Coach Steve

What can I do for you?

I offer trust, experience, and support to help normalize the practical, emotional, and mental turmoil of life’s transitions. My passion is helping people tolerate and build comfort within the discomfort of uncertainty of change to redefine life on their own terms and step fully into what’s next.

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1 location(s) 7 certification(s) Affiliated with GORT since 2025

Coach Steve

1 location(s) 7 certification(s) Affiliated with GORT since 2025

you can contact me with questions about

Career, Personal and other Life Transitions

Are you feeling unmoored after a major life change?
Do you sense a calling for something new but don’t know what it is?
Are you struggling to stay in the discomfort of uncertainty without rushing into the next thing?
Would you benefit from guidance, structure, and a supportive coaching relationship?

Retirement: More Than An Exit

Retirement is an achievement to be enjoyed and celebrated. But as the structure and identity that shaped your days shift, new questions arise.

Who you are beyond your career
What truly matters to you in this next phase
How to create new purpose, structure, and fulfillment
What habits and relationships will support your growth

THIS IS HOW I WORK

Creating transformation out of transition doesn’t come from simply filling the void left by change and transition—it comes from staying in the liminal space between what was and what has yet to be long enough to listen and reflect, and then stepping forward with intention.

I offer the experience, compassion, and acceptance necessary to help you stay in that in-between space and allow what’s next to emerge. My coaching methods include thought-provoking questions, tapping into your embodied knowing, and experiential learning to help you hear, see, and understand what you want and why, both now and in the future. With newfound clarity about what matters most to you, we‘ll walk together toward your desired future, with the support and accountability you need to stay on track.

You’ll leave each session and our coaching engagement with:

A clear sense of direction for your next chapter.
A renewed connection to your values and purpose.
Practical tools for staying present, managing uncertainty, and creating a structure that supports you as you move towards the life you want now.
Long-term strategies to keep you aligned with your goals.
A supportive coaching partnership to keep you accountable and on track.

Career coach
Life coach

My certifications

Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) – Co-Active Training Institute, San Rafael, California
Professional Certified Coach (PCC) – International Coaching Federation (ICF), Lexington, Kentucky
Certified Focusing Practitioner, training with Derick Deal, Certified Focusing Trainer, 2021-2023, The International Focusing Institute, Nyak, New York
Thinking At the Edge, training with Beatrice Blake Summer 2025, Certified TAE trainer, The International Focusing Institute, Nyak, New York
Immunity to Change Facilitator Training – Minds at Work, Raymond, New Hampshire
Certified Tilt 365 Assessment Practitioner, Raleigh, North Carolina
Neuroscience of Change Course, 2019-20, Coaches Rising, Amsterdam

In addition to the personal one-on-one coaching conversation, I practice:

Online Coaching
Immersive Retreats in Europe and the US
Online seminars
Six week quick start packages
Six month and twelve month packages

Other work experience

Outdoor Store Founder and Owner, The Great Adventure, Bellingham, WA 1985-2000 § Adult Ski and Snowboard School Director, Stevens Pass Ski Area, Skykomish, WA, 2000 –2006.
Executive Director, Excellence NW, Bellingham, WA, 2006-2010. (www.excellencenw.org)
Freelance Writer: PSIA Nordic Technical Manual, PSIA, 2015. Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills for Fun and Fitness: The Mountaineers, 2005, still in print. Instructional Editor, Cross-Country Skiing magazine, 2002 – 2014.
Member, Professional Ski Instructors of America National Nordic Demonstration Team, 1992 – 2004.
Private and Group Instructor for alpine, cross-country, and telemark skiing, European Snowsports, Verbier, Switzerland, 2021-present, Telluride Ski and Golf, Telluride, CO, 2010-2021, The Great Adventure, Bellingham, WA, 1983-2000.
Bicycle and Kayak Guide, Whatcom County Parks, Bellingham, WA, 1993-2008, Bicycle Adventures, Issaquah, WA, 2002-04 and Lizard Head Cycling Guides, Ophir, CO, 2012-15.

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What others say about me

"Talking to an unbiased third party and reconnecting with my core values by identifying and refining them helped clarify what I want and don’t want, both now and in the future.” - client of Steve.

"I'd been retired for almost a decade when I realized I still hadn’t figured out how to spend my time. I was overextended and resenting some volunteer commitments while also feeling like I wasn’t doing things I thought I should. Working with Steve helped me sort out what really mattered and what I truly wanted to do. If you want to start doing what matters most to you, call Steve." - client of Steve.

“When I began working with Steve, I wanted to understand what to do after retirement. After collaborating with Steve, I realized I had been asking the wrong question. Now the question I’m asking is, ‘Who do I want to be?’” - client of Steve.

“I came to the first session so scared of retirement that I couldn’t imagine a life worth living without my work. Now I’m starting to believe it’s possible to be happy without working at the WTO.” - client of Steve.