Since 2017, Michelle has focused on studying relationships and emotional intelligence in order to provide the best quality of service to her clients.

 

She also has over 17 years experience in the corporate and government sectors, with experience that includes career coaching, building teams, process improvements, general management, emotion coaching, boundary setting, and personal growth.

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For Michelle, a coaching certification was only the first step in a tailored pursuit of continuous learning to develop successful strategies for her clients, whether in one-on-one, group, or auditorium style settings.

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Education:

Raised by a single mother with little to no savings, Michelle was faced with bleak prospects for continuing education past high school.

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However, her academic success opened up doors to opportunity with scholarships and fellowships, allowing her to achieve three fully funded post-secondary degrees within the span of 6 years.

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2003-2007: Michelle attended Florida International University in Miami, Florida and graduated with dual Bachelor of Arts degrees (Economics, International Affairs).

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Advanced Degrees & Early Career:

2007-2009: As a working student and recipient of the Thomas R. Pickering and Pamela Harriman Foreign Affairs Fellowships, Michelle graduated with a Master's of International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington D.C.

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Michelle then joined the United States Department of State Foreign Service for a short period of time, but changed trajectory when she received the heartbreaking news that her mother had gotten lost during a layover at the DFW airport due to previously undiagnosed/untreated dementia symptoms (Alzheimer's Disease).

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Michelle and her family pivoted to prioritize her mother's safety and took her in. Michelle balanced care-giving while spending the next 2 years working for the World Health Organization in Washington D.C.

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As her mother's condition worsened, she and her family made the decision to move back to San Antonio, where an ex-debate buddy helped her transition from a career in public service to federal project management with Accenture Federal Services.

 

She was blessed to have great mentors and leaders, and was given opportunities to fundraise and advocate for the Alzheimer's Association, serving on their board of governors from July 2017 through December of 2019 .

 

These successful series of career moves both in the public and private sector gave Michelle the chance to guide and empower her teams to grow and become strong leaders in their own right. 

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But how does any of this pertain to life coaching?  Valid point. How do you achieve enough life experience to be able to coach someone's life? What makes someone an expert?

 

Importantly, if your success was handed to you, how could you coach someone to overcome hurdles and achieve their own success?

 

Michelle was not set up for success. Her parents did not save or plan in order to send her to college.  Her academic achievements against these odds highlight her passion for knowledge, which extends from devouring research, to the curiosity inspired spark that comes from getting to know a new individual.

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Crucially, however, Michelle's lessons in prioritization, relationship management, life balance, and career success were not limited to solely getting a scholarship for school. To become a successful life coach and develop compassion for those truly struggling, the universe had bigger hurdles to throw her way.

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By 2016, although her pattern of work success continued, her life began falling apart. Work burn-out, combined with an inability to effectively communicate in romantic and interpersonal relationships ultimately led to a person who was alone (divorced!) overweight (by 60lbs) and ultimately, unhappy.

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What's worse, by 2019 she found herself deeply trapped in a toxic abusive relationship with a drug addict. After various violent encounters and damage to her property and herself, Michelle hit her rock bottom and realized her life in this situation was unmanageable.​

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She sought professional help with therapy and, as an academically inclined entity, sought answers in the study of research. Michelle began devouring the works of Drs. Lindsay Gibson and John Gottman, as well as Melody Beattie.  Gibson helped her understand a bit of why she was wired the way she was wired, Beattie a bit more, and Gottman, gave her the tools she was lacking to repair romantic and interpersonal relationships. 

 

She used the resources available to her, built a strong support network, and joined the family group for Narcotics Anonymous, called Nar-Anon.

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Armed with the tools to fix her own life, Michelle set to working tirelessly to do so. She learned the art of boundary setting, learned vulnerability in interpersonal relationships, and internalized Dr. Gibson's tool-set for dealing with emotionally immature individuals.

 

With a refocus on her own well-being, Michelle dropped the weight she'd packed on, rekindled her broken marriage and reunited her family, worked to improve her relationships, and has dedicated her life to teaching others these tools to help them transform their lives as well.​

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By 2020, Michelle took to YouTube to tell the world what she'd learned. With very little regard to profit, Michelle's focus has been a mission to  share these truths with the largest segment of society possible and to help people understand they are not alone, and that these problems they are facing are not as insurmountable as they seem.

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She focuses on outreach and, in addition to her large repertoire of paid services to include one-on-one and group coaching along with motivational speaking and a variety of lecture series, works with various non-profits, giving time and money to her mission, along with a variety of pro-bono speaking engagements.

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Contact us today at michelle.raza@findingyourselfsatx.com

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