About Shirley
Hi There,
I'm Shirley
I’m Shirley, a coach, assessor, writer, trainer, and community builder. But like many of us, my story can’t be summed up by a job title. I’m also a mother, a trustee, a paddle instructor, a space-holder, and a soul-searcher, learning to find the magic in the mess.
I believe our lives are layered, not linear. And those layers, of resilience, joy, trauma, learning, loss, and growth, shape who we are in the most beautiful ways.
This space is for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t quite fit the mould, and who’s ready to learn, grow, and connect in a community that celebrates the whole person.
Come as you are. Stay as long as you like. Bring your pets. Let’s build something honest, healing, and human, together.
My Story
I grew up in a world shaped by instability, mental health struggles, addiction, loss, and family disruption. Nearly every ACE box Ticked?….. Yes!. My early years weren’t easy, and the impact of that stayed with me. But so did something else: a quiet, stubborn belief that I was meant for more than just surviving.
Over the past thirty years, I’ve walked a deep path of self-development and healing. I’ve learned how to hold pain without letting it define me. How to parent with presence, while still parenting myself. How to build a life I am proud of, not just on paper, but in the way I show up in the world.
The work I do now, as a coach, trainer, writer, and community builder, comes from this place. Not theory. Not performance. Lived experience.
If you’ve ever felt like your story is too messy, too complicated, or too far gone, please know this: it’s not. You’re not. And you don’t have to walk it alone.
A Mother's Journey, A Guides Heart.
As a mother of neurodiverse children with long-term health conditions, I have lived the realities I now support others through. My home has long been a safe space and sanctuary, a place of understanding, and flexibility, where both my immediate and extended family have found comfort during challenging times.
This lived experience has shaped how I listen, how I lead, and how I work. It has taught me that support must be practical and compassionate, and that true inclusion starts with seeing the whole person, not just the need.
I have had to navigate complex systems, especially in education, and have often found myself advocating hard for the support my children deserved when the system was slow, resistant, or simply didn’t understand. Those experiences taught me resilience, persistence, and the power of being heard.
Supporting Others, From a Place of Understanding.
Alongside my lived experience, I bring over two decades of professional work supporting adults with disabilities, long-term health conditions, and layered needs. My career has focused on creating practical, inclusive solutions that help people access the tools, technology, and confidence they need to thrive.
I have worked across sectors, from higher education and workplace training to community organisations and national charities, providing specialist assessments, training, coaching, and advisory support.
My approach combines deep empathy with a practical, solutions-focused mindset. Whether I am delivering training to professionals, coaching individuals, or advising organisations, my aim is always the same: to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and supported, and where inclusion isn’t just an aspiration but a reality.
Over the years, I’ve contributed to a range of impactful projects, including the successful fundraising and leadership of community regeneration initiatives, and the development of accessible learning and working environments that truly reflect the diversity of human experience.
Here’s what people say about working with me
Real experiences, real impact
“I honestly don’t know where I’d be without Shirley. Her coaching has been a lifeline for me during some of the most difficult moments of my life.”
“Shirley's coaching isn’t just about tools or strategies (though she’s amazing at those too); it’s about the way she listens so deeply, sees the real me beneath the struggles, and helps me reconnect with my own strength.”
"Thank you so much for your help and advice. The resources and strategies you have given me have already saved me so much time."
Some fun facts about me...
🌊 Sea Scouts are my second family. I’ve been leading, building, and fundraising with them for years (including renovating a historic Ice House into a Scout Head Quarters!).
🎶 I sing with soul. Singing is one of my favourite ways to recharge.
🚐 Life on the road. I love hopping in my campervan, laptop in tow, to write, work, and explore.
☕ Strong tea, stronger stories. Most of my writing begins with a big mug and a quiet moment.
📚 Book-in-progress. I’m currently writing about layered lives, community, and safe spaces, weaving together my professional and personal journey.
🌍 Always learning. Whether it’s social media mastery, mindfulness, or the next big project, I believe in staying curious and open.
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