Meet Amy Van Daele

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Van Daele.

So, before we jump into specific questions about your coaching business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
About nine years ago, I was physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted.

Outwardly, I was a model of success. I had a great job, amazing friends, and college degrees. I went to the gym regularly, ate healthy, and even owned my first business at 18 years old. I had a long list of accomplishments and added more to it everyday.

Society praised me for attaining “all the things.” I had made it! What they didn’t see was the discontent within me. My successes only temporarily appeased me. I would achieve something, check it off the list, have a moment of satisfaction, and then I was back to hustling for the next thing.

I couldn’t figure out why I was unhappy. Thinking that there must be something wrong with me, I tried to fix it with self-help books, geographical changes, new relationships, new achievements, etc. I was frantically looking outside of me to fix the discontent inside. It was incredibly painful.

Around this time, I was introduced to meditation. As you can imagine, sitting and doing nothing went against everything in my nature. Because it was so dysregulating to my system, I began by sitting just a few minutes a day. It was enough to crack the door so I could start to hear my inner wisdom.

This was just the beginning. I began studying psychology, practicing self-care, and experimenting with other spiritual tools. I sought out teachers and mentors who could help me deepen my practices. My relationship with myself began to heal and I came to value it above all others. As I continued listening to and honoring my heart, my entire life got better–inside and out.

Without realizing it, I started coaching and mentoring people through the same struggles that I healed within myself. My heart overflowed seeing other people mend their inner wounds and transform their lives. It quickly became the only work that mattered to me and I was compelled (and overjoyed) to make it my full-time career.

Today, I continue to do the work that fills my soul: helping people listen to, care for, and follow their hearts. When we are connected to our souls, we can truly “live our best lives.” If we constantly cover up our inner wisdom in favor of what the world asks of us, we lose touch with our truth. The work is in removing the internal walls we’ve built to protect ourselves and embracing our true nature.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Heck no! There have been so many challenges…

I absolutely love what I do and I want to do it all day and night ‘round the clock! However, having this tendency towards over-achieving and perfectionism, it’s really important for me to find balance. Whether my plate is full with meaningless tasks or it’s full with joyous activities, it is still full. I have had to learn to set boundaries.

This balance is made more difficult because society supports the message that to build a successful business, you need to work harder and longer. I have to consistently come back to my heart and remember my truth. Self-care and self-compassion are not only integral to my business, they saved my life and the lives of many of my clients. They are essential to my health and well-being and afford me the luxury of doing what I love.

I’ve also had to challenge some limiting beliefs I hold surrounding my worth as a coach. As I do with many of my clients, I ask myself “Is this belief true? Can you say it without question?” Each time my heart gives a resounding “no” and I continue sharing my value with people. I am also blessed with amazing friends and other business owners who remind me of who I am when my inner critic is extra chatty.

All that being said, I’m not perfect–phew! What a relief! I make mistakes, I fall into old behaviors. The difference is that now I know how to care for myself. When big things come up that I used to sweep under the rug (and proceed to clean the whole house), I now offer myself kindness and compassion. When I’m operating from this place, I am able to lead with my heart (my favorite place to be).

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a soul coach. The clients that I attract are much like I was: successful individuals who are unsure why they feel unfulfilled in their lives. They have high standards for themselves and look great on paper. From what society tells them, they should be happy, but there seems to be something missing.

These are not individuals who need a coach to hold them accountable. In fact, they would make great accountability coaches themselves! My clients actually benefit from slowing down (even if momentarily). Because of this, my coaching style includes mindfulness practices, self-awareness, and self-compassion.

Though clients may need love and kindness, they also need to be challenged. In this process, things come up that are difficult for the client to look at. In this discomfort is where the real growth happens. It’s my job to candidly mirror back to the client what I hear and observe so we, as a team, can uncover what is going on for them. This is what I love most about coaching: the partnership that’s created as we discover together what’s blocking the client from their inner wisdom.

I consider myself a companion on this path of self-discovery. Yes, I have tools that I know work in aiding the process, but what the client discovers through the process is completely unique to them. I am there to hold safe, nonjudgmental space while pointing in different directions to help us uncover their truth. It is an absolutely beautiful, messy, miraculous process and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.

As part of my commitment to this work, I also write blog articles, record meditations, and offer other supportive materials on my website and YouTube. This material is free and available to anyone who is interested in achieving inner freedom. The best way to stay in the loop with my offerings is to sign up for my newsletter on my website.

What am I most proud of as a company? My clients. Hands down. They are the bravest, most vulnerable people I know. They inspire me to continue doing my own inner work as well as continue learning so I can support them as they grow. I wish that I could share some of their stories here.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I love this question. I have had SO MANY PEOPLE supporting, mentoring, cheering me along the way–through my own inner work as well as with my business.

As I mentioned, my journey began with meditation. This meditation was inspired by the book “When Things Fall Apart” by Buddhist nun Pema Chodron. Over the years, I have studied the works of Jack Kornfield, Brene Brown, Kristen Neff, Carl Jung, and Peter Levine to name a few.

For the deep inner work, I’ve had numerous formal teachers in the form of meditation instructors, therapists, and other coaches. Locally, I’ve studied with Heather Prete Mindfulness, Kathryn Chaya Lubow, LMFT, and Trudy Goodman at InsightLA. (And I’d highly recommend them all!)

When it comes to business, I listen to different podcasts and collaborate with other business owners who are also putting their hearts on the line. Watching other people stay true to their “brand” (aka themselves) reminds me that it can be done and that the results are magical.

However, I consider every interaction my “teacher,” whether it’s the barista at Starbucks, the traffic on the freeway, or even my cat (who has taught me more than anyone the power of rest). There is always an opportunity to learn, connect, and relate to one another if we are present for the experience.

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” ― Brené Brown

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amyvandaele.com
• Phone: (805) 991-7359
• Email: contact@amyvandaele.com

Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.