I’m Stephanie
I believe human beings make sense.
Sometimes our circumstances don’t.
But whatever got us here usually does.
How it happens
I work with people from all walks of life: executives, artists, entrepreneurs, aging caregivers, midlife career transitioners, recovering perfectionists.
What we all have in common is that our lives are shaped by our experiences and the choices we make along the way.
You got the promotion you’ve been working for, so you skip watering the begonias so you can get in early and get a jump on your new responsibilities.
That new client agreed to meet with you, so you have to reschedule girls’ karaoke night.
The kids have soccer practice so no time in the pottery studio for you today.
Your mom’s dementia is advancing, so you stay to make sure she eats dinner. By the time you get home, you’re too exhausted to feed yourself.
None of these choices is wrong.
Most of them are loving. Responsible. Necessary.
They’re all reasonable.
Our lives are shaped by hundreds of reasonable choices.
Sometimes it’s worth noticing how your choices are shaping yours.
Where we begin
You don’t have to know where to start or even feel like anything is wrong.
Sometimes people come with curiosity. Sometimes they bring something specific: a career change, loss, a big move, a new baby, marriage, or divorce.
Whatever brings you here is welcome. There’s no judgment here. Only curiosity.
We begin by understanding where you are, what matters most to you, and how you want to meet what’s in front of you.
My role isn’t to tell you what to do. It’s to help you see clearly enough to make choices you trust.
I don’t rush past the emotions or conversations that are hard to have. They’re often where the most important work begins.
I ask questions. I notice. I reflect. I connect the dots. Until a clearer picture starts to emerge. Then we begin experimenting with practical ways to bring that picture to life. In session and in your real life, you practice change until it feels natural to do it on your own.
How I work
Most of my 25+ year career was spent in human-centered design, helping organizations imagine and create things that didn’t exist yet.
Today, I do the same work with people.
Across psychology, design, leadership, and coaching, one thing has stayed the same: I’m drawn to complexity. Not because I like it. Quite the opposite. But I know what to do with it.
I listen carefully. I connect dots. I separate what’s essential from what’s distracting. I help people make sense of what they’re experiencing so they can move forward with intention.
What clients experience
“Working with Stephanie gave me clarity and real momentum. She is deeply supportive and willing to challenge when it matters. I saw longstanding patterns in new ways and moved forward with greater alignment and confidence in my decisions.”
Elizabeth, Vice President
“Working with Stephanie helped me reconnect with a deeper sense of purpose while reshaping the way I relate to my work and myself. Her coaching helped me recognize patterns that were limiting my perspective, return to my work with greater creativity, and trust my own judgment again.
She brings a rare level of insight, discernment, and presence. She creates a space that is both deeply thoughtful and genuinely transformative.”
Diana, Film Producer
Client reflections
“I felt so understood, and safe enough to be honest.”
“I didn’t realize the caregiving, piano, job pressure, and friendship challenges were all connected. I’d abandoned myself in so many ways, but I couldn’t see the pattern.”
“You named something I couldn’t see.”
“I feel more like myself.”
“You helped me bring something back into my life that I’d really missed.”
“I trust myself to handle what’s next.”
A bit more about me
I didn’t wake up one day and decide to become a coach. I’ve been headed this way for a long time.
I’ve always been curious about people. I studied psychology and sociology, then spent 25+ years in human-centered design, creating products and leading teams with people at the center of every decision.
My own life has included many of the things my clients bring to this work: career transitions, caregiving, grief, burnout, reconnecting with my creativity, and a handful of reinventions. Sometimes I burned the house down. Sometimes it got burned down around me.
I’m also a musician and artist. For years I felt caught between analytical and creative worlds. It wasn’t until I realized they weren’t opposites, but complementary ways of understanding people, that everything clicked.
Looking back, the throughline seems obvious. Psychology, design, creativity, leadership, and lived experience were never separate paths. They’ve always been preparing me for this work.
Credentials & Experience:
Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)
25+ years in UX strategy and leadership at companies including Apple, Dell, Paramount Pictures, and frog
BA in Clinical and Counseling Psychology
Minor in Sociology
Based in Austin, TX working with clients across the U.S. and internationally.
Curious?
No pressure. Just curiosity.
Practical details
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No. In fact, that’s part of what we’ll figure out together.
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Most of my clients are accomplished people who have built successful lives or careers but have reached a point where they’re asking bigger questions. They include executives, founders, creatives, people navigating grief or transition, and those intentionally redesigning what’s next.
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No. Coaching and therapy serve different purposes.
Therapy often focuses on healing emotional wounds, treating mental health conditions, or understanding how the past continues to affect the present.
Coaching is future-oriented. Together, we’ll explore where you are now, what’s no longer fitting, and how to move toward a life that feels more intentional and aligned with who you are.
That said, we don’t ignore the past. If past experiences are influencing the choices you’re making today, we’ll acknowledge them with curiosity and compassion. My role isn’t to diagnose or treat mental health concerns, but to help you build awareness, discernment, and meaningful change.
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We begin with a two-hour Foundation Session to clarify your goals, establish direction, and build our coaching relationship. From there, we typically meet for one hour every other week, with room to adjust if needed.
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I primarily coach over Zoom, which allows me to work with clients across the U.S. and internationally. If you’re local to Austin and interested in meeting in person, let me know. When it makes sense and schedules allow, that’s something we can explore.
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If, after we begin, you decide coaching isn’t the right fit, you can end the engagement at any time.
Coaching sessions that have already taken place are non-refundable. Any remaining balance will be refunded according to the terms outlined in the coaching agreement, including work completed outside of our coaching sessions, onboarding, preparation, and reserved coaching capacity.
My hope, though, is that we never get to that point without talking first. If something isn’t feeling right, I’d much rather get curious about it together than have you wonder about it on your own.