Coaching

“I would tell prospective clients who are considering Craving Brain coaching to dive in without hesitation. The program is geared to people just like me — who on the outside look like they have it all together, but on the inside are beating themselves up every day and becoming exhausted and disheartened in the meantime. The tools, supplements, reading materials, exercises and one-on-one conversations helped me build the foundation I need. For me, the most helpful piece was the actual one-on-one conversations with Jolene. I really felt that I could connect with her, and by knowing she had been through and experienced a similar path as me, made me feel inspired and hopeful.”

– SH, Des Moines, Iowa

“Jolene is sensitive and practical, she helped me manage the days after I quit drinking, and then as time passed helped me unearth what was really underneath my drinking behavior. The most helpful piece was keeping it simple after deciding to eliminate booze from my life, I also wanted to start changing my diet, wake up earlier, etc and Jolene taught me how to be gentle with myself and really honor this major step I had taken to be alcohol- free and to fill my life up with nourishing activities that supported my choice. Jolene is a gem and I am so glad I encountered her. I could never have become alcohol-free without her.”

– LF, Aspen, CO

“I decided to take on coaching with Jolene after several attempts at moderating my drinking and periods of abstinence from alcohol. Reading Annie Grace’s ‘This Naked Mind’ created seismic shifts in the way I related to drinking, but I had a circumstance of extreme stress a few months ago which launched me back into drinking (I now realize I was not equipped with enough ‘sober tools’ to get through that situation). I thought I could just drink that stress away and easily return to abstinence, I thought – “I’m in control now, I can do this moderation thing. Others do it, why can’t I?” Only to find I returned to drinking one to two bottles of wine 3-4 times a week. Hence, my prime objective with Jolene was to ‘dislodge’ that stubborn automatic response to use alcohol to deal with high-stress scenarios.

My work with Jolene has been exactly what I needed to get back on track. I just returned from my first sober overseas vacation. I had some challenging moments but I stuck with it – she was always at the other end (of an email or Skype call) and coaching me through getting to the bottom of what arose at the time. Jolene equipped me with a variety of tools. I realize now I needed to test and pick which resources work best for me – it’s an ongoing process.  

I was actually quite surprised to learn what the body needs when restoring itself from years of alcohol intake – it is imperative to be armed with this information in order to recognize that the cravings are the body and brain crying out for nutrition and lifestyle balance. I’ve learned a lot about staying mindful of nutrition and what my body needs when I have cravings.

I wasn’t certain whether I wanted to try moderation or complete abstinence on commencement with Jolene, but knowing now what it takes for the body to reset itself after ingesting alcohol, I’m clear I don’t want to drink. That, and, well, moderation never worked for me. My relationship with drinking is ‘all or nothing’. So, it’s nothing. 

Jolene’s support and ability to identify the resources you need to ‘dislodge’ those stuck patterns is incredible. She is a wealth of knowledge and generously imparts personal experience, empathy, mentorship and a solid pillar of strength to pull you through the sludgy mental mud when you need it. 

I strongly recommend Jolene regardless of where you are with drinking or simply just want to be empowered with making healthier life choices. It was the best decision I made and it has given me the kick-start to the true health that I needed. I’m feeling so strong and certain now and LOVING how much more positive my internal dialogue is. My skin is glowing and I look younger. Thank you, Jolene!”

 – SH, Perth, Australia 

“I have known Jolene since 2004 and have followed her career and work from a distance until October 2016 when I decided to sign-up for her one-on-one coaching.

I spent a month with Jolene working through some of the challenges I was facing with stress, weight gain and low-energy.  Jolene’s knowledge, experience and tool-kit are exceptional.  She introduced me to several new tools, techniques and resources that have been instrumental in my ongoing journey towards mental and physical health. Jolene is authentic and lives her life fully integrated with her work and ongoing journey with healthy discoveries.  I admire and respect her life long commitment and career to healthy living and I am grateful for her ability to guide me towards my own healthy living lifestyle.” 

 – MM, Denver, Colorado 

“It was great working with Jolene.  I made positive changes in the 30 days we worked together.  I am still doing well and at the same time I’m aware that I have to be conscious of my choices as I know it is easy to slip back into old patterns.  The good news is that it hasn’t been much of a struggle once I got past the first few weeks. I feel much better these days so I don’t have the desire to go backward. 

I can’t say I would change a thing from our coaching experience. Jolene was there for me if I needed the support on a daily basis, however she did not pressure me if I chose not to be in touch every day.  I liked the initial time we spent on our first call and it was really helpful to have a long session the 3rd week in.  I know that is just an organic experience which is probably different with each client, but her willingness to spend the time for the longer call was great. I never felt rushed in any way.

The accountability in the beginning was huge for me. I feel much better about myself and I notice I’m more confident and happier in general. I would recommend working with Jolene to anyone that was serious about making the commitment to positive and healthy change in their life.  It felt easy and comfortable to open up and be honest with her, which I believe is the first step in making any kind of change.

 – LM, Illinois, USA 

“What would you tell prospective clients who are considering Craving Brain coaching? Do it! Jolene really understands what it’s like to be a ‘gray area drinker.’ She helped me let go of old ideas about drinking and embrace my new sober life. When I started working with Jolene I thought I had it figured out and I just hoped to lose a little weight and get back on track with healthy eating. But as life started to unfold I realized that things were not as easy as I’d thought. She offered support when things went wrong – like when I got sick and when I slipped up and drank one time on a work trip. But also tools to help me navigate through early sobriety. After 90 days working together, I found key tools that have helped me see my daily life in a new way. Not to mention a regular exercise routine that I do not think I could have developed without her guidance.”

 – MM, Birmingham, AL

“I would tell prospective clients that they should absolutely invest in Jolene’s coaching. It was an important part of my not-drinking path that helped me to establish myself in sobriety and implement tools for my own success. I would also tell others to consider this very deeply, alongside the traditional arsenal of therapy/AA/acupuncture or whatever else. I ultimately found this to be EXACTLY what I needed even though it might not have been originally on my list of things to try!

The most helpful piece was the aspect of understanding and developing ‘nourishing’ habits. I learned that it doesn’t need to be fancy or about ‘doing’ or what other people think feels good. It’s about testing and checking in with myself. Plus, acknowledging that sitting with my difficult feelings and learning how to do that is an important part of this work. Jolene’s one-on-one coaching program is 100% worth the price.”

– SC, Minneapolis, MN

“I am stunned by how much progress I was able to make working with Jolene in just 30-days.

For years, I have been promising myself over and over I would make changes in my life and I knew the leading contender for recalibration was my relationship with alcohol. Add to that a laundry list of pressures and the result was an over-stressed, over-committed, often unhappy, always exhausted working mom who too easily lost patience with her kids and felt disconnected from her spouse. I felt like I was hanging to just about everything by the skin of my teeth. It was no fun.

And yet, there were no ‘red-flags’ to jumpstart me into seeking help. With regard to alcohol, I was able to keep my drinking ‘under control’ – self-defined as never blacking out (or so I told myself rarely), never driving drunk (or so I told myself often or far) and never embarrassing myself (again I convinced myself not very often or too much.) But when I looked closely, the truth is alcohol was calling the shots. Alcohol was in the driver’s seat – each and every time from the moment I took that first sip.

I told myself, “I’ll abstain Sunday – Wednesday.” Nope, that didn’t work. I told myself, “I won’t drink the day after a big night.” That didn’t work either. I told myself, “I will keep it to two glasses.” And on and on that went. 

What I finally realized, with relief, was that I needed help. I chose to work with Jolene because she offers a program that does not make demands, but instead a partner to explore together why I made the decisions I did in drinking. During this exploration Jolene was available each day, guiding me in a deep dive as I examined my relationship with alcohol. Even in the first week, Jolene taught me to create the mental space for myself to explore and understand my actions and what prompted them. Using simple breathing techniques and visualization, I was able to step back from an array of moments in which I would have previously been on ‘auto-pilot’ – simply engaging in actions I knew to be destructive but I didn’t have the mental or physical capacity to choose a different path.

Rather than present my choices as black or white, drink or don’t drink, Jolene taught me to explore the choices I wanted to make as an experiment. In doing so, I truly felt I was answering only to myself – an empowering lesson on my journey and one I took in from the start.

I was skeptical that I would see progress in just 30 days. But the simple knowledge that someone is there for you, supporting and encouraging you day in and day out, is pivotal. It provides a foundation of voluntary accountability and always accessible expertise. Jolene provided a wide array of advice and education on; scientific research to help me understand what alcohol does to my body and brain, holistic steps I can take to achieve success, nutrition, personal re-structuring of my day and night to boost and regulate my energy and even, when necessary, comedic relief.

I am happy to say that for this first time I am heading into the final stretch of the holidays feeling sober, calm, excited and centered all at once. In 30 days I have done what I was not able to do for years on my own, and it feels amazing.”

– GR, Washington DC, USA