About Me
Hello! I’m Tracey and I’m on a mission to change the way we think about self-care.
I learned the hard way. I burned out, stress hormones shrunk my brain, and I couldn’t work for 5 months. I had taken my health and cognitive functioning for granted.
During my recovery, I researched the scientific basis of burnout to put in place a plan to ensure it didn’t happen again.
I now share the principles and practices that continue to sustain me in my articles, coaching and training programs to help others work with wellness.
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Take what you want, leave what you don't want.
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Take care of you.
My journey to becoming a wellbeing trainer and coach
Most times when you land on a website concerning worker wellbeing you find a clinical psychologist, an occupational health professional or someone with a background in Human Resources.
I am none of these. I am no different to you; a human being doing the best I can.
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And just like you, I have had some great times and made some amazing memories but I have had difficult times too. This meant I often searched for better ways to cope.
One resource I found was mindfulness. I did a mindfulness course simply out of curiosity. Discovering how to relate differently to mind provided such a shift in my emotional wellbeing that I wanted to share it with others.
I did a mindfulness teaching course with the Mindfulness Exchange, a spinoff of Oxford Mindfulness Centre. And since 2017, I've been teaching people privately and in the workplace about the mind and its management.
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In taking mindfulness to work, I encountered others who were feeling overwhelmed, overloaded and overscheduled, just like I had been. No one had had an opportunity to talk about it, until my drop-in meditation sessions. We formed a community of people taking responsibility for their wellbeing.
Outside of work I began to read and learn everything I could on employee wellbeing, workplace culture and psychological health, especially after my own unexpected encounter with burnout. This culminated in me becoming the wellbeing lead in the place I worked and championed a company-wide Stress Risk Assessment (every organisation should have one - we didn't). I subsequently created a Thriving at Work plan to meet Government Standards and drafted its first mental health and wellbeing policy.
From here, I trained in stress management coaching and created materials to help people proactively work with wellness and protect their mental wealth.
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Driven by the belief that by sharing knowledge people become empowered to take care of themselves, when I had the opportunity to set up my own business, I did.
People say I have a natural ability to
Put people at ease, as I listen without judgement
Quickly grasp another's experience
Distill complex ideas into everyday analogies
Enable people to help themselves live life well
Helping people in the marine sector gives my life meaning
Growing up on the island of Jersey meant that I was never far from the sea. I feel deeply connected to the ocean and the life within it.
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When I decided to pursue a career in marine science, I really wanted to do marine biology and work with whales but, I discovered that my skills and values would take me elsewhere. I have a Masters in Coastal and Marine Resource Management (sustainable development in other words).
A natural people person, I specialised in collaborative working and communication. First with First Nation Canadians, later managing a regional coastal forum and my final role, before moving full-time into employee wellbeing, was managing the communications and marketing activities of a UK marine consultancy.
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Whilst I didn’t become the conservationist I imagined I would be, I have worked in the environment sector for more than two decades and still regularly work with those who are seeking to make a positive difference to the way we use the marine environment.
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In helping those who are making a difference to the way human beings share the planet, I continue to make my contribution to the sustainable development of our oceans.
The following philosophies inform my working practices
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Workplace health and safety is a joint responsibility between employer and employee
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Increasing health and wellbeing literacy empowers people to be and stay well
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There is no one-size-fits-all way to wellbeing; people come in units of one
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Everyone is doing the best they can and deserves unconditional respect
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People are resourceful and know what’s best for them
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There is no shame in asking for, or seeking, help
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All change starts with self-awareness
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There are no negative emotions
My professional background
I completed my Workplace Mindfulness Training Certificate in 2017 and have since added to this with qualifications in coaching and training. I am a member of the International Stress Management Association and the Association for Coaching and abide by their Code of Ethics.
As well as my formal training (below), I take professional development seriously and enjoy the continual process of learning and growing. I stay active in the field of psychological health and safety, employee well-being and mindfulness, keeping up with research and information that might benefit my clients and the work we do together. I review my knowledge and skills through supervision and discussion with peers.
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In the past I have worked in not-for-profits, the public and the private sector. My work experience has given me a strong foundation in understanding the work environments and cultures of my clients and the organisations I work with.
Memberships and Certificates
Memberships
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Association for Coaching (directory entry)
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International Society for Coaching Psychologists
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International Stress Management Association
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Training and certificates
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Certificate in Assertiveness and Communication Skills Training (Centre for Coaching)
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Certificate in Coaching (Centre for Coaching)
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Certificate in Stress Management Coaching (Centre for Coaching)
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HR Fundamentals (CIPD)
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Managing Mental Health and Stress (Coventry University)
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Maintaining a Mindful Life (Monash University)
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Mental Health First Aider (MHFA, England)
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Wellbeing and Resilience at Work (University of Leeds)
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Workplace Mindfulness Trainer (Mindfulness Exchange, CMI)​
Let's work together
If what you have read here feels right, let's have a chat where you can share what you are looking for and we can explore how I can help.