MARLENE MCLARTY

I was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. I left home at 17 to attend Stanford University, planning to major in engineering. I don't remember why I picked that field. I suppose because I had enjoyed the science subjects and I had ruled out medicine (too squeamish), engineering seemed like a safe bet. I didn't give it too much thought.

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Then I spent my first two years in college trying to find my place in the field of engineering, considering and discarding the various specialties offered (aeronautical, mechanical, industrial... it was a long list). By the end of my sophomore year I finally concluded engineering wasn't for me. With the help of a caring and creative guidance counselor, I switched my major to International Relations and eventually decided to go to law school. 

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After graduating from Columbia Law School, I settled in New York City and began to practice corporate law. Again, it seemed like a safe bet. Occasionally, a little voice in my head would question my career choice, but I routinely ignored it. Trying to figure out what else I could do with my life seemed too overwhelming. It felt much easier to stick with what I knew.

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Over the next fifteen years, I switched law firms several times, got married, had two daughters, moved to the suburbs and finally decided to leave the practice of law.  

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I transitioned to being a stay-at-home parent. I knew that at some point I was going to reinvent myself and find a new career, but I had no idea what that would be. It was during this phase of my life that I discovered coaching and realized that I had found my new career path.

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I received my initial coach training certification from Coach U, spent over three years gaining additional experience with an international coaching company, and then established my private coaching practice.

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More recently, I received additional training at the iNLP Center where I obtained certification as both a Certified Master Coach and a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). I'm also an ICF credentialed coach.

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The personal growth work that I’ve done in my own life has been liberating. Through coaching I gained awareness. I realized that I had been mostly drifting along a prescribed and relatively safe path without giving much thought to what I really wanted my life’s work to be about. 

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I got clear on my core values, I came up with my own definition of success and I became intentional about my goals.

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My personal growth work is ongoing, and as I've become more attuned to my inner truth, my path has become clearer and my life more fulfilling.

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Clarity and fulfillment are what I help my clients attain, in their personal lives and in their careers. My approach is direct and compassionate. This work can be challenging at times, but it doesn’t need to be complicated or painful.

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I help my clients to face their fears while encouraging them to find humor in their humanity.

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If you're interested in learning more about how coaching could benefit you, please contact me to schedule a free exploratory call.

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