THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE

“Jill possesses a unique blend of intuition, deep personal experience and no nonsense practicality. She has witnessed and accepted my pain, as well as encouraged and helped identify my growth. Nothing easy about grief, yet partnering with a wise and empathetic guide, as Jill is, made it workable. I can’t recommend Jill enough – I would not be in the good place I am without her wise, caring support. Grief is a road without a map. Jill will help you create your own, and it makes all the difference!”
–Kathleen R.

“I wouldn’t have been able to move through the pain and complicated grief of losing my mother during the Covid pandemic without Jill. She instantly understood how to help me, as if she had been my best friend/therapist for years. Her belief in my ability to heal gave me hope, and I came away from each coaching session feeling lighter, as the weight of my grief lessened. I found Jill’s insights startling in their brilliance and compassion, and am grateful beyond words that I found her. She is a treasure.”
–Bonnie G.

“I love an amazing man with a serious medical condition. Anticipatory grief felt like I was on a roller-coaster ride, with little rest between waves of fear and adrenaline. Is today the day I become a widow? Jill got me right away. When needed, she held space for me to go really low. She reminded me of my own strength and that I must keep living well. I’m both a coach and a licensed professional clinical counselor. One skill I appreciate in other coaches is the ability to retain gains from the previous session, keep a person on track, and artfully shape manageable goals. This isn’t just a coaching skill with Jill. It’s my hunch; it’s her way of being. Most days, I live with one foot in anticipatory grief and one foot in daily life. Some days both feet move into daily life, and I dance and play. Jill is there for me if the roller coaster starts again, which helps me feel more confident in my ability to grieve well.”
–P. Jensen

“If you are looking for someone whose skill set lands somewhere between compassionate grief therapist, motivating personal cheerleader, and professional problem-solver, you are looking for Jill Smolowe. I did well enough in the first year after the loss of my husband in 2015. But to my surprise, the second year was far more difficult. I was looking for someone who could help me manage my life in specific ways. I had so much emotional and material rebuilding to do that I did not want to waste time talking with a therapist about how sad I was — especially since I wasn’t always sad! Jill responded promptly and compassionately to my email, and we began working together weekly by phone. I’m really and truly flourishing!!! We’re now on an “as-needed” basis and it feels so good to know that if I should hit a wall, I can count on Jill. With humor and an almost methodical approach, she’ll help me clear out the mental and emotional clutter that’s keeping me from seeing a solution. That’s the genius of Jill.”
–Marie Elise D.

“I recently completed a transformational coaching experience with Jill Smolowe. I came to her during a time of real crisis in my life and in my relationship. She supported me as I put what had happened with my husband into perspective. Jill’s innate wisdom and deep kindness grounded me during some of the most challenging times in my life so far. As we coached together, the storm within me subsided. My relationship began to heal. I got my “dance” back. There was lightness in my life again. Jill is a brilliant coach. If you are facing one of life’s tough moments, take the opportunity to work with her. Her insight and compassion will guide you back to your own inner strength – almost like being led back home.”
–Jane G.

“I discovered Jill during a time in my life when I felt I was in transition. I had lost several family members in the previous year, was turning 50, feeling stagnant in my current job, and simply felt that “change was in the air.” Jill was just the perfect person for me to work with during this time. After just a few conversations with her, I felt as if she had known me my whole life. Her insight and intelligence opened my mind about myself and the opportunities I thought never existed. Jill held me accountable with weekly goals I needed to accomplish. This accountability and guidance helped me move forward toward my ultimate goal and create a vision for my future. After each session I felt inspired, energized, focused, and motivated! If it had not been for Jill, I would have been stuck in a place of complacency.”
–D.Thomas

“Jill has been a tremendous help for me over the past few months, and I am so grateful for the time and effort she has put into our talks and coaching. I feel that I am in a place now where I am moving forward in life, and doing a better job navigating it without my mother (whose death drew me to Jill). I feel more settled in my new home and town, I don’t feel the stress and burden of a family member’s constant anger and bullying, and I’ve started to bring back the things I love most for myself—reading and music.”
–Jill W.

“After my wonderful husband died, one of his dear friends gave me Four Funerals and a Wedding and said, “Read this book. It will help you get through this.” I did read it once, twice, then 3 times and I still refer to it to see what Jill did in different situations. I felt like I knew Jill. She was so honest and down to earth. I then used Jill as a grief coach. I had gone to some grief counseling meetings, but everyone just talked about their own stories about deaths of their loved ones and everyone was sad. It didn’t help me to go forward. Jill’s coaching made me try to go on with my life. By knowing my individual story and helping me establish goals, her coaching gave me strength that I needed to help myself. After talking with Jill I felt more positive and able to face reality. Even though we have friends and family who talk to us, they don’t understand what to say. I recommend Jill for her coaching. She was so helpful to me. I feel like she is my best friend who I can tell whatever I feel and she has great insight and judgment to help me overcome situations that I need help with.”
–C. Weinhauer

“In one year I became separated from my husband after 25 years of marriage, I lost my job of almost 12 years during a downsizing, my youngest child went off to college and my very, very best friend died. I felt like I had so many unknown’s that moving forward seemed almost insurmountable. Jill was able to bring me through. Where I became anxious that I wasn’t moving forward quickly enough, Jill redirected me, coaching me to take one step at a time. She made me appreciate the progress I was making, helping me celebrate the victory of each step. She is able to zero in on the self-limiting assumptions I have, thus enabling me to change my perspective. I’ve made significant progress working with Jill. I now have a job I love, have decided where to move and feel ready for the next chapter in my life. I couldn’t have done it without Jill.”
–Lisa Tannenbaum

“My husband died suddenly, unexpectedly, when he was 52 years old. We had met 5 years, 4 months and 7 days before a catastrophic brain hemorrhage stole him from the world. I thought I would die too, from the pain, grief and sorrow. I read Jill’s book of her own compounded losses and felt the first glimmers of hope. I was thrilled to find out she was a life coach and began a series of sessions that shifted my recovery process dramatically. I find her smart, funny, engaging, clear and inspiring. She helped me move forward while respecting my deep grief. She is like the best friend you wish you had, one who knows the territory, isn’t judgmental, gives you great feedback and ideas and forgives you when you don’t do your homework. I am grateful for her support in helping me live through the hardest period of my life.”
–Alice Morgan

“Jill helped me get to a good place after my husband passed away. I always look forward to and love talking to Jill. She is articulate, kind, empathetic, intuitive, and wise. She listens carefully and is spot-on in identifying the real issue.”
–Karen P.

“After the abrupt end to a 25-year relationship, I found myself single again, starting over mid-life as a single dad. It’s been especially challenging to maintain a strong and meaningful bond with my two pre-teens, under difficult circumstances, while trying to balance those responsibilities with the stressors of a demanding career. As a guy, I was very reluctant to seek help from a “life coach.” From the moment we started working together, I felt at ease with Jill. She “got” me. Jill has inspired me to look at myself in ways that I haven’t in a long while, to see the great qualities that others see. She’s challenged me on assumptions and limiting beliefs, and has offered different perspectives. She’s helped me to work through many challenges with my kids, to set boundaries, to renegotiate relationships, and to start making myself a priority. Most importantly, she has shown me that I have no option other than to keep pushing myself forward. Jill is a kind, strong, yet compassionate professional who has opened my eyes to a world of possibility again.”
–Guy E.

“If you are reading this you are already considering the smartest move you will make this year. Jill Smolowe will help you first find, then use, your own power to turn your life around. Through a lens of professionalism, wisdom and kindness, Jill listened carefully to my stories and challenged me on some of my ways of thinking. She got me to delve deeper into what was really irking me and why. Each week I would get action steps, some of which I could work on right away and see results, others that are taking more time. I am so impressed with Jill’s ability to understand my heart. She peeled back the layers and coached me into revealing my true and better self. Jill has helped me find my power that I felt I had lost many years ago.”
–Beth Ashcroft

“Jill’s coaching came just in time to manage through some massive transitions – relationships, work and life roles. What could have resulted in total meltdown instead, has allowed me to reexamine my default stories & responses to open up new possibilities. When everything seemed really murky, Jill Smolowe was able to cut right to the heart of things!”
–Robin Stevens Payes

“I really didn’t know what to expect with a ‘life coach.’ I’d been in therapy for many years and made assumptions that coaching wasn’t enough. I’ve come to find out that coaching with Jill Smolowe was EXACTLY what I needed. I am a single mom in my own business and especially need someone to regularly work things out with me in regard to raising a teenager, dating, and growing my business. Staying emotionally wealthy is a must. Jill is able to immediately identify my recurring demons and triggers, and helps me beat them down right then and there. Jill also gives me homework every week that adds tremendous value to ‘my work’ that compounds interest outside of our sessions. I leave each session clear minded, equipped and inspired.”
–Renee Bavineau

“Jill Smolowe is an insightful and focused coach. She helped with a transition in my life at a time when I needed to be focused and move forward with my goals. Jill always asked the right questions and held me accountable for what I wanted to do. She was my biggest advocate even when I was not an advocate for myself. Jill is an exceptional coach and I wholeheartedly recommend her.”
–LouAnn Christo

“Jill opened my mind to create ways to move on from phobias, relationships, etc. that have prevented me from reaching goals that seem out of reach. I now feel I have more control.”
–Claire Geddis