Step into the light of freedom

Live Your Great Story

Does this sound like you?

You've been on a Soul's journey, with twists and turns. Maybe it has you scratching your head of how the puzzle pieces fit together.
In the midst of the darkness, you are aware of the light within. You are a bright light.
You yearn to gather with like-minded spirits, all seeking more freedom, joy, ease, and self-authority in their lives and work.

You are meant to live your great story. We can help.

Together, we set alight your inner flame.

Do You Continue to Self-Sabotage?

Each of these clients came seeking a more meaningful, authentic life. Each had entrenched patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior that kept getting in their way...

A top performer is dogged by the feeling of “never good enough,” even as colleagues express their appreciation and bosses continue to give bonuses and awards.

An entrepreneur has a passion to serve, with a thriving business of helping people and plants flourish. Yet he still gets tripped up with struggling to get things right. He longs for less rigidity and more flow, being present to the fullness of life, and living life on his own terms.

An artist, coach, and mother with great capacity to navigate a diverse and full plate of life, finds it challenging to make space for her gifts and talents to flourish. She longs to discern what matters most to her. She is ready to make her dreams a priority so that she can serve and shine in the world.

The starting point for this journey

We’ll accompany you on a journey to explore your stories and emotions as a means of healing your limiting beliefs and patterns. You’ll come to understand the origin of these stories in a way to eventually dismantle them, so they don’t have power over you anymore. You'll have more ability to choose ease.

Over time, Live Your Great Story participants:

Found light where there was darkness, compassion where there was judgment, and thrill where there was worry.
Changed how they reacted to situations that would have triggered their habitual, defeating patterns.
Made new choices, leading to more connection and less separation in their lives.

When we continue to allow old patterns to run our life...

...the results can be discouraging or even disastrous. Chances are we:

Settle for much less than what is possible for ourselves.
Waste inordinate amounts of energy chasing after the wrong things, steeped in worry, fear, overwhelm and frustration.
Continue to feed our stories rooted in fear, powerlessness and struggle. We stay stuck in a pattern that is often self-sabotaging.

I’ve been there.

Getting in my own way

It’s what led to burning out in 2011. As part of my recovery from burnout, I worked on my raw materials—the thoughts, feelings and behaviors that sabotaged my best intentions.

I busted through the stories I had been telling myself for decades. I broke through entrenched patterns. It was as if I had upgraded my “operating system.” Everything became easier. And when this happened, I was able to identify moments in my past that led me away from a more meaningful life.

–Carol Ross

Shift your emotions and thoughts, and change your behavioral patterns.
Step into grace, ease and power.

Delight in knowing that your deepest desires are possible.

Strength Comes From Growing Self-Compassion and Vulnerability

What to Expect

This 5-month Program consists of...

Content covering three areas:

Revealing the terrain of limitations. This includes providing a framework for understanding your unique Victim Story, so that you can recognize it, forgive it and move beyond.
Providing the substance for your Great Story by uncovering your genuine passion, detailing a specific triumph, and celebrating what comes naturally to you.
Making your Great Story real, through day-to-day choices and habits.

Eleven Live Group Coaching Calls

These Zoom calls will be equally facilitated by a seasoned coaching team: Carol Ross, Angela Trainor, Justine Williams, and Irv Kooris. Each call will be led by two coaches.

These calls are designed to deepen your understanding of your soul’s journey, with a step-by-step process, group discussion, and real-time coaching.

During the real-time coaching, you’ll see a participant being coached on a specific aspect of the Great Story journey.

These two-hour calls start at 1pm ET on the following dates: 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/30, 4/13, 4/27, 5/11, 5/25.

All calls will be recorded in case you miss the live call.

What else does the Program Include?

Comprehensive Online Program, Breakthrough to Your Great Story, Plus Supplemental Materials.

Materials include 26 audio recordings from the online program, “Breakthrough to Your Great Story”. These recordings outline a proven step-by-step methodology for profound change.

Before each call, you will be expected to listen to specific recordings. During our Live Group Coaching calls, we will debrief material from the audio recordings and apply the concepts to your life. You will have access to the online program for a full year.

In addition, you’ll receive customized supplemental materials (e.g., tips and tools) to further increase your learning.

Two Check-ins to Keep You Are On Track.

A midpoint check-in will be held half-way through the program and a final check-in will be held at the end of the five-month program. During these sessions, you’ll have a chance to ask questions and get individual coaching on your Great Story from one of the program leaders.

Culminating Half-Day Virtual Retreat

We’ll finish the Live Your Great Story Program with a half-day virtual retreat. This will be our time to weave together all the threads of your Great Story into a comprehensive, beautiful map. We will celebrate the work we’ve done together and shine the light on who you are becoming. More details to come.

An Intimate Community of Like-Minded Professionals/Fellow Travelers.

This group coaching program is limited to 16 people, who are dedicated to the path of taking full responsibility for their lives. Through shared stories, in a supportive environment, participants have the opportunity to form life-long bonds.

How is the program different?

Most coaching programs start with self-awareness (e.g., who you are, what gets in your way) and expect change to emerge from that awareness. (“We’ve identified it and now change!”) But that’s not enough. In Live Your Great Story Program, you will be guided beyond self-awareness with a 4-step Responsibility Model that results in lasting change.
You will learn to listen to all parts of yourself, without judgment, so that your choices and decisions come from a richer, deeper place. This naturally moves you toward connection, rather than separation.
You will get to the root cause of entrenched patterns. You will uncover a wounding event early in life that set in motion your unique Victim Story. This is just one of the internal narratives that has played out externally, over decades, and kept you in the status quo.

The Live Your Great Story program helped expand my capacity to be with and create from my full range of emotions. It is a gift to be in a community, and witnessed in a sacred and warm space.

This program will advance your leadership and life by offering structures and daily practices to build awareness of your emotions. You will learn why, what and how to process your emotions. You will gain access to resources within yourself to be the author of your story.

Conrad Hayter, Entrepreneur, North Carolina

The Live Your Great Story program has helped me to experience a wider range of emotions. It was an ‘a-ha’ moment to realize I was covering up feelings like sadness and confusion. I now know that it’s perfectly fine to allow all emotions – constricting and expansive. I am human to experience all of it!

It was surprising to connect with different aspects of myself: the younger self, nurturer, and adult/wise-self. Because of this program, I understand myself at a deeper level and feel more of my humanity. That’s made all the difference.

Amal Saymeh Essader, Scientist and Coach

Individually Tailored Deep Integration

You have multiple opportunities to deepen your learning and integration and at the same time, form friendships. These opportunities include the following:

Study buddies and study groups. We encourage you to partner with another participant or form a small group. This allows for additional discussion and exploration outside of the group calls.
Program assistants. We will have several coaches to assist during the group calls, by facilitating breakouts. They been trained in the Great Story work and will be available for supporting participants outside of the group calls. For example, a program assistant may facilitate a study group.

For Participants who are coaches...

The focus of this program is a deep dive into personal self development, and you will also benefit professionally as a coach. For the first few weeks, you’ll be solely focused on the work for yourself. Then you’ll be invited to a series of coaching supervision calls, where you will receive guidance and mentorship on how to bring this work into your coaching practice. The Live Your Great Story program will have a mix of coaches and other leaders (not coaches). You’ll be matched with another participant who is not a coach. You can support them by applying and practicing the Great Story tools and, in turn, they’ll support you in your learning.

Here's how it works:

You will be asked to coach another participant during the program, for a total of five coaching sessions during April and May. After you have completed the five coaching sessions, there is no expectation that you will continue coaching this participant.
We will have five Group Coaching Supervision calls on 4/6, 4/20, 5/4, 5/18, and 6/1. These two-hour Zoom calls will be co-led by our leader team and will be a blend of debriefing your experience of coaching a fellow participant, coaching demonstrations, and giving you feedback on your coaching.

For Participants who are not coaches...

We expect that half of the participants of the Live Your Great Story program will be seasoned coaches who are interested, like you, in personal growth. You’ll be matched with one of these participants to receive individual coaching. They will support you by applying and practicing the Great Story tools and, in turn, you’ll support them in their learning.

Here’s how it works:

You will receive a total of five coaching sessions during April and May. These one-on-one sessions are intended to give you individual attention on the work of uncovering parts of your Great Story.
After the five coaching sessions, there is no expectation that the coaching will continue.

I wanted to understand my personal story and the gifts it could bring to my career coaching
work. What I actually got was so much more!

I learned how to drop the striving and start thriving. I felt like an invisible barrier had held me back from connecting with a vision for my life and work that I could commit to. This program showed me why I couldn't align my thinking, feeling and behaviors to my intentions with ease. It gave me tools to support this change.

I enjoyed the program so much that I didn’t want it to end! Every session flew by. Plus, I
connected with my soul tribe. As a group of coaches, we’ve stayed connected beyond the
program.

If you are thinking about joining this program, don't hesitate. It gives in abundance. It's the gift to yourself that keeps on giving.

Holly McLoughlin, United Kingdom

In this program, I discovered events in my past that have shaped my thoughts and feelings and approach to life, and how I have been actively getting in my own way.

I am assessing what my priorities are. I have always been driven in my career, sometimes to the exclusion of all else. My drive was a given, not be questioned! Now, I am stepping back and evaluating my true values and desires in life. Before this program, I would have considered this a sign of weakness.

For many years, I avoided feeling many of my feelings. Once I learned to embrace these feelings--while still painful--it put me on a path of healing. Through this program, I've made real, measurable steps towards being who I really am. I feel powerful in ways that I never imagined.

Sophia Sullivan, PhD, Senior Director of Data Science, Chicago, IL

The Live Your Great Story program is a safe space to explore and honor the full range of emotions. It was wonderful to be seen by other participants--courageous humans on a similar journey.

I gained tools to unpack childhood stories and see the impact on my current life, while also learning to release these old stories. I’m gaining the authority to step into my grace and let myself shine, naturally and authentically. I found validation that my life matters, and that the pursuit of joy and living fully is my right, as it is for everyone.

Alyssa Almond, Wilmington, DE

Your Investment for this 5-Month Program: $5997

Early Bird price through Jan 22: $5497
Payment plan through Jan 22: $997 due upon signup and then five easy payments of $997

Registration Process

Live Your Great Story Program is limited to 16 participants.

If you are interested in this program, we’ll start with a short call to determine if the program is a fit for your needs.

We’ll also answer questions you have about the program.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Checks.

Schedule Your Registration Conversation Now

The Live Your Great Story program has been a healing, transformative experience. It enabled me to take a deep dive into old wounds and negative beliefs I held about myself, as well as strategies I developed in an attempt to cope.

This exploration opened up new possibilities to live more fully, to be more open and vulnerable in relationships and to be more of my authentic self. I am extremely grateful to find my voice of truth and to trust my inner wisdom.

Allyn St. Lifer, Coach and Therapist, Marietta, GA

I came away with so much more than I expected. I now have a deeper connection and compassion for my own stories and love for my younger parts in me.

The Live Your Great Story program enabled me to explore and expand my emotional range and be witnessed in a safe container. This kind of expansion and growth cannot be done alone, the group experience and community are essential.

I can say wholeheartedly that the Live Your Great Story program is worth the financial investment and commitment of time to deepen one's knowing of self and others.

Owen Sea Luckey, Textile Artist and Coach, Branford CT

Meet Your Program Leaders

Click images to read bios

Carol Ross

Carol Ross is the founder of emotionallyfitleaders.com. She is a leadership coach, writer and speaker with a passion for bringing humanity into the workplace, through emotional fitness. As an engineer for nearly 20 years in the nuclear power (Exelon) and telecommunications (Lucent Bell Labs) industries, she suppressed and dismissed her emotions, unaware of the negative impact on her mind, body, and spirit. A coach since 2003, she knows that the heart is your best ally, professionally and personally.
Carol's advice has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, US News and World Report and Whole Living. She is a regular presenter for the Northwestern University Alumni Association. She has addressed various gatherings around the US including the Net Impact Conference and the Texas Conference for Women. Carol hosts the podcast, Sacred Conversations on Work. Corporate clients have included Caterpillar, Wells Fargo, Accenture, Cable Labs, Avaya, and Nelnet. Her non-profit clients have included a nationally ranked K-12 charter school.
Carol holds degrees in Chemical Engineering and Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University. She received her coaching credential from the Co-Active Institute and has done advanced coaching training with Newfield Network, Center for Right Relationship and Lucid Living.
She lives near Boulder, Colorado with her husband and college sweetheart, Chip. Together, they delight in seeing their two millennial sons launched and thriving.
Read more of Carol's story here.
Irv Kooris

Irv Kooris is a leadership coach and therapist with 35 years’ experience in the field of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), counseling and behavioral healthcare. He has been a clinician, supervisor and senior manager positions in both the private and public sector of mental health.
Irv has assisted large corporations, including The Home Depot and Raytheon, during times of crisis and uncertainty as a key member of crisis management teams. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in the development and execution of crisis response programs. The nature of these crises ranged from natural disasters (Hurricane Katrina, Oklahoma tornadoes) to terrorism (9/11), large downsizings, and potential pandemics (H1N1, Ebola). In all these and many more, Irv, his team, and vendors provided emotional first aid and then helped employees, their families and communities heal and become more resilient. Recognizing and acknowledging emotions was a critical factor in the recovery of people and the organizations where they worked.
Irv is a certified coach through the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI). Ever the curious learner, he has completed advanced coaching training through Lucid Living. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Sciences from Antioch College and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston University. He has completed doctoral level courses and internships in Counseling Psychology at Boston University. Additionally, Irv has advanced training in Internal Family Systems, Mindful Based Stress Reduction, Solution Focused Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy. As a lifelong learner, Irv continues to find opportunities to enhance his skills and knowledge.
Irv lives in Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys spending time with his amazing wife, Allyn, and playing with his grandsons. He delights in being on the water, paddling around in the kayak that he built, or taking a long bike ride on a country road.
Find out more about Irv at https://www.linkedin.com/in/irvkooris/
Angela Trainor

Angela is a leadership coach who believes compassion is the answer to every question. Compassion instills humanity in our work, community and family systems. She’s traveled a winding road to discover and claim this. Angela spent 20 years working hard to fit in, burned out multiple times, and grazed on a steady diet of suppressing her emotions and hiding her gifts. This took a toll on her mind, body and spirit. Coaching helped her to claim vulnerability, an open heart and intuition as the core of her power.
Now in her 5th year as a coach, she specializes in helping seekers and bright lights unburden themselves from limiting stories and patterns, feel a greater range of emotions, and claim their passion. Her greatest joy is serving clients to trust in the wisdom of their heart and instinct and partnering with them to shine as leaders in all areas of life.
Angela holds a Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University and received coach training from the Co-Active Institute (CTI), Center for Right Relationship and Lucid Living. She is a graduate of CTI’s 10-month long Leadership program. She spent 20 years elevating potential in people, teams, brands and products in organizations as a communicator, marketer, fundraiser and recruiter. Her organizational experience spans corporate, post-secondary education and non-profit, including Bell Aliant, Manulife Financial, CTV News Atlantic, Dalhousie University and Alzheimer Canada.
In her spare time, Angela trains new coaches as a Faculty Member at The Co-Active Institute. Find out more at www.linkedin.com/in/angelatrainor/
With her husband, Sanjay, and their puppy Monte, Angela splits her time between the beauty of her beloved, rural Nova Scotia and the excitement and high energy of her adopted home, Manhattan.
Justine Williams

Justine Williams is a leadership coach who specializes in building emotional resiliency. With more than 20 years of corporate communications practice in the U.S. and the U.K., experiencing challenges such as Hurricane Harvey in Texas, she understands what it feels like to lead people through crises.
Crises can be chaotic. Justine helps leaders become more familiar with their own saboteurs so they can remain present and responsive through discomfort and are able to stay in relationship with the teams who need them. She believes that leaders who develop a deeper self-awareness and know how to foster compassion among their people will create greater health and success for themselves and those they touch.
Justine has a strong track record in leading communication teams in the energy and telecommunications industries (Orange, Centrica, and Direct Energy), including ten years in oil and gas in Houston, Texas. She and her team have received industry awards including the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) Lean Team of the Year for achieving exceptional results; as well as an International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Silver Quill for excellence in communicating company vision and business strategy that is regularly featured as a best-practice case study.
Justine holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Communication Studies from Huddersfield University, U.K. She is a certified coach through the Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) and has completed advanced coaching training with Lucid Living. She is a graduate of CTI’s 10-month long Leadership program and currently studies with Philip Shepherd, a recognized international authority on presence and embodiment.
Living in the U.K. with her partner Paul, and his two lovely boys, Justine and her family are looking forward to welcoming a new puppy.
Find Justine on https://linkedin.com/in/justine-m-williams

PS...

If you are ready to transform your life, give yourself the gift of Live Your Great Story Program. You will be part of a profound experience, infused with magic and mystery, for a select group of kindred spirits.

Will you join us? We start the journey on Feb 9.