I provide peer to peer coaching services to help people make sense of the twists and turns of their life journey and to make peace with their past traumatic experiences. Drawing on my own experience of having spent 17 years in a religious cult as a young adult, my coaching practice is focused on helping other cult survivors, many of whom find themselves unsure of their own identity upon leaving a cult. I also work with people in the creative arts, including musicians and actors, and have a special affinity for people with high-functioning autism (and the difficulties this can present in social contexts).
What is Coaching?
Coaching is not “therapy” (with it’s inherent therapist/client power dynamic), but is peer-to-peer and “client-led”. In other words, coaches don’t “fix” their clients, but offer attuned, compassionate listening and informed questioning in a safe environment to help the client resolve and heal from past traumas — especially developmental traumas that shape a person’s expectations and reactions to the events and circumstances of their life. The intent of coaching is to give clients the tools of understanding and self-awareness so they can better deal with life’s stressors and ‘triggers”, and lead happier, more fulfilling lives with an authentic sense of self. It’s OK to assign blame externally for the things that happen to us, but we alone are responsible for healing the wounds of life.
What to Expect
If you are interested in seeing if coaching might be right for you (and to see if I might be the right coach) I offer an informational session for up to 30 minutes at no charge in which I will provide further background and answer any questions. Before beginning actual coaching work we will start with some basic “intake” procedures that include an overview of the things you are dealing with, and a safety risk assessment to determine if they are within my areas of certification and training (if not, I can usually refer you to another professional with the appropriate licensing and credentialing); we will also go over some basic questions about your daily life and life-style such as eating, sleeping, social life, and physical health. Because trauma recovery can sometimes be triggering, we will also work together to create a “client safety plan”. As a member of the International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaching I also have a set of “Policies and Procedures” that all my clients are required to acknowledge and sign. These are nothing more than common-sense stipulations to ensure that the client-coach relationship remains productive and within appropriate boundaries for everyone’s safety and protection.
What is my Training, Credentialing, and Experience?
My training and credentialing has been through the International Association of Trauma Recovery Coaching (https://certifiedtraumarecoverycoaching.com/). Through the organization I have on-going supervision and continuing education, with re-certification requirements, and a large and mission-driven team of more than 700 fellow trauma recovery coaches around the world (many of whom are also licensed therapists) who help and mentor each other. I have written extensively about my own experience in a religious cult and have been a presenter for meetings, conferences, and church groups. On June 30, 2023 I gave a presentation on recovery from cults at the annual conference of the International Cultic Studies Association. That presentation can be viewed here.
Pricing
My standard rate is $75 per session. However, I am highly sensitive to the financial challenges many cult survivors (including survivors of domestic abuse) experience, and for those with limited resources I will work on a sliding scale. I believe everyone is entitled to a happy life, and my mission as a trauma recovery coach is not to make money (though I also have to pay the bills), but to help those who are sincerely seeking to improve their lives.
To Get Started
If you would like to explore the possibility of doing some peer-to-peer trauma recovery coaching, please write to me at petermacdonaldblachly (at) gmail (dot) com.
My Philosophy on Healing in a Sick Society
On July 9, 2023 I was invited to lead the Sunday morning service at the Brunswick, Maine Unitarian Universalist Church. In my “sermon” (or “reflection” in UU terminology) I outline my understanding of “the authentic self”, and propose that the seven guiding principles of Unitarianism, along with recovery from early childhood traumas, provide a roadmap of sorts. You can view the talk here: https://youtu.be/sQ_eRQKk9-U