Find a Coach Checklist

Certification / Qualifications?
While credentials aren't necessarily a substitute for good chemistry, innate ability, love of the craft, or enriching life experience, certified coaches have invested in the learning, growth and development of themselves and the profession. Coaching is not a regulated profession, meaning anyone can set up a business as a coach. Know what you're investing in and ask if they' re trained and qualified. 
Areas of Knowledge and Experience?
Are you looking for relationship, career, personal development, spiritual, art, sports coaching? Find out if your coach can move in your areas of interest with you and take the time to choose. Have confidence in your investment.
Matching / Complementary Chemistry?
Honest and authentic communication, energy, kindness and uncensored vulnerability are keys to powerful and empowering coaching. Beyond qualifications and knowledge, find someone who you can risk your own comfort zones with, someone you know will not be afraid to call you out. Someone you can stay open and honest with when all your buttons are being pushed.
Session Structure and Format? Most coaches offer face-to-face coaching, phone or Skype sessions. All three have pros and cons. Try different formats to know which is the one for you. Phone and Skype coaching can be powerful and convenient. Stay open to being surprised!

What Clients are Saying ...

I really enjoyed the whole process from beginning to end. Even my homework felt worthwhile. It's a relaxing experience that enabled me to recognize and verbalize feelings and thoughts. The technique allowed me to deal honestly with issues and I find that I now reference what I learned daily, often subconsciously.
Rohan Knuckey, Bioware, (780) 634-0107

Lisa is an excellent listener. She has the capacity to guide you to your own answers.  She has the beautiful gift of challenging you in a supportive and safe way. She gets you out of your comfort zone. I loved her clarity and sharpness. Lovely heart. 
Friederike Aust, www.refreshorganic.com

Coaching always brings me to a point when I'm searching for a way to move forward in my business and personal life. You are in for a real treat. Lisa's ability to move with focus and care brings a new level of understanding and ability to move forward.
Catherine Rose, CranioSacral Therapist,
www.forahealthyyou.ca, (780) 481 6118

Lisa's skillful intuition always asked the right question to help me see what was most important in my experience. I am good at fooling myself but I could not fool her.  I have achieved all of the goals I originally set out to accomplish when I first started working with Lisa and I continue to make leaps and bounds in my life with the self knowledge, internal motivation and  resources I gained awareness of and access to with her support. 
Robin Klasson

Lisa James, Certified Professional Co-Active Coach and Human Resources Manager

  • Trained and qualified as a Certified Co-Active Coach through the Coaches Training Institute (CTI*).
  • Established Leapfrog Coaching in 2006.
  • Human Resources Manager since 2009.
  • A Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama.
  • 17 years training and experience in improvisational theatre, dance, drama therapy, and as an actress.
  • Graphic artist.
  • 5 years working with young offenders in care and teenagers with challenging behaviours.
  • Expatriate childhood in Southeast Asia (mainly Indonesia), and England.
  • Strongest language: English. Other languages: German, Indonesian, French, Russian.
  • Wife, daughter, sister, lover of the beyond.
* Considered the Harvard of coaching schools.
Coaching was nothing like I thought it would be. It was life changing.
It was like getting a bodywork session. It opened up my mind to coaching as a vital part of a better, healthier life.
Gian Gibson, Certified Rolfer, giangibson@gmail.com, 780 433 6390

I had a fundamental shift after seeing you. Some real magical things happen around you. The work that you do changes people. It's lovely.
Roger Walco

I truly appreciated your support during my Dad's death. It was a precious gift to work with you during that time. You are the real deal, so genuine, so authentic. You have incredible intuition and a deep sense of caring for yourself and others.
Nadine Nicholson, CPCC, www.nadinenicholson.com

I saw more clearly the deeper root cause of my issue. This ignited a process of change and conscious self-responsibility that was especially powerful the first few days after the session. I came away with little steps I could take to move me toward my goal.
Basia Urbanski

Everything even the tough stuff comes from a place of love and non-judgement with Lisa.  It is as easy as it can be to show up vulnerable and honest and that is where the biggest changes come from.  She is honest, warm, loving, and will hold you accountable to your own growth.
Kathryn Gompf, Engineer/Life Coach, kathryngompf@gmail.com

Each session was different from the next. She works in a very spontaneous and fresh way keeping each session new. You are gifted and it is clear that you love what you do.
Donald Bruce, Rolfer and Body Mind Therapist, dbrolfing@gmail.com, www.somaticworks.som, (780) 432 1607