Simi Shallon MBACPCounselling, Coaching & EFT in Richmond & London

‘An expert in facilitating self-directed neuroplasticity.’ Perhaps not the answer you normally hear, but certainly my favourite and one I use whenever I’m asked. Amy Brann actually introduced me to this idea and I like to give credit to ideas I develop or share. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change. People are incredible and have a huge amount of potential. Coaches are skilled at working with individuals to help them bring out the best in themselves and rewire their brains to make it easy for those changes to become the norm.

As a coach, I work with my clients to help them reach their personal or professional development goals. My clients learn how to bridge the gap between where they currently are to where they would like to be. I use a combination of skills and techniques from the disciplines of Psychology and Neuroscience.

"Transformation is a process, and as life happens there are tons of ups and downs. It’s a journey of discovery – there are moments on mountaintops and moments in deep valleys of despair" Rick Warren

Coaching not only helps you accelerate your own personal growth, it also offers you the opportunity to enhance your existing career, assist you to create financial independence and design a career which is in alignment with your authentic self. Coaching is a rewarding, and inspiring process which can change your life.

I will help you to identify, prioritise, plan and manage your journey of transformation.

In the past, and sometimes still in the present, there has been competition between the two disciplines. They have each, at times, looked down on the other. Psychology has accused neuroscience of being too reductionist; neuroscience has said that psychology can be inefficient and messy. The benefit of psychology is that it can highlight phenomena that can prompt further exploration for mechanisms. Neuroscience can look at the more fundamental level and discover functional capacities of neural components. Links can be made here between behaviours and brain structures and function. Currently, while the two disciplines overlap, they are often working at different levels of things: neurons versus personality.

A useful analogy that can be drawn here is that of the Formula One car. Two main parties are involved in driving this car and, hopefully, winning races: one is the driver (the psychologist) – they are in peak physical condition; they know every detail of how their car performs (or are working towards this). If they want to go faster they know what buttons they need to press. When they have tricky bends coming up they know which way they need to turn the wheel and by how much. They have normally driven a track multiple times and can predict what the car will do at any given point. The other main party is the mechanics (the neuroscientists). These guys know what is under the hood of the car. They are focused on the nuts and bolts of the engine. They know that if they adjust some fluid by even just a small amount it will have an effect. They are interested in the most fundamental components of the car. Together the driver and the mechanics make a good team. Together they can each learn from one another and try different things. So let’s open the bonnet and take a look at what’s inside!

Professional Coaching can help you fast track your personal or professional goals by setting out a clear path to success. I work with my clients to help them to identify their aims as well as their blocks to success. We work together to prioritise your actions and work out a plan of simple steps to achieving results. Whether you are looking to get better at what you do or completely change your career, an experienced coach can help you get to where you want to be.

I've been coached and I've trained to be a coach. I combine my knowledge of people, the mind, behaviour patterns, fear, motivation and NLP (Neuroscience) to tailor a program that meets your needs. My understanding and experience of working in a professional setting, helps me to support my clients with their career ambitions. In my previous career in the corporate world of IT, I was accustomed to working with a variety of professionals in demanding and highly pressured environments. I spent many years trying to juggle my own 'work life balance' whilst coaching my own team to develop their skills and achieve their promotional goals. I know how challenging the corporate world can be and how easy it is to become stuck in a job.

I also appreciate how challenging it can be to change your path or transition from one career to another. My own transition from IT to Coaching & Therapy was an interesting challenge for me but it was a fulfilling and rewarding choice and totally worth it to me. Whatever your challenge or ambition, you have the opportunity to be where you want to be. Fortunately, it is never too late and anyone can do it.