Sharol Tyra, RN, started her own coaching service in Hanover, Minn., to inspire and engage nurses to be true to themselves and perform as well as they can at work and in their personal lives. She coaches them from "where they are" to discover and take action on what they sense is the right thing for them to do.
    Tyra's career and community experience span more than 20 years. She has been a nursing leader, speaker, group facilitator and registered nurse. She also is CTI (Coaches Training Institute) trained and, in 1992, earned her BSN degree summa cum laude in the honors program at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. Tyra also earned an AA degree in nursing from Anoka-Ramsey Community College in 1980.
    She won the Pierce Family Trust Award, and was named "Outstanding Hennepin County Medical Center Nurse of the Year" in 1993.

Interview by Mary Elizabeth Hopkins

What does is it mean to "add fresh air to a nurse's life?" How would you put that into practice as a coach?

Nurses have an incredible array of skills. The problem with this is that many of us have so many assets to offer that we lose our ability to make focused career and life decisions. We literally can't see the forest for the trees. I help my clients to define their strengths, articulate their values and show them how to plan and make sound decisions by using coaching tools and focused creativity in setting goals.

What does it mean to 'look at the true essence" of life?

You cannot find the true essence of life until you learn how to connect body, mind, spirit and soul. When you achieve this state, it is like turning on a bright light that not only enhances your ability to give an extra dimension of care to your patients, but also enhances your self-esteem by helping you to recognize the incredible value of the service you provide. The problem that most people have is making this life essence connection, and that is where a training coach can offer an invaluable service.

What are some concrete reasons why nurses need life coaching?

Nursing is one of the most stressful occupations in the world. Nurses never have enough time, they are too often unappreciated and they are always underpaid. Nevertheless, nursing can also be one of the most self-fulfilling occupations, but only if the individual can find a way to balance the stress and enhance the satisfaction that goes along with delivering compassionate care.

   This is where coaching comes into play. A coach trains you how to focus, how to process and how to get results that meet your life and career goals. Once this is accomplished, you will have a clear vision of what is possible in your career and personal life. You will feel more alive, fulfilled and better able to enhance your success.

What is an example of life coaching you've done for a particular nurse?

"Susan" hired a coach because she was unhappy in her life. She felt numb and disillusioned in her nursing career. With compassion and coaching tools, I coached Susan to focus on her values, fresh perspectives, process her feelings and align her goals with her life mission. Susan recognized the value other own contributions

and once again, she heard her patients, peers and supervisors say "thank you." By taking a breath of fresh air provided by her coach, Susan discovered that in spite of all its distractions and difficult challenges, nursing is still her most fulfilling vocation.

How did you decide to become a life coach?

When I look back at what I have done in my life, I realize that I have always been a coach—to family, friends and business associates who seem to have naturally gravitated toward me for help with both their personal and professional problems. When I came to a point where my own life required a change, I decided to learn how to become professionally competent at what I already did well, so I went back and got trained at CTI.

How do you start with a new client?

We have lunch in a quiet Setting. There we discuss the client's aspirations, skills, fears, hopes and all other aspects of their personal and career goals. Which may include switching from a current nursing position into many other options available in nursing. This gives us a good idea of whether or not we can work well together and we can go on from there with a formal coaching program. •

To contact Tyra, call (763) 477-9186; or visit www.lifeillumination.com.