Inside the Practitioner's Path

24. Did You Forget You're a Business Owner Too? | Aila & Barb

Many coaches, practitioners, and helpers genuinely love the work itself, but somewhere along the way, forget they’re also building a business. In this conversation, Barb and Aila explore the identity shift that happens when you stop separating the work you love from the business that supports it. They talk about relationship-building, direct vs. indirect business activities, creating consistent opportunities for connection, and what it means to become more resilient in the long game of growing a practice. This is a conversation about discouragement, visibility, service, and learning to embrace the business side of your work without losing the heart of why you do it. SHOW NOTES: * [00:00] - Welcome to Inside the Practitioner's Path! * [01:10] - Embracing the Business of Coaching * [04:01] - The Distinction Between Coaching and Business Skills * [07:16] - Building Relationships for Business Success * [10:21] - Direct vs. Indirect Business Building * [13:13] - Creating Consistency in Client Acquisition * [16:11] - The Long Game in Business * [19:06] - Overcoming Discouragement in Business * [22:15] - The Importance of Connection and Community * [25:00] - Treating Your Practice Like a Business * [28:21] - Aligning Passion with Business Goals * [29:56] - Thank you for listening! SHOW LINKS: * Visit Aila’s Website [https://www.ailacoats.com/] * Follow Aila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ailasierra/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aila.hale] * Follow Barb on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/barb_p/]

23. Loosening Identity: Even the Ones We Love | Aila & Barb

In this conversation, we explore the identities we hold about ourselves, including the ones we value most. From being a “good parent” or a “loyal friend” to a “strong leader,” these identities can feel grounding. And yet, they often carry expectations and pressure that quietly shape how we relate to ourselves and others. We look at what happens when identity becomes a filter, pulling us out of direct experience and into ideas about who we should be. And how, even with the best intentions, it can create unnecessary tension and self-judgment. This conversation opens into a different way of being. One where transformation isn’t about becoming someone better, but about loosening what was never fixed to begin with and meeting what’s here, in real time. From there, something more honest and alive begins to unfold. SHOW NOTES: * [00:00] - Welcome to Inside the Practitioner's Path! * [01:11] - Exploring Identity and Its Impact * [06:06] - The Burden of Positive Identities * [09:59] - Meeting Ourselves in the Moment * [13:27] - The Complexity of Human Emotions * [18:03] - The Illusion of Identity * [22:01] - Unraveling Identity in Coaching * [26:38] - The Mystery of Letting Go * [31:45] - Thank you for listening! SHOW LINKS: * Visit Aila’s Website [https://www.ailacoats.com/] * Follow Aila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ailasierra/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aila.hale] * Follow Barb on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/barb_p/]

22. Is Self-Love Required | Aila

Self-love is often held up as something we need to learn, build, or strengthen. But what if the deeper shift isn’t about creating self-love at all, but reconnecting with something that’s already here? In this episode, Aila explores a different way into the conversation. One that moves beyond concept and into direct experience. Through stories from her own life and recent work with clients, she points to how the question of “am I lovable?” begins to dissolve when we drop beneath thought and reconnect with the felt sense of love that naturally arises within us. This isn’t about convincing yourself you’re worthy or trying to think better thoughts. It’s about accessing a deeper ground, one that brings clarity, guidance, and a natural reorientation in how we see ourselves and move through life. SHOW NOTES: [00:00] - Welcome to Inside the Practitioner's Path! [01:11] - Exploring Self-Love and Its Implications [04:17] - The Inquiry of Lovability and Worthiness [07:06] - Personal Story: A Journey to Self-Love [13:20] - Activating Inner Love and Guidance [20:19] - The Essence of Our Nature and Vitality [22:40] - Thank you for listening! SHOW LINKS: * Visit Aila’s Website [https://www.ailacoats.com/] * Follow Aila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ailasierra/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aila.hale] * Follow Barb on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/barb_p/]

21. When Learning Accelerated for Us | Aila & Barb

In this episode, Aila & Barb explore the role mentorship and apprenticeship have played in shaping our work, our businesses, and who we’ve become as practitioners. They talk about what happens when you stop trying to figure it all out on your own and instead put yourself in proximity to someone who is living and working in a way that resonates with you. The kind of learning that comes from being in the room, observing, asking questions, and allowing your thinking to expand in real time. This isn’t about imitation or following a formula. It’s about exposure to new ways of seeing, deepening your own grounding, and discovering what becomes possible when you’re willing to be a student again. Whether you’re just starting out or have been doing this work for years, this is an invitation to consider where you might benefit from stepping back into the student seat and letting your learning evolve in a more direct, alive, and relational way. SHOW NOTES * [00:00] – Welcome to Inside the Practitioner’s Path! * [01:11] – The Power of Mentorship and Apprenticeship * [06:59] – Learning Through Observation and Experience * [10:58] – Vulnerability in Seeking Help * [13:40] – Commitment to Growth and Learning * [13:44] – The Vulnerability of Seeking Support * [15:55] – The Power of Mentorship and Apprenticeship * [20:08] – Learning Through Observation and Collaboration * [23:31] – Embracing Lifelong Learning and the Student Mindset * [25:15] – Thank you for listening! SHOW LINKS: * Visit Aila’s Website [https://www.ailacoats.com/] * Follow Aila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ailasierra/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aila.hale] * Follow Barb on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/barb_p/]

20. When the Rug Gets Pulled Out: Coaching Through Shock, Loss, and Uncertainty | Barb

What happens when a client’s world shifts in an instant? In this episode, Barb explores how to meet clients in moments of shock, loss, and unexpected change. Through real examples, she walks through the immediate aftermath of disruption and the longer arc of recalibration that follows, where clarity is often absent, and the mind is searching for certainty. This conversation brings us back to the heart of the work: presence, simplicity, and trust. How do we hold the space when nothing is clear? How we support clients in finding their bearings without rushing them forward. And how we learn to trust the unfolding, one step at a time. This is an episode about staying grounded in the unknown and allowing both you and your clients to be guided by something deeper than circumstance. SHOW NOTES: [00:00] - Welcome to Inside the Practitioner's Path [01:10] - Navigating Unexpected Life Changes [09:38] - Supporting Clients Through Shock and Uncertainty [18:15] - The Importance of Presence and Compassion [26:21] - Recalibration and Trusting the Process [27:58] - Thank you for listening! SHOW LINKS: * Visit Aila’s Website [https://www.ailacoats.com/] * Follow Aila on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ailasierra/] and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aila.hale] * Follow Barb on Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbpatterson/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/barb_p/]