What is Identity - Centered Coaching?
Traditional coaching methods start with identifying a goal, or a behavioral change.
What if what’s driving the goal is the problem?
We start with identity, the part of you that predetermines what is important, how you show up in the world, and what you believe is possible. Some of that identity you chose. Some was handed to you through cultural, societal and gendered norms. And for many of us, especially in the Black community, identity has been a protective layer, a way to stay whole in places that weren't built for us.
Here, we honor what has kept you safe and ask whether it's still serving you. When your identity changes, your decisions change, and so does the path you take from here.
The Origin Story
Across my work as a Consultant, Sales Leader, and Coach, one question has followed me:
Why do so many brilliant women build lives that quietly drain them, and why do organizations keep relying on conditions that require their people to contort?
The answer is simple. Contortion is the price of safety and success.
I first saw it clearly during large digital transformation projects. Again and again, leaders told me how much they disliked not only the project, but the demands it put on their teams. We talked about how they shielded their people and worked through the politics that made hard projects harder. In those conversations, I found a name for the pattern: Corporate Contortion™.
Corporate Contortion™ is the progressive self-abandonment we perform in pursuit of professional success. It often starts long before we have words for it, shaped by inherited beliefs about worth and belonging. Over time, people build themselves around identities defined by titles, achievements, and cultural stories. Organizations do the same, holding on to inherited beliefs about leadership, success, and how work gets done.
I created Breathing Room to offer what both need most: air in our lungs, a moment to breathe, and space to release what no longer serves us. For 20 years, I played contortionist. There is another way to exist and to evolve.
“The hardest job you’ll ever love is being yourself.”
The Results
“…What stayed with me most was not the negotiation itself, but the shift in how I think about my own value and where I am headed professionally. The process of working through this decision with Ja'Nohn gave me a framework I will carry forward, one that is grounded in my own direction and goals rather than the path a given employer lays out for me.
When I look back on this stretch of time, when many decisions had to be made quickly and with incomplete information, I will be grateful for her clear-headed support, her ability to reframe opportunity, and the kind of guidance that only comes from genuine experience..”
— Mario F., Technical Sales Leader“You didn’t just see a person who was trying to get a job or fix her résumé. You asked important questions like “What brings me joy?” You asked, “What will give your life peace or purpose?” I was so paralyzed with fear, mistrust, and uncertainty that I couldn’t think of joy. I couldn’t think outside of the box. With your guidance, I was able to obtain a new job and get back on course. You came to help me with a clear mind and open heart, without judgment. You didn’t realize how embarrassed I was during this time. You gave me a measurable action plan. You held me accountable. You recognized that I needed a map. And even though you are not a medical professional, your instincts and experience helped me tremendously. You helped keep me grounded and focused, and for that I can’t thank you enough”.
— Tomorrow L., Medical Professional
If any of this landed somewhere in your body, that’s the invitation.
Start with a conversation. No pitch, no performance, just a real read on what’s shifting and whether I am the right guide to help you through the journey.