Meet Mike
I believe that the challenges we face can become the foundations we build from.
I believe that because I've lived it.
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Coming out. Addiction. Sobriety. Grief.
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I've had some pretty rocky chapters - and when I stopped saying "I'm fine" and finally asked for help, things started to change. Not all at once. But in a way that lasted.
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I'm based in Portland, Oregon, and I work remotely with people who are ready for that kind of change.
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With honesty, humor, and compassion, I help you move from just getting through....to actually living in a way that feels like you.
Why do I coach?
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I care about this work because I know what it’s like when your outsides don't match your insides — to be showing up in ways that don’t quite match who you are.
What I’ve found is this: happiness comes and goes. But contentment — that’s something deeper. That comes from being honest about who you are - and how you actually want to live.
We don’t get many spaces in life where we can just exhale. Where we can stop performing, stop managing everything, and actually hear ourselves again.
That’s the space I try to create with you.
From there, we figure out what fits — and what doesn’t anymore. And we start building something that feels more like you.
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My Journey
Where I Come From
I grew up in the industrial north of England.
My parents were the first in their families to go to college, and they spent their lives teaching.
From them, I inherited integrity, discipline, hard work - and a slightly warped sense of humor.​
Those have stayed with me.
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​​What I've Faced
As a member of the LGBTQI+ community, my teenage years weren't easy. Coming out was freeing and terrifying - and it shaped how I learned to show up in the world.
While I was at Oxford, my dad passed away. That loss changed me in ways I then didn't fully understand.​​
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As I got older, I built a career in nonprofit and political fundraising, eventually working in leadership roles, including as a Chief Operating Officer. From the outside, things looked solid.​​
But life doesn't stay that way forever.
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Now 27 years sober, I've lived through the end of my fundraising career during COVID, the loss of my husband of 22 years, and walking alongside my mom through advanced dementia.
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None of That Came With A Roadmap
What I've learned - slowly, and with a lot of support - is that even in the hardest moments, something can shift in a way that leads to more acceptance. More honesty. And eventually, a kind of peace that feels real.
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Coaching grew out of that. Not as a plan, but as a natural next step - a way to sit with others in their own moments of change, and help them find what's possible for them.
Who I Help
If you’ve ever thought,
“who people think I am isn’t who I really am — or want to be,”
you’re not alone.
You might be successful on paper but stuck in your head.
Maybe you’re great at helping others, but struggle to say what you need out loud.
There’s a sense that something isn’t quite aligned — like there’s more to life… but you’re not sure how to get there.
That’s where we start.
I help you slow down, get honest, and begin matching your outsides to your insides — so you can build a life that actually fits.
You're a Good Fit If...
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You’re insightful and curious — but often overthink things
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You care deeply about others but forget to take care of yourself
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You’re tired of pretending to be fine when you’re not
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You're noticing yourself editing who you are depending on who you're with
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You’ve outgrown parts of your life, but aren’t sure what’s next
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You want clarity, authenticity, and peace​​
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Not sure what coaching is....
Testimonials
What My Clients Say
Alex A
Mike helped me press pause on the chaos and actually chart a direction. It’s like he hands you the flashlight when you’re stuck in a dark tunnel.
Loan N
Mike is perceptive and observant, which makes me feel he's deeply listening, picking up on subtle emotions that have yet to be explored.
He is vulnerable about his own journey and transformation, which encourages me to show up the same as I embrace change
Casey, C
Mike has a way of making you feel seen without judgment. I thought I had to keep grinding through the stress, but with his coaching I’ve learned how to pause, reset, and rebuild my routines. What surprised me most is how quickly small shifts added up — now I’m more present with my family, more focused at work, and honestly, more me.