My Story - From Burnout to Breakthrough
I still remember it well - I was in the middle of my second postdoc as a marine biologist in marine biology, about 4 months back to work after mat leave with my second kid, still in the rat race for that ominous faculty position.
Turned out, I had to hit rock-bottom first to rise as a phoenix from the ashes, so to speak.
I will never forget how I sat in my favorite chair at the fire place at Christmas, watching my kids unwrap their presents an with their glowing faces and laughter – while the tears started to come and I couldn’t stop crying out of shear exhaustion and not feeling good enough. Immediately the guilt set in how this was one of the most cheerful moments in all the year, and I couldn’t keep it together.
Why was I so weak, broken, and such a failure to not get it all done, the career, the motherhood and everything that came with it, while others so seemingly easily managed?
It as when shortly after I talked to a therapist who was suggesting couples therapy (because "obviously my hubby wasn’t helping me enough"), that I woke up and realized that this was on me to fix.
I came to realize that I DID have the power to turn this around for myself. To stop that autopilot and all the programmed thoughts in my mind
That I needed actionable tools and strategies that were a long-term asset and empowered me to take back my power by learning hot to self-command my thoughts and mind. That I needed sustainable and easy to implement techniques that worked in my busy life.
So, I signed up for a rather expensive coaching program. Why I learned a lot, I also felt like it wasn’t build for the rational and analytical mind of a scientist. I then signed up for intuitive coaching and discovered a very new side of me and a potential outside of sciency thinking, that let me reach MY highest potential on a different level.
It took me over a year to fully recover and reach a point in my life that I felt comfortable and confident to stand up for – at work, but also at home with my family. It took me a lot of trial and error to come up with a solid set of tools that worked for my ..
And I found it in the intersection of science and intuition, of cutting edge neuro-physiology and ancient practices. It was that combination that was unique and exactly what I needed to create actual magic in my life!
Now, I want to share what I learned with other career-driven moms like me, who feel like they need to stop being on autopilot, doing it all and not having anything left for themselves, who want to take back the power and self-command over their own minds and thoughts - without the time-consuming trial and error and in easy, sustainable tools and strategies.
My Story
From Burnout to Breakthrough
I had to hit rock-bottom first to rise as a phoenix from the ashes, so to speak. I will never forget how I sat in my favorite chair at the fire place at Christmas, watching my kids unwrap their presents an with their glowing faces and laughter – while the tears started to come and I couldn’t stop crying out of shear exhaustion and not feeling good enough. Immediately the guilt set in how this was one of the most cheerful moments in all the year, and I couldn’t keep it together.
It as when shortly after I talked to a therapist who was suggesting couples therapy (because "obviously my hubby wasn’t helping me enough"), that I woke up and realized that this was on me to fix.
I came to realize that I DID have the power to turn this around for myself. To stop that autopilot and all the programmed thoughts in my mind
That I needed actionable tools and strategies that were a long-term asset and empowered me to take back my power by learning hot to self-command my thoughts and mind. That I needed sustainable and easy to implement techniques that worked in my busy life.
So, I signed up for a rather expensive coaching program. Why I learned a lot, I also felt like it wasn’t build for the rational and analytical mind of a scientist. I then signed up for intuitive coaching and discovered a very new side of me and a potential outside of sciency thinking, that let me reach MY highest potential on a different level.
It took me over a year to fully recover and reach a point in my life that I felt comfortable and confident to stand up for – at work, but also at home with my family. It took me a lot of trial and error to come up with a solid set of tools that worked for my ..
And I found it in the intersection of science and intuition, of cutting edge neuro-physiology and ancient practices. It was that combination that was unique and exactly what I needed to create actual magic in my life!
Now, I want to share what I learned with other career-driven moms like me, who feel like they need to stop being on autopilot, doing it all and not having anything left for themselves, who want to take back the power and self-command over their own minds and thoughts - without the time-consuming trial and error and in easy, sustainable tools and strategies.
"Just refocusing on my motivations, and looking at my goals and why I'm doing this in depth has totally changed my perspective."
Fatima, Toronto
My Four Pillars Of Qualifications
As a researcher and university instructor, I have always followed a comprehensive and all-encompassing approach to my work - from the single cell to the organ to the whole body. I love putting the puzzle together and linking the pieces.
This is what you'll also get with my coaching: understanding the underlying principles of WHY things are how they are from a neuroscientific and physiological
perspective, but then looking at YOUR "whole picture" to see what is true for you specifically.
As a certified ICF-accredited Neuroscience Coach complemented by my expertise teaching (comparative) physiology and endocrinology at university-level, I will help you get out of your head and tune into your body. By re-setting and re-centering the what I call BHG-axisTM (brain-heart-gut axis) and balancing your thoughts, emotions and innate wisdom you will be able to reclaim your power, time and energy. You'll be able to quit the autopilot and reclaim self-command.
Following Nikola Tesla’s insights: “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration. All things have frequency and vibration”, the concept of energy plays a pivotal role in my coaching. As a certified Level 3 Usui-Reiki practitioner, I can help you tap into that energy that underlies it all – including your brain waves and how to shift your energetic states to manifest what you truly desire in life. The tools and techniques you’ll learn will help you to go from re-active mode to pro-active.
Being a certified Aligned Reality Coach, my coaching centers around my very ownA.M.I.R.A. methodTM:
Aligned action with who you are truly meant to be and what you truly need, by shifting your
Mindset and quit the autopilot, integrating your
Innate Wisdom, creating
Real connections and Community, all while offering
Accountability and Support.
Want to know more?
Hi. I'm Sandra.
First, let me start by saying that I am glad you are here! I don’t believe in coincidences.
So - the fact that you came across my page and are reading these words tells me, that there is a reason why you are here. You might not even know it at the moment.
And this is also the red line that spins throughout my whole life: Things happen(ed to me) for a reason.
I might not have thought so when we moved cities in Germany at the age of 14 and I had to leave all my friends and comfort behind.
I might not have thought so when my mother died of ovarian cancer when I was 25.
I might not have thought so when I hit burnout with 44 just shortly after my second child going back to my postdoc in marine biology.
But I do know now, that all this and more in my life happened to bring me exactly here, at this moment and point in time, at this exact place, the middle of the prairies in Canada, being an empowerment coach for career-driven moms that struggle with the same challenges that I did:
- Never being able to shut off my brain and constantly running on autopilot
- Feeling like I had to put everything and everyone first but then not having left anything in me for myself
- Carrying the majority of the mental load and making sure everything runs smoothly
- And despite giving it my all never feeling capable or good enough
Every life-lesson I had equipped me to be exactly here and do exactly what I do now and enjoy every bit of it to the fullest.
But I’m not gonna lie, it’s been quite a journey!
Originally from Germany, I left for Canada in 2011 to pursue a PhD in Marine Biology – in the middle of the prairies! Who doesn’t like a good challenge 😉?
With regards to my research, I’ve done quite a bit: from molecular cancer research, over marine biology being literally out in the middle of the ocean, to comparative physiology, neuroscience and endocrinology.
Along the way I’ve lost a mother, ran a marathon, lived in the most amazing (and unfortunately super expensive) city of the world (Vancouver of course!), returned to Winnipeg (and still live there), became a double mother myself of a now 7yr old storm trooper and 4 yr old princess, started teaching at university, and burned-out and fully recovered during my post-doc – did I forget something?
I’m also a nature and outdoor enthusiast, viola player, hiker, swimmer, and runner, as well as painter, gardener, chocolate monster and occasional beer, cider and red wine drinker.
And I know that I can help you find your way back to yourself.
My Mission
It was after my own complex recovery from burn-out that I knew I wanted and needed to share what I had learned with other “sciency” moms, so they could go through the same process to reach their full potential, empowerment and fulfillment, without having to do all the trial and erroring I went though.
That’s when I founded AllOWcoaching, designed my signature program The Thriving Mom Protocol, and started this very new journey of becoming an empowerment and personal development coach.
Did you know that while 70% of science students are female, more than 30% leave science after having kids and only 30% of women end up in higher level academic positions? The stats for corporate STEM-related fields look similarly grim. This is obviously a drastic systemic problem and needs core-changes in those work environments.
But as we also all know, systemic change takes a long time.
Meanwhile, there is another way: Empowering especially moms in these challenging work-environments to define success at their own terms and have the confidence to see through. To develop resilience and just stand their ground – thriving at what they are doing, and not just surviving. And then the systemic change will follow eventually.
So that’s what I’m here to do: give you all the tools you need, my very own BHG frameworkTM and AMIRATM method that helped me and others to successfully make their lives their own, on their conditions, without feeling guilty, and while being the best role models for our own daughters to not be stuck in outdated societal norms and external expectations.
Wanna join me on the ride? Reach out, lets chat, and let’s see how we can empower YOU on your journey to have it all without guilt or regrets. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Want to know more?
Hi. I'm Sandra.
Let me see. Where do I even start?
First, let me start by saying that I am glad you are here! I don’t believe in coincidences. So - the fact that you came across my page and are reading these words tells me, that there is a reason why you are here. You might not even know it at the moment.
And this is also the red line that spins throughout my whole life: Things happen(ed to me) for a reason.
I might not have thought so when we moved cities in Germany at the age of 14 and I had to leave all my friends and comfort behind.
I might not have thought so when my mother died of ovarian cancer when I was 25.
I might not have thought so when I hit burnout with 44 just shortly after my second child going back to my postdoc in marine biology.
But I do know now, that all this and more in my life happened to bring me exactly here, at this moment and point in time, at this exact place, the middle of the prairies in Canada, being an empowerment coach for career-driven moms that struggle with the same challenges that I did:
- Never being able to shut off my brain and constantly running on autopilot
- Feeling like I had to put everything and everyone first but then not having left anything in me for myself
- Carrying the majority of the mental load and making sure everything runs smoothly
- And despite giving it my all never feeling capable or good enough
Every life-lesson I had equipped me to be exactly here and do exactly what I do now and enjoy every bit of it to the fullest.
But I’m not gonna lie, it’s been quite a journey!
Originally from Germany, I left for Canada in 2011 to pursue a PhD in Marine Biology – in the middle of the prairies! Who doesn’t like a good challenge 😉?
With regards to my research, I’ve done quite a bit: from molecular cancer research, over marine biology being literally out in the middle of the ocean, to comparative physiology, neuroscience and endocrinology.
Along the way I’ve lost a mother, ran a marathon, lived in the most amazing (and unfortunately super expensive) city of the world (Vancouver of course!), returned to Winnipeg (and still live there), became a double mother myself of a now 7yr old storm trooper and 4 yr old princess, started teaching at university, and burned-out and fully recovered during my post-doc – did I forget something?
I’m also a nature and outdoor enthusiast, viola player, hiker, swimmer, and runner, as well as painter, gardener, chocolate monster and occasional beer, cider and red wine drinker.
And I know that I can help you find your way back to yourself.
My Mission
It was after my own complex recovery from burn-out that I knew I wanted and needed to share what I had learned with other “sciency” moms, so they could go through the same process to reach their full potential, empowerment and fulfillment, without having to do all the trial and erroring I went though.
That’s when I founded AllOWcoaching, designed my signature program The Thriving Mom Protocol, and started this very new journey of becoming an empowerment and personal development coach.
Did you know that while 70% of science students are female, more than 30% leave science after having kids and only 30% of women end up in higher level academic positions? The stats for corporate STEM-related fields look similarly grim. This is obviously a drastic systemic problem and needs core-changes in those work environments.
But as we also all know, systemic change takes a long time.
Meanwhile, there is another way: Empowering especially moms in these challenging work-environments to define success at their own terms and have the confidence to see through. To develop resilience and just stand their ground – thriving at what they are doing, and not just surviving. And then the systemic change will follow eventually.
So that’s what I’m here to do: give you all the tools you need, my very own BHG frameworkTM and AMIRATM method that helped me and others to successfully make their lives their own, on their conditions, without feeling guilty, and while being the best role models for our own daughters to not be stuck in outdated societal norms and external expectations.
Wanna join me on the ride? Reach out, lets chat, and let’s see how we can empower YOU on your journey to have it all without guilt or regrets. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
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