Question 1

What happens during a discovery call?

Accepted Answer

A discovery call is simply a conversation. It gives us a chance to meet, talk about what brought you to Story Woven, and explore what kind of support might be helpful. You don’t need to arrive with a perfectly defined goal or know whether coaching or spiritual direction is right for you. We can talk through what you’re looking for and decide together whether working with me feels like a good fit. There’s no pressure to continue. Sometimes the first useful step is simply having a conversation.

Question 2

How is coaching different from therapy?

Accepted Answer

Coaching and therapy can sometimes explore similar parts of life, but they serve different purposes.  Therapy is provided by licensed mental health professionals and may include diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, processing trauma, or addressing significant emotional or psychological distress.  Coaching generally begins with where you are now and helps you explore where you want to go. We might work with transitions, decisions, relationships, boundaries, purpose, identity, work, or that persistent feeling that something in your life needs to change even though you aren't quite sure what yet.  Coaching is not a substitute for mental health treatment. If something comes up that would be better supported by a therapist or another professional, I'll be transparent about that.

Question 3

What training and credentials do you have?

Accepted Answer

My work draws from graduate theological education, coaching training, spiritual formation, and ongoing clinical education. I have completed certification training from INELDA (International End-of-Life Doula Association). I am currently completing the training and experience requirements toward an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential. I am also a seminarian and an MFT student, pursuing graduate education in Marriage and Family Therapy. My clinical training informs how I understand people, relationships, families, and systems, but the services offered through Story Woven are not psychotherapy or mental health treatment, and I am not representing myself as a licensed marriage and family therapist.

Question 4

Are you an ICF-certified coach?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. I am currently completing the education, coaching experience, mentoring, and other requirements necessary to pursue an International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential. While I am actively pursuing my ACC (Associate Certified Coach) certification.  I believe in being transparent about credentials, so I won't describe myself as ICF-certified until that process is complete. My coaching work is informed by the professional standards and competencies I am learning and practicing throughout that process.

Question 5

Do I need to be religious?

Accepted Answer

No.  You may have a deeply rooted religious tradition, be questioning something you've believed for years, be reconstructing faith after leaving a religious community, consider yourself spiritual but not religious, be agnostic or atheist, or simply be curious about meaning and purpose.  You don't need to use my spiritual language—or anyone else's.  If spirituality isn't relevant to what you want to explore, it doesn't need to be part of our work.

Question 6

Are you comfortable working with LGBTQ+, polyamorous, or kink-identifying clients?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  You should not have to spend your time educating the person supporting you about the basic legitimacy of your identity, relationships, family structure, or community.  Story Woven is grounded in radical hospitality. You are welcome to bring your whole story without needing to make it more conventional, more comfortable, or easier for someone else to understand.  That doesn't mean I'll pretend to know everything about every person's experience. It means I'll approach what I don't know with curiosity and respect rather than judgment or assumptions.

Question 7

What if I don't know exactly what I want to work on?

Accepted Answer

Then you're in very good company.  Sometimes people arrive knowing exactly what they want to change. Other times, they simply know something isn't fitting anymore.  You don't need to untangle everything before you show up. In fact, noticing the connections is part of the work.

Question 8

How often do we meet?

Accepted Answer

That depends on what kind of support you're looking for and what works realistically in your life.  Some people benefit from meeting regularly while they're actively navigating a transition or working toward something specific. Others may want more space between conversations for reflection, experimentation, or simply living with what emerged.  We'll decide on a rhythm together rather than assuming one schedule works for everyone.

Question 9

What does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Current rates are listed with each service so you can see the cost before deciding whether you'd like to schedule.  There are no surprise expectations. We'll discuss cost, frequency, and what you're agreeing to before we begin.

Question 10

Do you provide grief or end-of-life support?

Accepted Answer

Yes. I work with people around the meaning and transitions that surround death and dying, including anticipatory grief, caregiving, the death of someone important, changing family roles, spiritual or existential questions, and rebuilding a life that may look very different afterward.  I am a certified end-of-life doula through INELDA (International End-of-Life Doula Association). That background gives me a deeper understanding of the dying process and the practical, emotional, relational, and spiritual experiences that can surround it.  Through Story Woven, however, my focus is grief and end-of-life coaching and supportive accompaniment rather than on-call bedside doula care, hospice, medical care, or mental-health treatment.

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