“I am a master mover! After moving to the US from the UK, I relocated to Texas, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Iowa, and Wisconsin,” says Sheena Pracyk, as she prepares to make another move to Massachusetts. Each of these moves were for her husband, John’s, career, which meant Sheena was frequently establishing a new network for herself.
Sheena managed each of these relocations without assistance, leaving her to find creative ways to integrate into their new area. “I eventually learned that one way to meet people was through volunteering at an organization I was passionate about. This is how I started with local animal shelters and the American Red Cross. It took me eight moves to learn this strategy for finding an ‘in’ into a new community.” This volunteer work became extra meaningful to her as she stepped away from her nursing career to care for relatives.
After 10 years of being out of the workforce, Sheena did not know how to relaunch her career. “It was daunting to think about. I thought my skill set was 10 years old, and I struggled to find the confidence I needed to begin my search,” she comments.
“Trudy changed my mindset to not focus on what I hadn’t done in the past 10 years, but what I had done.”
Trudy Marshall served as Sheena’s Career Coach, empowering her to reestablish her career. “When I first heard about IMPACT Group’s services, my perception was they would handle the logistics of getting us to Massachusetts,” says Sheena. “But what Trudy provided by way of encouragement and support caught me completely by surprise. I did not anticipate receiving so much support for my career.” Trudy conducted multiple coaching sessions to prepare Sheena to launch her search.
During their calls, Sheena expressed her desire to become certified as a Health and Wellness Coach through the Wellcoaches School of Coaching. “Caring for loved ones was a physically and emotionally draining time for me. I want to encourage people to focus on the aspects of their health that they can improve instead of the factors that are out of their control.” Sheena’s goal was set, but she needed the resources to put her job search plan into action.
“My résumé did not present me well.” The 10-year gap had her wondering what she had to contribute to an employer. Trudy helped her look at her résumé in a new way. “She advised me to add my volunteer experience with a cancer center and the American Red Cross to my résumé. That took the focus off of my employment gap, and placed value on the skills I gained and accomplishments I achieved in those roles.”
Sheena joined the Wellcoaches Live Coach Training Program in Boston as the first step in this certification process. An important part of attending this event was networking with individuals in the wellness field. “I was unsure about walking into a room of professionals, most of whom work in the medical field. Trudy coached me on preparing succinct statements about my goal so they came out naturally and easily while I was networking,” says Sheena. “My fears were gone because I was in such a great mindset going into the event thanks to Trudy.”
Through the event, Sheena connected with a group of people who are supporting each other in developing their coaching skills and preparing for the wellness coaching certification exam. “I was able to truly maximize this event. Trudy helped me understand the importance of creating opportunities instead of waiting for the right opportunity to fall into my lap.”
“The moving process is unpredictable and stressful. When you feel you don’t have anyone to turn to, it becomes overwhelming,” comments Sheena. “Even as an experienced mover, I’ve never been able to find the depth of resources that IMPACT Group has provided.” Sheena feels her needs and her career have not been ignored during this move thanks to the spousal relocation benefits her husband’s employer provided. “This move has been much less stressful because I have the information I need, I have a support system I can ask questions of, and I’m not doing it on my own. It has taken a lot of pressure off of me.”
Sheena and John are excited to live in the forward-thinking area of Boston. “My husband loves his new job, and I’m excited about all the possibilities for my career.” They are focused on creating the right work/life balance this time around. “This has been missing for us recently as we cared for family members. Now, we’re ready to build a rich life for ourselves, which is so important for creating balance.”
