Hi there!
If you are on this page I’m guessing you want to know something about me. So let me start by saying, I’m glad you’re here.
As you know already, my name is Lisbeth McKinley. I also go by Lis (rhymes with Is or Tis). Feel free to call me either.
I started coaching professionally in 2021 but my journey to being a curious listener started much, much earlier.
New York
I grew up in Manhattan, the child of an advertising copywriter and an attorney.
My parents were cultural, though non-religious jews. My deeper roots extend to a family of immigrants who came to this country in the mid-19th century from Hungary and other parts of Eastern Europe. I’ve always been fascinated by the stories of where people come from and what experiences - good or bad - may have shaped them.
My parents divorced when I was eight and both remarried so I soon gained an expanded family of step-parents, step-brothers and step-sisters. As the second “youngest” I spent a lot of time figuring out my place in this new configuration.
I was a goofy, curious kid but also sensitive to the needs of others. I liked to be in the center of my group of friends as the one they came to, to confide in, or get advice from. But I also felt outside the “clique” which helped me jump from group to group with no specific allegiance. I was very independent from a young age and more than a little stubborn.
I studied journalism as an undergraduate because I needed to know what was going on in the world and I liked being in the center of the action. I thought briefly of being a photojournalist because I was attracted to the idea that a single image could convey powerful emotions. My early life in Manhattan exposed me to the riches of a diverse community and the joys of the arts, food and music. It was punctuated by the loss of my father at age 12 and my stepfather at age 15. My mother, a successful copywriter, producer and executive was my biggest inspiration. As a single parent she launched her own advertising production company in her 50s.
San Francisco
In my late 20s I realized I needed to find my own way, and while sad to leave my home in New York City, old friends and a much needed perspective change beckoned me to the San Francisco Bay Area.
In my early 30s I returned to school for a masters degree in psychology where I trained as a marriage and family therapist. After graduation, I moved to Philadelphia for a job in community mental health as a case manager for at risk youth and counseled adults experiencing life transitions. Eventually, I moved back to the Bay Area to a lifestyle that better suited me and a ten year career in healthcare operations, project management, and consulting.
Solopreneur at 49
At 40, I met my husband, an elementary school special education teacher. We got married and I gained a new step-daughter who is now an event planner at USF. My husband retired but soon after returned to the school district part time to help other schools with special education needs. We all live in Oakland, California.
At 48, after losing my job, I experimented with many new roles until deciding to launch my own business.
I called my company LET’S MAKE ROOM because I recognized how the act of partnering with my clients to make room in their physical spaces had a parallel impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing.
By creating this mental space, my clients had the potential to live how they wanted or even discover parts of themselves, not yet realized.
Eventually, I discovered that coaching created a new way for me to engage in my client’s self-discovery. Together, through dialog, my clients identify the real challenges or goals they want to accomplish, and what they need to address or resolve to achieve their desired outcome.
Coach at 65
My coaching philosophy centers around helping women in midlife rediscover their passions and purpose and recognizing that what we need is less quick fix advice and more genuine connection. Here are some of the core tenets of my approach:
Focus on transformation and potential: I see coaching as a practice that helps motivated individuals become aware of their obstacles, actively transform them, and unlock their greatest potential. It's not a frivolous waste of time, but rather a science-based process for growth.
Emphasis on self-discovery: My coaching encourages women to embrace their "full self.” This involves finding joy and breaking free from what's holding them back. I aim to help my clients achieve clarity about their personal and professional lives.
Value of human connection: I recognize the limitations of digital communication and emphasize the need for "real human conversation."
Interactive coaching process: My coaching process involves engagement, listening, acknowledgement. I ask probing questions so that my clients can gain insight and develop actions that lead to learning and change.
Action-oriented: My coaching is designed to inspire change and guide my clients towards self-reflection that leads to inspired action.
Free resources and self-reflection: I provide free resources to challenge clients to clarify their purpose and identify what is getting in the way of achieving their goals. I offer a free "Coachability Self-Test" along with other free resources to help people determine if coaching is right for them.
Holistic approach: I connect the experience of Self with mental and emotional well-being. Essentially, my coaching is about helping women move forward by gaining clarity, identifying obstacles, and taking action toward fulfilling their full potential.