( ENSPIRE Interviews ) Personal Wellness Coach Patrice Ford Lyn Discusses her Experiences as a Coach and the Importance of Wellness
ENSPIRE Contributor: Megan Sydow
Patrice Ford Lyn is an expert in personal wellness. With an undergraduate degree in sociology from Yale University and a graduate degree in nonprofit management from the Kennedy School at Harvard University, she has over two decades worth of experience and knowledge in coaching personal growth and development. In her years as a personal wellness coach, she founded her company Catapult Change, a business that focuses on teaching CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs how to solve problems and overcome challenges.
Her work spans far and wide; she has worked with leaders from national corporations, nonprofits, federal agencies, and international development multilateral. When working with these organizations, her main goal is to help them build their organizations while supporting them through their own personal growth. ENSPIRE spoke to Patrice Ford Lyn to learn more about what she has done explicitly throughout her career, her company Catapult Change, the importance of personal growth and development, and how we, as everyday people, can start our personal growth journey.
What things have you done in your decade-long experience with personal transformation and wellness?
I’ve guided individuals to move through doubt and into bold, life-changing decisions. As a result, they have commanded increased compensation, promotions, and greater personal agency and ease at work and at home.
In practical terms, this work takes place in 1-1 coaching sessions and facilitated group workshops. During covid alone, I have facilitated leadership development workshops for thousands of mid-level and C-Suite executives.
Is Catapult Change your company? If so, what services do you offer and what is your personal mission?
I am the founder and CEO of Catapult Change. Our work sits at the intersection of authenticity, audacity, and accountability. Beyond solving problems, we expand our client’s understanding of what’s possible.
We prioritize executives and companies committed to supporting the well-being and advancement of their BIPOC executives. Our coaching services focus on shifting mindsets in areas including energy and time management, network development, and self-care.
What has been one of your most memorable “events” or experiences as a coach?
Our beliefs drive our actions. So, it is always a sacred moment when my clients can identify and unlock a limiting belief.
How can working with CEOs and other higher-ups on their personal growth reflect in their organizations and businesses?
There is a famous quote “Wherever we go, there we are.” by Jon Kabat-Zinn. It reminds us that whether we are in a business meeting, at home with family, playing sports with friends, or having a political debate with contemporaries, we bring ourselves to whatever arena we are in.
So, when CEOs and other executives focus on our personal growth, we don’t just become more thoughtful people; we become more thoughtful leaders. We are more insightful in the ways we manage our teams and more visionary in our ability to guide our organizations. When we are aware of and working on our reactive tendencies, it creates spaciousness for us to step more deeply into key leadership competencies.
By applying insights from our coaching sessions, our clients gain the clarity, courage, and conviction to take bold life-changing action.
How important are personal growth and wellness, and how does improving ourselves reflect on other parts of our lives? (Are they intersectional?)
So, when we take care of ourselves, we bring a more rested and resourced self to all that we do. The more wellness we experience, the more capacity we have for creativity and growth. We move our bodies, minds, and spirits out of survival and into possibility.
What would you tell someone who wants to get started on their personal growth and organizationally improve themselves but is not sure where to start?
Personal growth means different things to different people. There will be no shortage of books to read, podcasts to listen to, or TED Talks to watch. However, before going outward, go inward. Develop a mindfulness practice like meditation or yoga to prepare yourself to be able not only to hear and evaluate new ideas but to also embody them. This shift is extraordinarily powerful.
What tips and tricks do you teach people to keep up with their newly developed growth?
Our ability to regulate our emotions is essential to being an effective leader. Spend time understanding how your body responds to stress so that you can see the signs, calm your nervous system, and approach challenges from a more centered space.
Through her company Catapult Change, Patrice Ford Lyn has affected the personal improvements and challenges of many company heads and higher-ups. Some of these higher-ups include CEOs, executives, and entrepreneurs such as herself. Learning these tips and tricks is important because it reflects into other parts of their lives, leaving her clients not only improving within their business but also in their everyday lives.
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