YOUTH COACHING INSTITUTE - Key Persons
The words "thank you" are not enough for what I have received through pursuing coaching with YCI. I am at a huge turning point in my life and finding this program was just the right fit for me. I have high expectations for my professional development experiences and this exceeded my expectations! As a school psychologist it was imperative that the program I pursued was rooted in evidence based practices. The design of the course, attentiveness of staff and passion for coaching that was demonstrated throughout the course was exceptional! An added bonus is how much our cohort supported and cared for one another along this journey. If you are ready to pursue coaching, this program is worth the financial, time and energy investment, without a doubt.
I took part in the YCI Certified Youth Resilience Coach program and I can't recommend it enough. I was looking for a path to build on my skills as an educator and further my career in way that aligns with my values. While I was unsure of what exactly to expect as I underwent this 25 week course, I can honestly say it exceeded all of my expectations. I was able to develop a strong understanding of what it takes to be a great coach and learn more about adolescent psychology. The class was very manageable and Dr. Leah's approach was informative, honest, and supportive. I feel like I have grown tremendously in a relatively short amount of time and I am excited to start my journey as a certified youth life coach.
Dr. Leah has handled all business administration, management, research, and development responsibilities since founding YCI in 2013. She is an experienced leader, coaching professional, and psychology expert passionate about integrating evidence-based coaching into mainstream support services as a social change initiative. As a leader in the coach training industry, she's committed to increasing access to rigorous, ethical, high-quality training, mentoring, and supervision for underserved communities. As a professional coach, she offers behavioral science-based coaching to support clients as they identify, tap into, and build their inner resources and resilience to enhance well-being, performance, and quality of life.
Prior to transitioning to this passion work full-time she spent 18 years in the corporate world between the finance and insurance industries. Since entering the professional coaching space in 2012, she's offered life, academic, career, and parent coaching in private practice at LBM Coaching, LLC serving teens and adults of all ages. She's also had the pleasure of dedicating a portion of her coaching slots to organizations leading the charge to increase access to high-quality coaching on a global scale - BetterUp, Lyra Health, and Modern Health.
Her overarching mission across industries has been to promote self-determination, values-based goal pursuit, evidence-based decision-making, and psychologically safe work environments that foster well-being at work. She approaches all of her work as a social responsibility initiative to ensure those she supports walk away with more knowledge of the biopsychosocial contributors to thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that allow them to recognize when and how to choose and act to positively influence outcomes for self, others, and the communities around them.
She discovered the power of coaching through her doctoral studies as she investigated why some high-risk youth overcome the barriers to success while others do not. This research led her to coaching to combat marginalization and trauma with resilience building and empowerment. Her passion for the work is very personal as a thriving adult who overcame trauma, poverty, and juvenile delinquency to create a future she never imagined possible.
Education
PhD in Psychology with Forensic Psychology specialization
Expertise: Criminal desistance and positive reform
Dr. Leah and YCI are incredible! I just completed my certification and could not be happier. Dr. Leah is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about her work. From class one it was a very safe space to learn and grow. I highly recommend YCI and am extremely grateful for the experience!