Changing our mindset can be a very difficult thing. That’s why we asked Maxine Brown, a Life Coach, Grief Coach, and Hypnotherapist, for advice. She was kind enough to take some time from her busy schedule and do an interview for MysticMag.
Can you tell us about yourself and your professional background?
I have completed different coaching and counselling courses to help people through challenging times for many years. I have also trained to become a hypnotherapist, as this is instrumental support for people struggling with their mindset. I specialise in grief and bereavement support as I feel this area is lacking. I started MKB Life Coach in January 2021 as I felt it was time to leave full-time employment and start helping others full-time.
I have personally been through loss, a marriage breakup, and tough times throughout my life, so I can relate to you even though no person’s situation is the same.I aim to assist people by enabling them to continue their lives and feel happy and content when they have struggled through life-changing periods. My values are to be supportive, empathetic, and affordable always, and I want everyone to feel safe when they are either in a one-to-one or group session with her.
Recently I published a self-help book, “31 Days Life Changing Journal”, aimed at helping people change their mindset and become positive after going through a traumatic time. Also, a year journal allows people to track their daily thoughts. All my sessions are done on Zoom or by telephone so that I can reach people far afield.
Your services include hypnotherapy. Can you tell us about the principles behind it?
The principle behind the hypnotherapy that I use is to help the clients change their mindsets to enable them to lead a more peaceful and fulfilled life. Hypnotherapy can help in all manors and is extremely useful for clients struggling through grief and stressful times.
Can you share some insight into the work you do as a Grief Coach with our readers?
Grief is a very sensitive subject, and when people are going through grief, it can be extremely difficult for family and friends around them. They often don’t know what to say to the person, and the person going through it is careful with what they say as they don’t want to hurt their friends and family. Also, these people will often say things to make you feel better. When my clients have a session with me, they can express their true feelings and be very open. I can be completely supportive and non-judgmental. After sessions, the clients realise that they are allowed to feel the way they do, and it’s perfectly okay to be okay and also perfectly normal to have ups and downs. Grief is like a roller coaster.
As a Life Coach, how do you incorporate different methods and ideas to get the best results? Can you share some success stories?
Everyone is different, so you must listen and adjust your sessions accordingly. I am a big advocate of journaling, as writing down how you are feeling becomes much easier to deal with. Structure is also fundamental in people’s lives. Within sessions, we work out the areas that need working on and take each area at a time so that it doesn’t become overwhelming. All of my clients then get a follow-up email with their homework that we have already discussed.
A client I have been working with struggled with grief, work, and family members. She felt everything was going wrong, and life was a big struggle. Over the sessions, we spoke about each area and broke everything down, she used to write a daily journal, and she put routine back into her life. Eating, sleeping, and relaxing were taking priority, and it all started to fall into place. She now feels like she can cope and sees her future mapping out clearly. Another client going through a divorce needed support as she felt alone; she was starting life again after a long marriage. This client needed to learn to love herself again and build her confidence. She had a mix of coaching and hypnotherapy sessions to boost her confidence and to realise that she was going to be ok again.
How do you customize your sessions for individual clients?
I customise my sessions for each client by always having a free chemistry session beforehand to learn their needs and ensure we can work together. I would turn people away if I didn’t think I could help them, as I am in this profession to improve people’s lives, not to extract monies from them. Hence my values are supportive, Empathetic, and affordable SEA.
What, in your opinion, is the most important thing when it comes to maintaining a relationship of mutual trust with your clients?
The most important thing to me is that all my clients feel comfortable and listened to. They need to know that what is discussed never goes any further and that I am there for them. I will always do my utmost to fit clients into a session if they struggle.
