Interested in working with me?
In addition to my teaching and research responsibilities as an education professor at the University of British Columbia, people can work with me in four other ways:
- Narrative coaching: Helping people or groups rewrite individual and collective stories.
- Writing coaching: Providing guidance to writers and speakers in crafting narratives and planning projects.
- Workshops: Leading workshops for smaller groups in educational, leadership, or business contexts.
- Online courses: Offering asynchronous online course content.
I offer potential clients a free 20 minute info. session. Regular sessions last an hour. Sessions with clients are conducted virtually by Zoom or telephone, largely because I work with many international clients across different time zones.
Please contact me below for a free 20 minute session and further pricing details.
Narrative Coaching
Drawing on learning tools such as emotional intelligence, intuition, and creativity, narrative coaching is a process that allows people to transform their personal stories around career, relationships, or creativity. Using a process called REWRITE (see my book Rewriting Our Stories), a narrative coaching session could achieve any of the the following areas (or more!):
- Explore what you want and need in your career, money, relationships, health, or personal growth.
- Identify how you feel about the current stories and belief systems governing your life.
- Rewrite your story to reflect your needs and wants in the present, while acknowledging the past and future.
- Unravel and then resolve issues blocking your new stories, such as socialized belief systems, your mind, competing stories, or fear and anxiety.
- Establish practical methods to live your new stories.
- Address fear of change and forward movement — that is, what’s getting you stuck in life.
- Cultivate more creativity and gratitude in your life.
Writing Coaching
I also work with clients on personal and professional prose and speech writing. Part of this work looks as the ways people build their stories in written or oral form, whether it is creative, non-fiction, or speaking. The other part, which is usually the most popular service, helps writers build a writing plan for success. With some focused guidance, I can help you through some of the following experiences:
- Do you struggle with procrastination?
- Are you feeling like an imposter when writing?
- Do you have a great idea but don’t know where to take it?
- Do you have a article or book completed but need publishing strategies?
- Are you seeking step-by-step guidance toward developing writing strategies to achieve your goals?
Online Courses
I also provide online courses about rewriting our individual and collective stories as teachers, educators, organizational leaders, and individually. In 2021-22, there will be some courses available. Here’s the first in a series of courses:
- Finding a path from fear to empowerment (7 week online course, including a copy of my book)
- Storytelling and well-being education
Workshops
Sometimes narrative coaching requires a group effort. In these cases, I offer workshops for various educational, leadership, or creativity organizations. Please contact me for specifically tailed approaches to your needs.
Testimonials
Derek is compassionate and holds a safe and loving space for clients. I have been working with Derek on relationship issues for over a year and benefited much from his intuitive guidance and tools. As a result, I’m able to embrace all parts of myself and others on a deeper level. My relationships with my loved ones are now more open and harmonious.
FRANCES TIEN, CERTIFIED INTUITIVE & MIND BODY SPIRIT PRACTITIONER
After our hour together, Derek helped me recognize a few of my stumbling blocks in moving forward. The shift was immediate once I put my plan into action, and it only took removing a few pictures from my office as a start.