For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love - Carl Sagan
I'd like to start with a few words from my clients: .
“With the breadth of her experience and the immediacy of her caring, Shoray is, quite simply, the finest counselor/coach I have ever encountered. We meet on line, her presence as palpable as if we were in the same room. With her evocative questions, her keen listening, and her well focused, encouraging observations, she is with you, whatever the circumstances of your day or quest may be” – S.D.
"Shoray came highly recommended by my divorce attorney at the beginning of Covid. While she offered to do a video conference, I prefer to keep it as a telephone conference so that I could just talk on the phone, walk around my neighborhood, and let my feelings out. We have worked together ever since 2020 and the virtual sessions have been a lifesaver for me. We are all so busy with work and family demands. To be able to fit it in on my time schedule … even just getting out and breathing fresh air while we talk is therapeutic. Her insight and emotional intelligence have helped me grow as a person, and I am forever indebted to her." - HG4
“I think everyone in life deserves to have a coach like Dr. Kirk. She has enabled me to examine and learn from my past which, in turn, has allowed me to grow and help change a number of things in my life that have made a huge difference” - Dan
"During a dark period in my life I met Dr. Kirk following a suggestion by my primary care physician. It took some time .. and ever so slowly with stops and starts the sun began to break through the clouds. Dr. Kirk's intellectual, smiling manner of listening, suggesting and analyzing brought me to today: happier, calmer, a better spouse, a contented artist … I will forever be grateful to Dr. Kirk." - Eugene W. Thompson, EdD
A COACHING SERVICE FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE:
A little bit about me:
I received a Master of Science in counseling from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Ph.D. in social psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. My emphasis has been on interpersonal relationships, including family systems, workplace dynamics and cultural differences. I have accumulated over 30 years of knowledge and expertise in counseling, coaching, and consulting. My personal history has afforded me a broad, international perspective that has proven helpful in working with clients from a wide range of backgrounds and viewpoints all across the country and the world. My approach is interactive, collaborative and solution-oriented.
My practice includes:
Individual/Personal growth and development
Relationships
Families
Adjustment to life Transitions/crises
My philosophy:
In my view, a clear understanding of one's strengths and deficits helps us transform habitual self-defeating patterns of thought and behavior into healthful ones. A good coach can become part of a team to help identify pathways out of such repetitive negative patterns (often invisible to us, like the air we breathe) updating or replacing them with better-fitting ones. Helping clients tap into their own inner compass and hidden or neglected gifts is one of the many privileges of my profession. I deeply value walking alongside clients through seemingly impossible impasses (i.e. personal transitions; relationship problems; … unhealthy family dynamics to name a few) striving for a more meaningful life, and toward a place of peaceful fulfillment, both internally and externally.
As far back as Plato all the way to contemporary writers like Walt Whitman and now modern psychology, there seems to be an irrefutable understanding that we humans contain many parts (NOT multiple personalities). The challenge has to do with which parts of us we cultivate and bring forth, which parts we accept or soothe, which parts we tame, which parts we nourish, … This requires the courage to live our lives intentionally, digging deep and bringing forward the best versions of ourselves. One single day at a time. We can do this safely, with dignity and respect, without shame or criticism, if we choose our path wisely, one informed action at a time, one act of kindness at a time, one conscious step at a time — one fully lived and savored day at a time.
This is a pathway for you, if you are interested in overcoming life's challenges, and are inspired to thrive rather than merely survive.
I am eager to join you in this process if that’s what you’re seeking.Data is supporting that virtual sessions can be just as effective as in person. Clients with busy lifestyles seem to benefit from this proactive problem-solving model which allows for better flexibility - e.g. phone or video calls. For more information, questions or to schedule an appointment, please contact me by emailing me at:
Tel: 864-293-9994