Who is the Experience Coach?
You already know a little about me - but you probably are curious about some other details that might have been missed in the “fast forward” part on the other page.
My name is Natasha Cook. I was born in Washington, DC and raised in Orlando, Florida. I spent summers in Houston, Texas and in DC with my parents’ families. Spending time in the South, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida provided me with exposure to a variety of cultures, customs, and people. I’ve always been curious about why people do what they do or don’t do. Throw in my dad, a retired Sheriff’s Deputy and proud former member of the USMC; my mom, a entrepreneur with a relentless DIY approach to nearly everything; and my brother, the younger sibling who made me believe that I was greatness embodied, and you have my origin story.
I’ve known my entire life that I was meant to serve others. Some of my earliest memories in elementary school include students coming to me for advice, guidance, and to keep a secret that was eating them alive. I played nearly every sport I could so that I could get into a school that would provide great training to become a psychologist. In service of this goal, I obtained a B.A. in Clinical Psychology in 2000 from Washington University In St. Louis. I obtained my Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology in 2005 from Loyola College Maryland.
Over the past 20-ish years, I’ve worked with individuals, couples, families, schools, and organizations to improve their mental health and that of their children, students, and foster children. This work is not complete - it seems to only be ramping up as a result of less stigma associated with normalizing help seeking behaviors in the last half-decade. However, the time for me to solely focus on mental health as a professional is complete.
I earned my certification in professional coaching from iPEC in 2023. During that journey, I was reminded of how important it is to be in alignment with my values. And, when there was conflict, I noted that I was not intentionally living my chosen life. Also, I noticed that I was not consistently showing up how I wanted in the life that I worked so hard to create. Although I was serving others in the current work role in mostly meaningful way, I was not also serving myself. I was not caring for myself before caring for others.
Becoming an experience coach as well as a therapist has allowed me to honor my values of helping others, working hard, and being intentional in my life. I certainly don’t always get it “right” - just ask my son about morning drop offs…they’re much better. And, I’ve given myself the time and space to do that work to consistently show up as that better version of me, everywhere I am. It’s a process!
I’m happy to tell you more about myself, when we talk, if there is more that you’d like to know. Until then, I look forward to meeting and working with you to experience better.
- Natasha