Anne-Marie Brest

“Anne-Marie is the best of so many things. Her optimism and warmth infused each of our conversations with a sense of progress and possibility. Her thorough research and generosity generated actionable tools that my husband and I could put to use immediately-allowing us to reduce our carbon footprint. After each of our coaching sessions, fear for my children…for all children…. actually for each of us…. transformed into resolve. That resolve, then, turned to tangible action steps that have had led to a measurable reduction in our household’s carbon emissions.”

“As a result of working with Anne-Marie, I have more faith in myself, and I’m more willing to try and fail. In terms of work, I am overworking less than I used to, which has helped me avoid burnout. I appreciate the benefits of my job more than I did before, and I don’t get as hung up on the challenging parts. I have a vision to work towards for my life passion, and I have a roadmap and tools to help me get there. I still need to put in the work, but I don’t feel as defeated when I’m not making concrete progress, since I know those things will always be there for me. The Designing Your Life approach has also helped me internalize the idea that we live many lives, so just because I’m not doing something now, it doesn’t mean I’ll never do it.
I found Anne-Marie to be attentive, caring, calming, perceptive, and flexible. She is very experienced and talented in what she does, so I urge others to trust the process and be open to what they may learn about themselves. ”

“I engaged Anne-Marie for a Designing Your Life coaching program. At the time, I was at a crossroads after leaving the workplace for a few years and wanted to explore options for what could be next.
Anne-Marie created a safe environment for me: she listens well, probes with clarifying questions, and demonstrates genuine care. She also provided resources and practices that resonated well with me and that I continue to engage with. I would recommend her to anyone in transition or looking for a change as she will help you look at your accomplishments from a different framework than is typical.”

“I did the medicine walk under Anne-Marie’s guidance October 2021. Contemplative walking and walking meditation have been great for me in the past so I was really glad to find this opportunity to deepen walking practice. Anne-Marie offered grounded and insightful guidance through the medicine walk experience (note: she doesn’t walk with you but prepares you and helps with the learning after.) I felt in safe hands throughout and really appreciated how she held the question(s), the space and offered the right enquiry at the right time. Though it’s a short ‘engagement’, and a simple practice, Anne-Marie’s deep experience and listening made it a very rich experience for me.”

“Anne-Marie’s coaching style is unique, spiritual and contemplative. Her sessions are different from any coaching I had done before: not the typical tools, life wheels and exercises that I have been asked to do a thousand times.
That was refreshing and allowed me to see myself as “good enough”, and to stop searching for my “next” self. I would recommend her to anyone, but especially to people who are sick of the standard boiler plate coaching
and who are looking for a fresh customized approach.”

“Anne-Marie is a supportive, affirming and productive life coach. I would recommend her to anyone in need of support around making career decisions and trying to figure out their way forward. She is willing to meet her clients wherever they are and support their developmental path.”

“I am grateful to Anne-Marie for the attentive and caring listening she proposes. Talking with her in individual sessions has been liberating. Anne-Marie has in her toolbox a lot of interesting practices to offer to help one go forward with a structured approach. The resources she shared were also really useful. ”

“I engaged in Anne-Marie’s Climate Engagement coaching program titled The Future We Choose- Turning Climate Anxiety into Action- in a moment in my life where I was feeling a lot of difficult emotions vis a vis climate change. It was really helpful for me as someone not involved in climate activism to get my heavy emotions of despair out of the way before starting down that path. Not that those feelings aren’t valid, but I think they can be a drain on group work and progress.
It was kind of a coincidence that the ALL YOU CAN SAVE Circle that Anne-Marie led, started about half way through our coaching program, but joining it was really transformative for me.
I really liked the balance of private sessions and public discussions. I would recommend Anne-Marie as a kind, considerate and thoughtful coach.”

“Anne-Marie’s diverse cultural perspectives and her knowledge of different learning approaches contributed to a productive partnership when I set out to make life-changing decisions. She guided me to build a strong and balanced foundation from which to reconsider old dreams, imagine new directions, and to launch forward with confidence. She customized her approach to my learning style, and she broadened my process of growth and exploration beyond a laser focus on any particular goal. Now, with the society-changing disruption and anxiety caused by Covid-19, I am grateful for the foundation Anne-Marie guided me to build, because it also serves as a bulwark of protection that supports reflection and preparation for possibly a different direction within a new global frame of reference.”

“A close friend referred me to Anne-Marie after my employer furloughed me due to COVID-19.
I felt uncertainty and anxiety about how to handle paused employment and what to do next.
Anne-Marie provided invaluable resources and exercises to help my personal well being and job search. She listened in a way I rarely experience to develop a catered program with well-formulated goals that strongly resonated - in my case better decision making and behavioral awareness through reflection and a framework for improvement.
Thanks to her I am better equipped to handle the uncharted territory and choices going forward.
I recommend her customized coaching to anyone facing an unknown path ahead in life and career.”

“I walked the Kumano Kodo in the Fall of 2019. Anne-Marie, our leader put this ten day holy trip together. Due to a sad and unforeseen circumstance, I wasn’t prepared. We were six women including Anne-Marie and the guide. Apart from Anne-Marie and the guide, the three other women were younger, faster and therefore a bit threatening; I always brought up the rear. Anne-Marie’s gentle encouragement helped me overcome this feeling. I understood this wasn’t a marathon. This was different than simply a romp in the woods. Anne-Marie’s daily morning talks brought a special perspective to the day. Using all my senses. I paid attention to sounds, looked at nature with a microscopic eye and started feeling the thousand year old roots under my feet. Anne-Marie is a Class A organizer. Our reservations including bus, trains, taxis and hotels were anxiety free. As a vegetarian Anne-Marie also planned special meals for me. By my journey’s end I’d come to understand a good deal about sharing, listening, learning. Anne-Marie is a special leader. She has the capacity to listen, guide and encourage. Would I walk another time with her? I’d signed up for Spring 2020 to walk the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Route with Anne-Marie; unfortunately due to Covid-19 we had to cancel.”

“Anne-Marie’ s program has allowed me to take a major decision in my life related to my professional career and my personal life that was very difficult to take. Though exercices on my decisions process, imagining the possible options I had, and analyzing my emotions, Anne-Marie guided me with great professionalism. I am very thankful for her program. My life is going to be much better now, thanks to Anne-Marie’s program, and I am very excited.”

“I had the pleasure to have Anne-Marie as my coach for the past 6 months and she was a wonderful and truly helpful coach. Anne-Marie is a great listener who hears you fully and always asks the right questions to get to the heart of the problem. She is genuine and warm hearted and always communicate in a positive and effective way.
Through my journey with Anne-Marie, she taught me a lot of techniques and strategies that helps me to approach daily challenges in a more positive approach. I now have more strength and emotional intelligence than before we met.”

““Anne-Marie definitely has a gift.  She was able to articulate my scattered thoughts into a coherent and actionable issue and provide a completely doable plan of action for success.  I felt understood and energized to address my situation and comforted to have a road map.””

“I had been exploring options for my ‘next chapter’ of life - reading, journaling/visual storytelling and attending lectures, etc (the usual forays that a curious mind might take to identify ways to apply my experience and skills in new ventures. But I wasn’t focused...that is, until Anne-Marie helped me get to know parts of myself I was either overlooking or, flat-out, couldn’t recognize because they were buried in my unconscious or known but long forgotten due to a decades long hectic career in tech with a crazy travel schedule. I found that Anne-Marie’s insightful questioning and thoughtful suggestions for reading/listening or personal reflection exercises encouraged and guided me to take positive actions and/or make meaningful decisions in areas of my life where I had been stalled or struggling. She definitely helped me prioritize and develop focus. Of course, I’m still on my journey...and, I’m very appreciative of Anne-Marie’s creative gifts as a life coach for the progress I feel I’ve made in recent months. I can recommend her without hesitation. Feel free to message me with any questions if you are considering her services.”