FAQ

Orange Door offers coaching in all things work: figuring out what's next when you're ready for a change but haven't defined it yet, building your leadership and performance in the role you're already in, or planning what you'll do to replace your hard-earned work identity in retirement. Every engagement is built around your actual goals, not a generic template.

While all of these disciplines draw on some similar techniques rooted in evidence-based psychology, they serve different purposes. Therapy and counseling are medical in nature and are applied to diagnose and treat mental health conditions, whether minor or severe, which are frequently rooted in past trauma. Coaching is non-medical, non-diagnostic, and focuses primarily on your present and future. Coaching helps you clarify what you want, then supports you to navigate your own path to results. If you are coping with mental health challenges such as ongoing or recurring anxiety or depression, you should first seek medical advice or a mental/behavioral health provider.

Bad boss? Game-playing coworkers? A culture that doesn't respect boundaries? You don't have to be job hunting to want coaching. A lot of my work is with people who aren't leaving. They're figuring out how to cope better, manage upward, or lead their team with more confidence. That's exactly what leadership and performance coaching is built for.

Uncertainty is very common! Figuring that out is a typical part of the coaching process. Sometimes clients begin coaching wanting to work on one goal, and then realize quickly they want to pursue something better or different than what they originally intended.

Compared to one's primary career, people approaching or already in retirement typically have different priorities around work. Redefining “career” later in life often starts with examining your values and purpose through a new lens. The coaching process itself is similar, but the focus and goals of retirement transition coaching are usually different.

I'm a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and hold the ICF Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC), both through the International Coaching Federation. I'm also a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and hold certifications in a broad range of assessments, including MBTI Master Practitioner. All of this is backed by 25+ years of experience in the corporate talent management and development space. 

Read more about my background

ICF credentials are the gold standard in the coaching profession. They mean a coach has completed accredited, evidence-based training in foundational coaching skills and practices; had their coaching validated by independent evaluators reviewing real client work; logged extensive, verifiable coaching experience with paying clients; passed a grueling three-hour exam assessing mastery of coaching competencies; and is bound to the highest ethical standards. Unfortunately, there are countless frauds in this profession, and many claim they are “ICF” with no basis. 

You can verify any coach's ICF credential status yourself through ICF's coach search. Membership and credentials are not the same thing. 

Yes. Our coaching relationship, and everything you share with me as part of it, is bound by the confidentiality principles in the ICF Code of Ethics. I won't disclose anything you tell me, or use your name as a reference, without your written consent.

One honest caveat: unlike a doctor or a lawyer, coaching isn't a legally privileged relationship, so our conversations aren't protected the same way medical or legal communications are. I'm also required or permitted to break confidentiality in a few narrow situations, like a legal subpoena, imminent risk of harm, or abuse of a child or elder. Outside of those, what you share stays between us.

Yes, in limited ways. I use Microsoft 365 Copilot, through a business-tier account with enterprise data protection, meaning nothing I enter is used to train Microsoft's AI models or leaves my own Microsoft 365 environment. I use it for things like session prep, ideation, or building a custom interview guide. I redact any identifying details before submitting anything related to you or your work with me. I invite your consent to this during the intake process, but you may decline or change your mind at any time.

Yes. I am a Houston-based coach serving clients anywhere, but happy to meet in person at a mutually agreed upon location in the Houston Heights area.

It depends. For example, someone who's already narrowed things down to a few career transition options may need less support making a final decision than someone who's completely unsure where to begin. It also depends on how much work you put into the process between sessions. I can generally give you a better sense after our first introductory session. If you already know you want ongoing support, multi-session packages are available at a better rate, but nobody needs to start there. We figure out what actually makes sense for you first.

My introductory session is $77. It's real coaching, not just a sales conversation, and I'm committed to helping you leave with something useful even if either of us decides we're not a fit.

At the conclusion of your introductory session, if you're interested in exploring how we might work together, we'll have a conversation about your goals, what will work best for you, and I'll provide you with flexible options.

Absolutely! Many employers offer professional development stipends, and I can help with the coordination. Also know that my confidentiality obligation remains entirely to you, my client, regardless of who's paying for your services. Reach out if you have other questions about this.

Paperbell is the software behind booking, payment, and rescheduling. It's UK-based and GDPR-compliant, with payments processed securely through Stripe.

You'll also be presented with a contract to review and e-sign when you purchase, so we're both clear on what to expect from each other.