Case Study

High impact coaching program for an assignee’s spouse struggling with relocation.

Background: This client moved from Vietnam to the Netherlands. She joined her partner on an international assignment with their two children. She spent her days caring for the family and trying to find her way in the new foreign environment. She found herself complaining often by the end of each day. Unpleasant thoughts can lead to emotional overwhelm and the ones she had while she tried to adjust to the culture were: “I’m not from here, I hate this place and its weather. I miss Asia.” This interior dynamic was reflected in her behavior and quickly affected her husband, significantly impacting his ability to perform in an intensely challenging and new position at work. The overall family balance was compromised when we first met.

We engaged in a five-month highly customized coaching program, which included: Observing her way of being regarding the topic, taking multiple perspectives, engaging in daily practices, co-creating coaching practices with me, developing specific “muscles” in order to achieve sustainable change and attain a new way of being, identifying next growth areas and offering ways to build new capacities. In her own words:

10 months on in Amsterdam, I was still struggling to call it home; I couldn’t find employment, I was unhappy, resentful, and on the verge of a depression. I will never forget what Rita told me in our first talk: clearly and compassionately: ‘I can’t help you find a job, but I will help you with the tools to live happily in the circumstances you are in, while continuing to search for a job.’ 

As my coach, Rita was always professional, well-prepared, insightful,[…].  Her feedback on my improvement, or not, was always spot-on, her involvement unobtrusive, […], and professional.  She was gentle in guiding me in finding the sources of my problems, in helping me realize my goals, yet firm in making sure I stayed [within the structure of the program], and mapped and sketched my experience diligently. Going to our session was never a burden, a task, but always an enlightening experience. Rita also had a rare gift in making me open up about myself, about my problems, sources of unhappiness, without ever prodding too much.  Her gentling coaching was effective and yielded big results.

At the end of my five months of sessions with Rita, I was a changed person. Despite not having a full time job, I had found free-lance work, made peace, and eventually came to love living in Amsterdam, bad weather and all.  I am more active; I now have short-term and long-term goals for my life, personally, professionally, and financially. In short, I am happy with the space I am in, the circumstances I live in, and overall, I am content with my life. I would like to think that I am a living proof of Rita’s coaching skills, expertise and dedication to her mission in helping others. 

Rita’s professionalism manifested in every little detail: She was always on time, she kept her appointments meticulously, and she was thoughtful of my background, my individuality, and my mood. She incorporates diverse practices and as a result, her coaching was well rounded. I was truly lucky to have her as my coach.

I highly recommend Rita Brown to anyone who would like to work with a coach. Looking into one’s self to find room to improve, or self-development, takes courage and hard work, but because of Rita, mine was positive, successful, and much more of a pleasant task. 

Vietnamese, spouse and mother living in The Netherlands