Resilience coaching in Berkshire, London and online
I'm Tessa, a resilience coach. I help adults, teenagers and families through the moments that knock us off balance, whether that's a big life change, a stressful season or simply feeling stuck, and I give you practical tools you can keep using long after we finish.
You can't calm the storm. But you can calm yourself. And that changes everything.
Life will always bring things we can't change. Coaching helps you put your energy where it actually makes a difference, so you feel more in charge of your days, even when the world around you is busy or uncertain.
Free resilience tools
These are tools I use with my clients every week. Take a few quiet minutes with one of them and see what you notice. They're completely free and private.
Score eight areas of your life, see your wheel take shape, and find where a little attention would make the biggest difference.
Start your wheel →Discover what really matters to you, narrow it down to your top five, and use them as a compass for big decisions.
Find your values →A simple breathing pattern that tells your body it's safe to settle. Follow the circle as it grows and shrinks.
Breathe with me →How I work
My coaching is warm, practical and forward-focused. Rather than going round in circles about the past, we work out what's happening for you now and build the skills that help you handle it. The aim is for you to need me less, not more.
I use simple ideas like the guard dog in your brain, the part that barks at every threat, real or not. Once you understand why you react the way you do, those surges of stress or worry start to feel much less frightening.
From calming breathwork to NLP techniques like anchoring, you'll leave each session with something you can use straight away, at home, at work, or in the moments that really matter.
Big goals become small, doable actions. I'll be there to keep you on track and to celebrate the progress you might not notice yourself.
Try a tool now
Breathe in for a count of four and out for a count of six. Making the out-breath longer than the in-breath tells your body it's safe to settle. It's one of the first tools I share with clients, and you can try it right here.
Where I help most
I work with all sorts of people, but these are the areas closest to my heart, where my experience makes the biggest difference.
Finishing treatment can feel surprisingly hard. Everyone expects you to bounce back, but you may feel tired, anxious or not quite yourself. For over five years I’ve supported people through this stage with Breast Cancer Now’s Moving Forward programme.
Some changes we choose and some we don’t, but they can all shake our sense of who we are. I help you steady yourself, get clear on what matters now and take the next step with confidence.
For adults, teens and families living with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other ways of thinking differently, whether you have a diagnosis, you’re waiting, or you’re just wondering. Together we work out what helps your brain work at its best.
Ways to work with me
Whether it's just you, your teenager, your team or your students, everything I do comes back to the same thing: helping people feel more resilient and more in control.
Personal coaching for adults who want to feel steadier and more in charge of what comes next.
A calm, friendly space for young people to make sense of pressure and build confidence in themselves.
Practical coaching for parents who want to support a child or teenager who is struggling, and look after themselves along the way.
Resilience and wellbeing support for teams, including my Landmark programme for adults.
I'm part of the team at BRIYM (Building Resilience in Young Minds), delivering resilience programmes in schools that give young people a real understanding of their minds and practical ways to cope with pressure.
For over five years I've delivered Moving Forward in partnership with Breast Cancer Now, helping people find their feet again after treatment.
What people often bring to coaching
Kind words
Here’s what some of my coaching clients say about working together. You’ll also find words from families I supported through big moves earlier in my career, because the way I work has always been the same: I listen carefully, I keep things positive when it gets tough, and I stay with you until you get where you want to be.
Tess has such a warm, reassuring way about her. I could be completely myself without feeling judged. She helped me make sense of what was going on and work out how to move forward. I left our sessions feeling clearer and more confident.
When I first came to Tess, everything felt overwhelming. She really listened and helped me break things down into manageable steps. Her kindness, humour and encouragement made such a difference. I began to trust myself again.
Tess made it easy to talk about things I had struggled to explain before. She helped me understand myself better and find ways of handling situations that worked for me. I always felt heard, supported and able to go at my own pace.
Tess… supporting me throughout… totally brilliant service in every way, I would thoroughly recommend her to anyone.
Tess managed to show us good and relevant rentals all within the brief and she did it with aplomb.
Professional, friendly and efficient.
From Day One when we met Tess, her enthusiasm and willingness was so great, it filled us with so much confidence… Magic lady.
She listened to our brief carefully… Tessa does all of this with a cheerfulness and kindness that goes beyond the brief.
Tess was excellent at sharpening our home ideas and sharpening our ‘daily life’ wish list. Tess’s energy and professional acumen enabled us to tackle our property search with confidence.
Tessa was an absolute delight to work with from start to finish. She couldn’t have been more helpful and efficient… She also went way above and beyond in terms of helping with extra services.
Throughout her professionalism was always at the forefront and her sense of humor came in very handy when we hit the odd bump in the road… She is one of a kind and very good at her job.
I found her extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic… She quickly understands what your requirements are.
I’d be so grateful if you’d share a few words about your experience. Reviews help other people feel confident about reaching out, and they mean a lot to me.
About me
I've spent years helping people of all ages build resilience, from students in classrooms to teams at work and people rebuilding their lives after breast cancer.
I believe everyone already has more strength than they realise. My job is to help you find it, understand it and use it on purpose. I keep things warm, down to earth and practical, and I'll often reach for a metaphor or a simple picture to make sense of what's going on in your head.
I'm based in Berkshire and London, and I offer sessions face to face or online, whichever suits you best.
This work is very close to my heart. Supporting people as they move on from treatment has taught me so much about courage, and about how much difference the right tools can make.
Qualifications
Getting started
We have a short, relaxed conversation about what's going on for you and what you'd like to change. No pressure and no commitment.
If it feels right, we book your first coaching hour and I send over a short coaching agreement so you have everything in writing.
We usually start with weekly sessions, then space them out as you grow in confidence with your new tools.
Coaching and therapy. Coaching is practical and forward-looking, and it isn't a replacement for medical or therapeutic care. If something you're facing would be better supported elsewhere, I'll always say so and help you find the right place, and coaching can often sit alongside that support.
Questions
Reaching out to a coach for the first time can feel like a big step. Here are some answers to the questions I’m asked most. If yours isn’t here, just get in touch.
Therapy often looks back, helping you heal from past experiences or treat a mental health condition. Coaching looks forward. We focus on where you are now, what you want to change, and the practical skills that will help you get there.
Coaching isn’t a replacement for medical or psychological care. If I ever feel you’d be better supported elsewhere, I’ll say so kindly and help you find the right place. Coaching can often sit alongside that support too.
It’s a relaxed conversation, on the phone or online, with no pressure and no commitment. You tell me a little about what’s going on, I explain how I work, and we see whether we’re a good fit. If we are, we book your first session. If not, I’ll happily point you somewhere that might suit you better.
Everyone is different. I usually suggest weekly sessions for the first four weeks to build momentum, then we space them out as you grow in confidence with your new tools. We review how things are going together, and you’re never locked in.
Think of me as a personal trainer for your resilience. The aim is for you to need me less, not more.
One to one coaching for adults is £85 per 50-minute coaching hour. For teen coaching, family support, workplace programmes and schools, get in touch and I’ll tailor something to you.
Yes. Lots of my clients find online sessions just as effective, and often easier to fit around work and family. Some people like to start face to face and then move online, and others mix the two. Whatever feels most comfortable for you is the right choice.
I’m based in Berkshire and London, and I see clients face to face in both. I also work online with people wherever they live.
Yes. What you share in our sessions stays between us. The only exception would be if I were seriously worried about your safety or someone else’s, and I explain this clearly in a simple coaching agreement before we begin.
It can be a real help. Life after treatment brings its own challenges, from tiredness and worry to working out who you are now. Coaching gives you space and practical tools to rebuild at your own pace, alongside the care you get from your medical team.
Not at all. Whether you have a diagnosis, are on a waiting list, or simply recognise yourself in some of the traits, coaching focuses on what helps you day to day. I don’t diagnose, but I can help you understand how you work best.
Of course. I always talk with parents first so everyone knows how coaching works and feels comfortable. Just mention it when you get in touch and we’ll start with a chat.
Send me a short message about what's brought you here and we'll arrange a free, relaxed chat. If you're getting in touch about your teenager, just say so and we can have a chat first. I'll get back to you personally, usually within a day or two.