[ By Elizabeth Brunetti ]
Just wanting to change our lives sometimes isn’t enough. We stagnate. We spin our wheels. We aren’t sure how to take a first step. We’re so consumed by the details in front of us that taking the time to set a new path seems overwhelming. If this is the case, consider professional help. Personal coaches have experience helping people wade out of the quagmire. They offer clarity, guidance and accountability. And if the goal is curing yourself of bad habits, or losing weight, how about hypnosis?
Along with her one-on-one coaching, Coach Ivy Allen of OneLife Coaching offers workshops, retreats, book clubs and discussion groups to increase self-confidence, 
while empowering women to create the life they love. She also specializes in dating and relationships, stressing communication. Try the 12-week “Becoming Irresistible” program, or sign on for individual coaching (for both women and men). $1,099 for a three-month contract with 12 sessions. Coaching is done mostly over the phone. coachivy.vpweb.com
Ayfer Jafri of AyeFaire Coaching Services practices “essence coaching,” based on her belief that each person has unique qualities that are with us from birth. Jafri, based in Gaithersburg, uses a detailed personality assessment to determine clients’ needs and help them set goals. She examines with her clients why, for example, they have made particular New Year’s resolutions, to make sure that goals truly reflect what they are seeking. After a free 40-minute initial consultation, rates are $55-$155 per 75-minute session, depending on a client’s needs. liveandworkhappier.com
Part of the Wellness Within center at the Morrison Chiropractic office in Ellicott City, Z. Colette Edwards, M.D., is trained in both traditional western medicine and holistic integrative coaching. She customizes health, wellness and life coaching for clients that include executives, health care professionals, women in transition and adults with chronic medical conditions. “Coaching,” she says, “can help a client to make changes by providing support, focus and the extra boost needed to move forward.” She collaborates with practitioners at Wellness Within who offer massage, acupuncture, reiki, yoga and nutrition counseling. In addition, chiropractic care is available at Morrison Chiropractic office. morrisonchiropractic. com/wellness-within
Through her Ellicott City hypnosis practice, Quiet Time Hypnosis, Patti Sapp taps into her clients’ subconscious minds – the 88 percent of our brain, she says, that we rarely use. A large part of her practice is devoted to weight management, but she also works with habits like nail biting, smoking, sugar cravings and fast food addiction. For more serious issues, such as drug or alcohol addiction, Sapp works as part of a team with a licensed physician to monitor the client’s needs. Sapp only works one-on-one with clients. Quiet Time was voted Best of Ellicott City for Weight Management by the U.S. Commerce Association in 2011 and 2012. qthypnosis.com
