GET STARTED TODAY! CONTACT US FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SESSION.

About

 

What makes take a breath coaching unique?

Women executives want to be taken seriously as leaders. Take A Breath Coaching helps you strengthen your leadership presence so you have more influence as you lead your organization through uncertainty and change.

Our Leadership Coaching Model

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When you have extraordinary leadership presence, you increase your influence by fully embracing your core values and beliefs, aligning your daily activities around these core values, practicing your unique strengths and acting with integrity.

Working with Take a Breath Coaching

Contact us to arrange a complimentary session. During this session, you will learn if coaching is right for you and if we are the right coach for you. You will also:

  • Identify your desired outcomes

  • Determine ways to measure success using quantifiable methods

  • Learn about different coaching options, such as both individual and group coaching

Our Approach

Coaches use different methodologies in their work with clients. Your needs determine the best approaches. Take A Breath Coaching most commonly uses a solutions-focused method grounded in Appreciative Inquiry and an insight-focused method.

The Appreciative Inquiry method helps you (the client) discover when you are at your best (Discover), imagine that you at your best is the norm (Dream), design plans to make the dream reality (Design) and identify specific action steps to put the plans into practice (Deliver).

Our insight-focused method asks you (the client) to identify a problem or issue, explore your assumptions and conclusions about the problem/issue, discover what other assumptions and conclusions are possible and decide on a plan of action for addressing the problem/issue.

Cathy Smalley Pales, Ed.D.

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have spent my entire career in education and associations supporting women’s leadership development. Women make up 75% of the non-profit workforce yet they lead fewer than 25% of medium and large-sized non-profit organizations.

When women embrace their best selves and have extraordinary leadership presence, they are better equipped to be a force for change and achieve higher levels of leadership authority. They show others who they are and allow themselves to be fully seen and heard.

Whether I am running my coaching practice, leading a group fitness class, being a foster parent, serving as a volunteer mediator or leading a business women’s group, I want to help others be curious, find new paths and discover possibilities.

EXPERIENCE

  • Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Change, University of Virginia

  • Graduate, Georgetown University Leadership Coaching Program

  • Chair, Business Women’s Round Table, Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce

GET STARTED TODAY! CONTACT US FOR YOUR COMPLIMENTARY SESSION.

Cathy Smalley Pales, Ed.D., Owner of Take a Breath Coaching

Cathy Smalley Pales, Ed.D., Owner of Take a Breath Coaching