Hi! Let me introduce myself.
First, though I want to express my gratitude for whatever brought you here. Likely you work with first responders, healthcare workers, caregivers, or another population of people who deserve the very best. Thank you for what you do!
So, who the heck am I?
I am a skilled and compassionate listener, who is able to create a safe and supportive space for people to share their experiences. I believe we are healed in community and connection, especially when those connections are what I call “Like Community”. By this I mean communities of people who have shared life experiences.
I am also an experienced facilitator and can deliver engaging and informative workshops on a variety of topics related to resilience, mindfulness, and self-care. In 1999 I began facilitating workshops for the American College of Sports Medicine. Since then I’ve built my entire career on being a teacher, presenter, and speaker.
With over two decades of being immersed in the realms of health and wellness, I hold a master’s degree in exercise physiology. My qualifications extend to being a certified wellness coach, a mindfulness instructor, a yoga practitioner, and a clinical hypnotherapist. As an ordained chaplain in the Zen Buddhist tradition, I’ve worked in a level-one trauma hospital giving care to families and healthcare workers.
But, I want to tell you what I’m most proud of…
I am a Gold Star Mom. Wife of an SVU detective. Mom to a firefighter. And Mom to two other boys who are incredible humans!
These are all the reasons I do this work. In 2010 when my son Brandon, died while home on leave from the army I was devastated. But on the advice of another bereaved mom, I picked up all the broken pieces of heart and put them back together with expansion joints so that I could be of service in a bigger way.
If you believe you or the communities you work with could benefit from my work please reach out at paulastephenscoaching@gmail.com
Together we can:
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve their mental and physical health
- Find more joy and purpose in their work
- Build stronger relationships
- Create a more balanced life
Professional Bio (for those who like the academic stuff)
Paula has a Masters’s Degree in Exercise Physiology and studied Buddhist Chaplaincy at Upaya Institute and Zen Center. She is a Certified Wellness Coach, Mindfulness Teacher, Clinical Hypnotherapist, and 200 hour RYT Yoga Instructor.
She brings professionalism and compassion to her work by recognizing the importance of healing the whole person, mind/body/spirit. Paula is the author of the book, “From Grief to Growth: Five Essential Elements of Action to Give Your Grief Purpose and Grow From Your Experience”.
Paula is a sought-after inspirational speaker on the topic of personal growth, resilience, and grief as well as many health & wellness topics.
She has presented at the national level for the American College of Sports Medicine, The US State Department, the American Heart Association as well as many others. Her authentic, humble, and humorous style endears her to all types of audiences.
An avid runner Paula qualified for and ran the Boston Marathon in 2007. She also enjoys mountain biking, skiing, camping and good craft beer. Paula also loves time with her boys as they encourage her to push the edge of adventure. Never a dull moment when you’re the mother of boys!
