Discovering Your Strengths - what difference would it make for you?

 “You cannot be anything you want to be – but you can be a lot more of who you already are.” – Tom Rath

Have you ever wondered what are your strengths and what difference would it make for you? 

It made a big difference for me. My relationship with CliftonStrengths goes back to more than 15 years ago. Then, a friend introduced me to a book “Go Put Your Strengths To Work” that led me to do the StrengthsFinder (now known as CliftonStrengths) assessment. I experienced a new paradigm shift and learnt a whole new language on strengths. I have always been taught to try harder and to grow in my areas of weaknesses. That’s what I did. I put myself through different learning curves to close the “competency gaps” and strived to do my best. My work was affirmed. But inside me did not feel right. I realised that I could be doing a good job but that does not mean the job was right and good for me. The new insight was liberating. It freed me to say no to what is good but does not fit me, and to make choices of work portfolios that would leverage on my strengths and motivation. This marked the new beginning of my journey to invest and grow in my strengths.

In the early years, long before I was a certified Strengths coach, I was actively introducing CliftonStrengths and running informal group sessions to help my friends learn this new strengths language. And it made a difference for my friends. It was rewarding to see how my friends discovered their strengths and how through that process made a difference to their work. Some realised that they need not leave their profession but only need to find a suitable sub-specialty or industry where their strengths could be better applied and flourish. Others discovered that while their strengths fit well, they need to watch out for the blind spots of their strengths by taming and maturing their strengths. That would then enable them to play to the full potential of their strengths in their vocation.

The language of strengths is empowering and compassionate. It gives word to what you might not even realise are strengths within you. When your strength has a name, you will experience how you are able to call it out and activate it in your life – relationally and vocationally. It is like an inner compass that leads you to live out who you truly are and guides you to make choices that offer your best self to the world. As a strength coach, I help you navigate using your internal strengths map. The process of strengths coaching will help you own and see the power of your strengths and points you in the direction of how you could invest, develop and maximise your strengths. And because your strengths are strengths, they are valuable. I will work with you to compassionately care for your strengths by managing their blind spots - trimming the raw edges so you could shine.

This is why I love strengths coaching. It was life changing for me in my vocational crossroads. I have seen how it made a difference for my friends. Through my private practice as a strengths coach, I am affirmed once again that strengths coaching made a difference for my clients. What better ways to share that than in their own words:

“I was in a dilemma in deciding my career path when I was introduced to Grace to explore how my strengths can provide some insight and set some direction for me. The session with Grace proved to be intellectually stimulating, invigorating and extremely informative. She was able to pick up my conundrum which goes beyond the immediate concern of career path but also in terms of the next phase of my life. I appreciate her calm and confident demeanour to understand me and guide me towards further exploration and appreciate my strengths in a refreshing way. Her suggestions and sharp wit also offered me further scope of reflection and ponderance. I left the session with a sense of being validated with new insights to decide my next course of action. She is an amazing strengths coach whom I give 6 stars out of 5!”              - Alexis, 37


“I’ve done the CliftonStrengths assessment 3 times, but it was only recently that I did the CliftonStrengths34 assessment along with a coaching session with Grace.  I would describe the session as extremely enlightening and energizing! Not only did she dispel my misconceptions concerning CliftonStrengths, more importantly, she pointed the way to help me return to who I am – I had an amazing grand revelation of why I had made certain decisions in the past. The session with Grace helped me access a new language to name the strengths that drive me. 

In her gentle yet assertive way, Grace pointed out some struggles I had experienced. She gave me very concrete suggestions on how I could work on those areas by leaning on my other strengths. She also led me to consider how my strengths could be paired together so they could flourish. These ideas were new to me and by reflecting upon them was extremely life giving. 

I really think every professional should have a strengths coach like Grace – she has effectively integrated her knowledge on strengths and background training in counselling to cater to individual needs, and intuitively point out not just strengths areas but caution areas too!”           - N.Wong, 52

I invite you to discover your strengths with me as your strengths coach. It does make a difference – because it is empowering and compassionate. It is about knowing your strengths and developing yourself according to your unique talents blueprint. Invest in yourself today.

One Year Anniversary Thanksgiving

A year ago, I started my own private practice after more than 20 years of employment as a social worker or therapist with various social services organisations. I would have never imagined myself starting a business, especially one that is related to counselling. And here I am - a year of new experience, adventure and fulfilment. 

My experience as a freelance therapist allows me to provide a more personalised therapy, strengths coaching and clinical supervision to my clients with greater flexibility and regularity as compared to when I was practicing with other organisations. Yet at the same time, I have to acquire new skill sets such as website design and marketing.  

The new learning curves were steep but also exciting. I am not a business person at heart. Hence, the toughest part for me is the journey of making the business sustainable and learning to trust in the process. The best and most fulfilling part is the journey with each of my clients and supervisees, facilitating emotional, relational and vocational wellness and growth. The joy of using my professional skills and who I am to serve my clients and better their lives. This is what made the journey so meaningful and worthwhile. It feels like I am going to love doing this for a long time. 

I want to celebrate my first year anniversary, commemorating the beautiful things I experienced, the resilience and growth I have the honour of witnessing. Here are some of my clients’ words that I want to share in celebration of human resilience and also the craft and trade of counselling. 

“Through the counselling, I became more aware of what contributed to my sense of helplessness. Grace’s skills in listening, asking relevant questions and paraphrasing some of my comments helped me reflect on my tendency to feel unnecessarily burdened. Her analysis of my emotional reactions and feedback to me was helpful for me to see how I could cope better with such situations.” 

“The counselling process helped me see things more clearly from a different viewpoint. I was able to discuss my early years experiences and explore how these experiences affect my current situation.” 

“The counselling sessions have prompted me to think through my emotion towards certain situation and possible causes of such emotion.”

“Counselling provided me with a safe environment where I could share and work out complex emotional problems with an experienced professional.” 

“The counselling sessions helped me make sense of the complex emotions that I experienced. The sessions also provided me with useful advice on how to manage my emotions in a healthy way without causing additional stress or anxiety to my family, friends and colleagues.”

“There were challenging periods of my life when counselling has provided me a safe space to process my inner thoughts and co-regulate my emotions. I do find going for counselling has helped me enhance my psychological (mental and emotional) resilience.”

I invite you to read their full testimonials on my website’s testimonial page. There, you would also read more about my clients’ experience and affirmation of me as their Counsellor. I feel encouraged and blessed. Beyond these posted testimonials, there are many more written and spoken affirmations stored within my heart’s treasure chest – from my current clients and clients from before. 

I want to thank my clients, for being vulnerable and yet so resilient. I am encouraged by their openness to change and grow through counselling, and blessed by their generosity to offer affirmation. Through their voice, my clients also taught me to be a better counsellor. I want to continue to be and grow in being a counsellor who facilitate for them the experience of - “the confidence to talk about things in a deeper way, not just on the surface”; “feeling counsellor ‘got me’ in a way that I felt heard, understood and supported”; “the strength and courage to take stock, and to make necessary decisions”. 

My anniversary celebration and thanksgiving would not be whole without thanking my community of love. My family who has given me the trust and freedom to pursue my vocation and even this different path as a freelancer. My friends’ encouragement and support in the past year which meant a lot to me – from the very beginning when two dear friends first mooted the possibility and idea of private practice. And many other friends who believed in me and recommended or referred clients to me. My heartfelt appreciation to each of you. 

When I left my full time job last year, it was a big transition for me. As with most transitions and changes, uncertainties and doubts would find its way in. God’s word comforted and anchored me: 

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; Yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil – that is the gift of God.” - Ecc 3: 11-13

I am thankful for God’s gift. For the past year, I have been happy and I have done good, finding satisfaction through my vocation.