harol Tyra is a personal coach and motivational speaker whose specialty is working with nurses. Tyra knows her clientele. She has worked as an intensive care and a surgical floor nurse, cared for patients at the Hennepin County Women's Health Clinic and served as the principal administrative aide to the Hennepin County Commissioner of Health.

Discovering her talent

"I've always had an affinity for being with people, and I seemed to be able to empower them to take better care of themselves and cope better with their situation," Tyra says.

  About 18 months ago during a career transition, Tyra attended a seminar facilitated by a coach who saw her coaching potential. "I felt like I was discovered," says Tyra, who has been featured on KSTP-TV and interviewed by Nurse Week.

Although no college offers a degree in coaching, a variety of training programs are available. Tyra completed advanced training at the Twin Cities branch of the Coaches Training Institute and CoachVille Coach Training, an on-line coach-training firm and professional network. She's an active member of the International Coach Federation, the Minnesota Coaches Association and Coaches Unlimited.

What is coaching?

Coaching is not advice, therapy or counseling. It is a forward-looking partnership with clients that helps them focus on who they really are, what they want and where they're going.

  "Some nurses are so burnt out from their work that they spend an extraordinary amount of time trying to recover. They may watch a lot of television. Or they may overeat and get no exercise. They're so overwhelmed, they feel they can't do anything else," Tyra says.

  She helps clients get "unstuck," by helping them "clarify their gremlin," -the thoughts, patterns and feelings that prevent them from taking positive action. She also helps them focus on what they want in important areas of life such as career, family, physical environment, personal growth and just plain fun.

  "I have them write down their goal and then I hold them accountable to take the necessary steps," Tyra says. During weekly meetings or telephone conversations, she may also offer tips on organization and dealing with procrastination.

  Tyra loves seeing clients become re-energized, as they achieve personal balance, get the promotion they've wanted or find the courage to take on leadership positions. Coaching, she says, is about believing that people are "creative, resourceful, whole and magnificent."

This article appeared in the November 2001 issue of In Care of Nurses newsletter, published quarterly by Star Tribune Custom Publishing/Newsletters and is republished here with permission.