Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jody Ransom.
Dr. Jody, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I believe that every person deserves to feel the internal freedom of self-acceptance and to feel at home in their own body. The Embodying Compassion approach is derived from my 30 years work as a psychologist, during which I had the privilege of journeying with people who were trying to free themselves of the constraints of eating disordered thinking and behaviors. I know that many people who would never show up in a therapist’s office suffer with self-judging and perfectionistic thoughts that can be crippling and that can interfere with a life of freedom and joy.
This led me to get more training in transformative coaching so that I could add coaching services to my practice in order to reach a broader range of people. I also distilled the essence of what I have learned over all these years into a course that can be taught over multiple sessions or in a workshop format. Embodying Compassion is a course that focuses on teaching skills of self and body acceptance and self-compassion. One does not need to have an eating disorder or even body image issues to benefit from it, although it does address both of these issues. One only needs to be human to benefit from what the course teaches, for we all have brains that work in similar ways, and we all live in a culture that is flooded with dominant messages that are not always optimal for our emotional wellbeing.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest personal obstacle for me has been in shifting out of working one on one with people in my office into coaching, teaching, and speaking in larger arenas. An important aspect of my Narrative Coaching approach has to do with moving away from and gently challenging the constraining personal narratives that can hold us back, and supporting the emergence of new ways of seeing ourselves that allow us to move in the preferred directions that we would like to go in our lives which honor our values and commitments. Some of my own internal narratives that were informed by my family of origin and the culture have to do with being humble, leading quietly from behind the scenes, being a collaborator, and empowering others.
Putting myself out there as a speaker, author, teacher, and leader of workshops challenges these deeply held messages about staying out of the spotlight. I have had to do some internal work to become aware that despite my conditioning, letting as many people as possible have access to the information offered in the Embodying Compassion course is also in alignment with my value of empowering others. So as I am forced to challenge my own fears about bringing my ideas to a larger audience, I am making use of the skills that I teach in the course and in my private coaching. I have an increased understanding of what it feels like to go outside my comfort zone, and to offer a compassionate stance toward myself, and I have experienced a similar challenge to that which my coaching clients and group participants experience. I hope that this gives me more credibility and authenticity in my leadership.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Embodying Compassion and Narrative Coaching – what should we know?
I specialize in coaching individuals related to body and self-acceptance. I also offer life coaching and leadership coaching from a narrative perspective, which has to do with clarifying our values and commitments as we evolve into creating new narratives which honor what we stand for in our lives. Often people need to overcome some obstacles and to learn to see themselves in new ways as they continue to evolve and transform and move into new roles throughout their lives.
Narrative Coaching is concerned with these questions of discerning what is most important to us, of clarifying our values, and of becoming clear on what kind of a legacy we would like to leave for future generations, whether in our personal lives or in our organizations. The Embodying Compassion approach teaches us to take a more understanding perspective related to ourselves. This compassionate perspective, in conjunction with the discernment of our values offered by the Narrative Coaching approach, can free us to become more deeply rooted in taking action steps that are in alignment with what we are truly committed to in our lives.
What I am most proud of is that the feedback that I get from people who participate in my sessions, courses, and workshops. Many experience the course as transformative. The emotionally safe space that is co-created among the participants is what allows for this transformation to happen and for me, being able to facilitate the co-creation of such a space is always magical, and a great privilege. When a safe enough space is created, people begin to share from vulnerability, which allows the participants’ hearts to open with compassion toward themselves and each other, which is ultimately healing.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
As I discussed earlier, I feel that the most important quality for me has been the capacity to continue to grow and evolve, and to take advantage of opportunities that may seem scary or uncomfortable at first. In terms of my work with clients, the most important characteristic that I offer to them is my presence of acceptance, which allows them a safe and compassionate space in which to do their internal work. I actively cultivate this capacity to offer an accepting presence to others by continuing to offer self-care and compassion to myself – and this is an ongoing practice!
Pricing:
- Individual Coaching $160 per hour
- Embodying Compassion Course $450 for 10 week session
- Leadership Coaching $300 per hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 127 Water Street
Exeter, NH 03833 - Website: www.embodyingcompassion.org
- Phone: 603-772-3386
- Email: jodyransom@comcast.net
- Facebook: Jody Ransom, Psy.D.
Image Credit:
Kristin Carpenter, Mary Jo Martin
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