Most healthcare providers can agree that nothing fully replaces the magic and energy of in-person sessions. From the moment I enter the room, I can viscerally sense if a person is feeling calm, relaxed, tense, anxious, or nervous. Using that initial energetic feedback, I direct the session in a way that best serves the client.

In March when all in-person visits were halted and transitioned to virtual, I was curious to see how this new model would affect coaching. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover it actually enhanced our sessions in unexpected ways. I didn’t have to worry about masks covering their nose and mouth that could hide micro-expressions and non-verbal cues. New hobbies were revealed through their background environment. I met the dogs they walked twice a day and the cats they cuddled with to relieve their stress at the end of the day. I met their children who were often the reason and motivation to change behavior.

I worked with clients as they moved apartments and slowly watched week-to-week how their new space was becoming more of ‘them’. Bookshelves and planter boxes were built. Picture frames were hung. Plants grew and flourished.

I wasn’t only witnessing the change occurring in the backdrop of my clients’ lives. I was also actively recognizing and celebrating their growth and positive changes they made through this pandemic. They showed me new recipes they’d made, art projects they were working on for self-care, the corner of their home they transitioned into a meditation station, and their makeshift home gyms.

This pandemic has been challenging for all of us. But in my work it is evident that human beings are inherently resilient, flexible, motivated, and creative. We are one of the most adaptable species on the planet. We will adjust. And thrive.

I’m privileged to witness this every day in the work that I do.