieve a more peaceful mindset.
Grief Coaching: Support through the grieving process, aiding clients in finding a path forward while honoring their loss.

In addition to these specialized areas, I provide a suite of tools that enhance the coaching experience, including:

Mindfulness Practices: Techniques to improve mental focus and bring about a state of calm awareness.
Meditation: Guided sessions to help reduce stress and improve emotional health.
Journaling: Encouragement to document thoughts and progress, which aids in self-reflection and goal tracking.
Breathing Exercises: Simple yet effective methods to control physical and emotional responses to stress.

This holistic approach ensures that clients not only move beyond their immediate challenges but also achieve a balanced state of mental well-being—what I refer to as mental homeostasis. By empowering clients to excel in their daily lives and face challenges with resilience and confidence, my coaching aims to transform them into the best versions of themselves, fully capable of thriving in their personal and professional lives.

How do you handle confidentiality?

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of my coaching practice, and I am committed to upholding the highest standards of privacy and discretion. As a member adhering to the International Coach Federation's (ICF) Code of Ethics, I follow stringent guidelines to ensure the confidentiality of all client interactions and information.

To maintain trust and accountability, I implement several measures:

Secure Communication Channels: All conversations, whether they occur via email, phone, or video calls, are conducted through secure platforms to protect the privacy of our communications.
Data Protection Practices: Client information is stored securely and is accessible only to authorized personnel. I use encrypted data storage solutions to safeguard personal and sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Confidentiality Agreements: At the onset of our coaching relationship, I provide clients with a confidentiality agreement that outlines the measures taken to protect their privacy and the circumstances under which information may be disclosed.
Regular Audits: I conduct regular audits of my privacy practices to ensure they meet the current standards of data protection and are in line with the ICF Code of Ethics.
Client-Controlled Sharing: Clients have full control over what personal information they choose to share within the coaching sessions. I emphasize that the effectiveness of the coaching is enhanced by openness, but respect clients’ limits and privacy preferences.
Ongoing Training: I regularly update my training in confidentiality and privacy practices to stay informed about best practices and legal requirements in client data protection.

These practices are fundamental to creating a secure environment where clients feel safe to express themselves openly and honestly, ensuring that our coaching sessions are both effective and confidential.

Transform your life.

Certified Trauma-Informed Coaching Certified Behavoral Heath Coach

Trauma-Informed Coaching

Marriage counseling

Executive Leadership Training

Achieve Your Full Potential with Spence's True North

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

Moments That Matter: A Photo Gallery by Spence's True North

ICCI

Our Partners

Affiliations

AACC, ICISF, CLC, New York State Fire Chaplains

American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. ICCA

California Practical Chaplains Association, ICCI,

Contact Us

Better yet, see us in person!

Spence's True North

Hours

Drop us a line!

Frequently Asked Questions

Transform your life.

Certified Trauma-Informed Coaching Certified Behavoral Heath Coach

Trauma-Informed Coaching

Marriage counseling

Executive Leadership Training

Achieve Your Full Potential with Spence's True North

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

Moments That Matter: A Photo Gallery by Spence's True North

ICCI

Our Partners

Affiliations

AACC, ICISF, CLC, New York State Fire Chaplains

American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. ICCA

California Practical Chaplains Association, ICCI,

Contact Us

Better yet, see us in person!

Spence's True North

Hours

Drop us a line!

Connect With Us

Frequently Asked Questions

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