Coaching. The Good, the Bad and the Underqualified

Coaching is a boom industry, but how do you separate the good, the bad and the underqualified? Deciding that you want to work with a coach is a big decision, but with over 500 coaching businesses listed in the yellow pages and a Google search returning over ten pages, the challenge is not how to find a coach, but how to find the RIGHT coach for you.

Looking for a professional coach? Make sure you answer these seven questions.

• What is your coach's background?

Whilst a good coach doesn't need to be an expert in your field, they do need to be able to relate to your world. A coach who was previously a musician might be an excellent coach for an executive looking to get back in touch with their creative side, but not at all suitable if you are looking for support in managing and growing business.

Find out if he/she has experienced personal and professional success in their own life, or if coaching is just another thing that they are trying out while they gain their own clarity of direction.

Some coaches specialise in a particular coaching niche. There are executive coaches, business coaches, life coaches, career coaches, creative coaches, spiritual coaches and many, many more. Make sure that your coach specialises in an area consistent with your needs.

• What coach specific training have they taken?

Some people believe that because they have been good at what they do, that they don't need to train before they begin to coach people, however, coaching is a very specific skill set. Being a good coach is not about subject matter expertise, but rather the ability to ask incisive questions to draw out the client's wisdom, in either their personal or professional life.

Coach training programs vary in content and structure, with programs in Australia ranging from one month to two years in duration.

There are no entry requirements for the majority of coach training schools and completing a coach-training program won't guarantee that someone is a good coach. But it does show recognition of the specialist skills of a coach and a commitment to becoming a coach.

• Does your coach 'walk their talk'?

It's important that your coach is an intelligent, motivated person, with strong levels of self-confidence and a robust self-belief - someone who radiates confidence and success.

A lot of people are drawn to the idea of becoming a coach, because they believe they want to help people, but wanting to help someone doesn't necessarily make you a good coach.

A good coach doesn't work from a position of personal need. He/she works as a coach because they recognise that coaching is a good match for their skills and abilities, and that working as a coach provides them with the opportunity to work in a simulating and satisfying role.

• Is your coach a member of the International Coach Federation?

The International Coach Federation is the professional body for coaches. The ICF seeks to build, support and preserve the integrity of professional coaching and in 2005 a regional body representing Australia and New Zealand was established - ICF Australasia (ICFA).

Coaching is currently an unregulated industry and the ICFA plays a crucial role in offering independent internationally recognised credentialing for both coaches and coach training schools. The ICF has also established a code of ethics that all members subscribe to.

Whilst membership to the ICFA is voluntary, membership can be seen as a commitment to professionalism in coaching.

• What do previous and current clients say?

Ask your coach to provide testimonials or references from their previous and current clients. Although some people prefer to keep their coaching relationship private, your coach should be able to provide some references that include a client's full name and occupation or address.

In addition to general positive feedback, client testimonials can also provide valuable insight into a coach's personal style. Look at the words referees use to describe their coaching experience and see if these are words you would like to use to describe your own coaching experience.

A coach that clients describe as sensitive and nurturing might not be the right coach for you if you're looking to create discipline, accountability and motivation, but perfect if you are wanting to build on your self-esteem and confidence.

• Can you experience being coached by your coach before you commit to a full program?

Deciding to undertake a coaching program is a significant commitment of your time, energy and financial resources. Fortunately most professional coaches are willing to offer you an opportunity to try before you buy.

Some coaches offer a 30-60 minute free trial session. Others offer a no obligation introductory meeting to discuss your requirements and provide you with background information about both coaching and your coach as well as offer you the chance to experience 20-30 minutes of being coached.

It's important to realise that a coaching relationship is a long term one, and a complimentary or introductory session is not a chance to see if your coach has all the answers (remember a coach asks the questions, you provide the answers!), but rather a chance for you to decide if the experience of being coached is a positive one, and one that you believe has the potential to meet your expectations.

A professional coach should not use an introductory or complimentary meeting for a 'hard sell', but rather as a chance for you to find out more about coaching and for both of you to get to know each other a little better. A professional coaching program is a partnership - this initial meeting should be used to ascertain whether or not you would like to form one.

• Is there a genuine rapport between you and your coach?

One of the most important things to consider when selecting a coach is the level of comfort and rapport you feel when speaking with him/her. You will be spending quite a bit of time together, so make sure you choose a coach that you instinctively feel you are going to enjoy working with.

A coaching relationship is built on a foundation of trust, honesty and openness, so its critical that your coach is someone you feel you can be 100% honest with. A good coach won't judge or criticise your choices. instead he/she will provide you with the support you need to make decisions that are right for you, be that in your business or personal life.

Consulting, mentoring and coaching - what's the difference?

• A consultant gives you advice about what you should do and how you should do it.
• A mentor tells you what they have done and invites you to learn from their experience.
• A coach supports, challenges and encourages you, while you work out the best thing to do and the most effective way for you to do it.

Domonique Bertolucci ids the founder and principal coach at Success Strategies and is also the Vice President of the international Coach Federation Australasia - NSW Chapter.

For more information on coaching visit www.success-strategies.com.au or call 1300 137 304. To find out more about the International Coach Federation Australasia visit www.ICFAustralasia.com.

Domonique Bertolucci

Working Women, July 2005

Your Best Life

Perth-born Bertolucci was a model who turned corporate banker. Three years ago, she started advising businesses and individuals on how to improve their performance - and not just when it comes to money. This is a self-help book that actually makes sense. Lazy readers will enjoy the chapter summaries and case studies taken from the author's motivational talks.

ABC Life etc , June 2006

Get A Life

Three simple steps are all it takes to live a dream life, according to Sydney-based author and corporate motivator Domonique Bertolucci, 35. Ten years ago, the former model was languishing in a job she hated when she was moved by words of wisdom in a self-help book. "One of the pieces of advice that really inspired me was to stop worrying about what [the job] I was going to do would be called," expalins Bertolucci. From there, she developed the three "success" phases - know where you want to be, what you need to do, and do it - that are the basis of her book, Your Best Life. "Happiness is rarely about a car, a house and a boat. It's about understanding what matters to you most, and asking how you can live a life aligned to those values".

Marie Claire, June 2006

Off The Shelf

Former model Domonique Bertolucci left a top job and a man who loved her to follow her dreams and write her first book.

Q.You wrote Your Best Life. What hinders people from living the best life they can?

A. Not knowing what that life would look like, not having a plan to get there and not being able to stick to the plan they've created. I think people often forget it's a choice and they can choose to live life any way they like. They fail to realise they're choosing to be in a job or a relationship.

Q. Why do they stay if they're not happy?

A. They get caught up in limiting their beliefs about what they believe is possible for the narrrower than it really is and they're held back by that. People are alos afraid of failure and to try something new. It's also a lack of self-belief that you can create what you want and also that you deserve to have it.

Q. Are you living your best life?

A. Absolutely. One important thing to remeber is that it's not just a specific destination: it's not just about where we're headed, but how we live each and every day. For me that means living in a city I love and doing work I love and having a fulfilling relationship and being around people whose company I enjoy and doing yoga and eating well. But for others it will be something completely different.

Q. What role does material success play in happiness?

A. Possessions can give us great pleasure. I don't suggest you need to give them up to find happiness.

Q. What did you have to do to get your best life?

A. I was feeling successful and not satisfied. My life looked great on paper, but I wasn't feeling fulfilled. I was working in the corporate sector in the UK and I was in a relationship with someone who loved me but who wasn't right for me. People would say: "But he loves you. He'd make a good husband' but we weren't the right combination. It was having that self-belief to say: "I believe I can have a soulmate and I'm not going to settle for less than that."

Q. How do you define happiness?

A. I think everyone experiences if differentlyand it's when we're living in alignment with our values. The things that matter most to us are what we are experiencing. That might be freedom for one person, or security for another.

Vanessa Santer

MX, June 21st, 2006

Living Dreams

Domonique Bertolucci wants you to live your best life. Born and raised in Perth, the former fashion model's book Your Best life: the ultimate guide to creating the life you want (Hodder) provides a step-by-step guide and plenty of exercises to help everyone achieve their dream life.

The newly-released book has arisen from her four years as a professional coach.

"The book is an extension of the work I do," Ms Bertolucci said.

"The case studies are real and the exercises are what I would ask my clients to do."

With clients around Australia, the UK and the US, including individuals, corporations and small-to-medium businesses, the author said attitudes to life and business coaching had changed.

"I think more people are realising it's OK to get support," she said.

"It's not for people who are broken, it's for people who are mentally and emotionally happy wanting to get more out of their life or their business.

Top actors and sports people work regularly with coaches, she points out.

"If you want to be the best you can be, why wouldn't you work with a coach?" she said.

Ms Bertolucci modelled in Asia before moving to London.

"I arrived in London at the same time as the 'waif look' started, so not being a waif, I decided to retire gracefully," she said.

Her career change found her in investment banking in London for the next five years, developing a reputation for turning around dysfunctional and under-achieving teams.

In 2003 she resolved to chase her own dream.

She returned to Sydney and started up her coaching business, Success Strategies.

There are three keys to the dream strategy, she says: Know where you want to be; Know what you need to do and do it! In Your Best Life, Ms Bertolucci shows how to use these steps effectively, by creating a detailed plan of action, building motivation and staying power and creating the life you want.

Each chapter includes exercises, case studies and lessons to help overcome obstacles and work through the tough times to achieve the desired goals.

The author said there was a gap in the market for a book such as hers, despite the crowded self-help market.

"A lot of books boost your confidence, but they don't tell you how to get there, while a lot of business books tell you exactly how to get there, but don't inspire you to make the changes required," she said.

"My books works on the internal and external - what you need to do and what you need to become in order to get there.

"Nothing is more exciting than seeing someone achieving something they didn't think was possible. I think that's what's so exciting about the work I do is all the clients are very inspiring because they've made a choice to live their best life.

"It's not about being perfect, it's about being the best you can be."

Western Suburbs Weekly, June 2006

The Best Stress Advice You'll Ever Get

De-stress by: Writing a list

Like us, even Domonique gets stressed. She is familiar with what she calls the 'internal rushing or churning' that screams red alert to a stressed state. When this happens, Domonique says you should stop, breath and write down a list of all things that are connected to your stressful state. The key is to split the list into things that are within your control, and those that are beyond it - and then ignore the latter.

Domonique Bertolucci,

Slimming & Health, August

Make Him Say The C Word

• Avoid Tears and nagging at all costs

According to Domonique Bertolucci, success coach and author of Your Best Life (Hodder Australia, $35), men aren't comfortable with active emotions. "Men often feel that we're using our feelings as a manipulation tool; that we'll behave differently or even cry to get our way," she says.

Bertoliccu says tears and nagging are likely to intimidate partners in the long-run and have them bolting for the door. "If you want your man to take you seriously, don't demonstrate your feelings - describe them. Instead of crying, say, 'It makes me feel like crying.' That way you're approaching the situation as an equal and not as a scheming or 'needy' girlfriend," she advises.

• Rethink your image

"A lot of women make less of an effort once they're comfortable in a relationship," Bertolucci says. "Make a regular attempt to present yourself in a way you think he'll find attractive."

• Don't latch on to him

If you're serious about wanting to be with your man long-term, you're actually going to have do the opposite sometimes - by giving him space. Too much "hanging out together' time will do his head in, make him feel trapped and can even be detrimental to the relationship, says Bertolucci. "One of the biggest relationship killers is only spending time with each other, " she says. "Any man who feels caged in isn't going to sign up for greater commitment, whereas somebody who knows they're free to see their friends, go to football, and so on, is much more likely to."

• Love him for who he really is

Long-term relationships may spell security or eternal happiness in some minds, but be realistic about your future together. "Think of the most annoying thing he does and ask yourself, 'Can I live with this in the years to come?'"Bertolucci says. "Falling in love is the easy part - it's the 'unconditional' part that can become tricky."

Showing your appreciation for the relationship is also valuable. "Demonstrate your affection by doing nice things for him."

• Bond with his family

A guy's family is an extension of him, so you should be making just as much effort with them. "No guy wants to feel as though he has to make a choice, so a genuine connection will mean the world to him - and show him he can have it all," Bertolucci explains. "Get to know them, find common ground and don't look for faults, look for qualities. Having his family tell him how wonderful you are, and that he shouldn't let you go, serves as quite a strong reinforcement," Bertolucci says.

Bessie Recep
Cleo, May 2008

How To Have The Perfect Relationship With Absolutely Everyone...

Be a better colleague (this afternoon)

A few changes in the workplace can make a big difference, according to Domonique Bertolucci.

"Whilst it's true the most important relationshipyou'll have is with yourself, your relationship with your boss comes pretty close. As a success coach, my clients tell me what they think of their boss, delivering a long list of their failings. But when it comes to career success, what you think of your boss doesn't matter as much as what he/she thinks of you.

So what's the fastest way to improve your relationship? See yourself through their eyes. Do you anticipate the boss' needs, support your colleagues and come up with solutions, or are you competitive, quick to put others down and always complaining about things you don't like? You might have an idea about making your monthly reporting process more efficient or decide to take more responsibility in team meetings. It doesn't matter what it is - show your initiative and enthusiasm and you'll be top of the 'promotion' list.

Before I became a coach I worked in the corporate sector where I had to manage large teams of people, navigate organisational politics and resolve petty squabbles, all while keeping my boss happy. The members of my team that were mo9st valuable were the ones who made life easiest. Not easy in a 'lay down and play dead' kind of way, but by meeting my expectations, supporting the team objectives, offering suggestions, and recognising that I was human, too. One of ny colleagues always offered to bring me back some lunch when she was out getting hers, not because it was her job, but because she knew that I might not get a chance to eat at all if she didn't. Small gesture, but it had a big impact."

Domonique Bertolucci,

Newwoman, May 2008

Just Surrender!

Domonique Bertolucci, Sydney-based success coach and author of Your Best Life ($35, Hachette Livre), points out that the whole caper has left women questioning their choices. "After a life of following opportunities because we feel obliged, and then ending up exhausted, we're reacting," she says. "We want to broaden the scorecard of success." Bertolucci says she's definately seen a shift, with clients now seeking a way that's more meaningful and connected.

Sophy Northedge
Womenshealth, May, 2008

Faking it?

"I'll never be good enough for him"

Domonique Bertolucci, personal coach. http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/

• The issue: Even though everything is peachy keen in your relationship, you can't but worry it's all about to come spectularly crashing down
  
  
• The effect: Faking It Phenomenon (FIP) forces people to look for extra reassurance and compliments from their partner. This constant need for validation can be a massive drain on the other person, and when our guy doesn't have the energy to keep pepping us up, we assume we're on the road to Dumpsville.
  
  
• The solution: If you're forever telling yourself you're going to fails, it becomes a self'fulfilling prophecy. Imagine your negative thoughts are a scratched CD that keeps playing the same line over and over. You've got to get your mind to work for you, not against you. So every time you start to doubt yourself, repeat positive thoughts in your head. Your confidence needs to come from within, not from other people.
  
  
• Top tip: Perception has an incredible effect on confidence, so give over-dramatising situations the flick. Be realistic - is the problem really going to matter tomorrow? In a week? Next month? Also, try to avoid dragging past issues into your present and just deal with what's going on in oyur life today. Often, the problem we're stressing about never ever happens.

Gemma Crisp,
Cleo, May 2006

Learn to Leap

"Sometimes it's worth abandoning the security your current situation gives you and taking a leap of faith, to create the life you really want," says Domonique Bertolucci, Sydney-based personal coach and author of Your Best Life .

• Break it down

Just because you've decided to do a major life overhaul, there's no need to rush in and do it all at once. "It's perfectly OK to start with smaller changes and move towards your dreams step-by-step, " Bertolucci says. "Ask yourself, 'What can I do to take me 10 per cent closer to my ideal life/job/career?' When you've conquered that change, move forward another 10per cent and so on, until you're living the life you want."

• Feel the Fear

"By far the biggest thing that gets in the way of people taking risks is fear - fear of failure, rejection, even fear of success," says Bertolucci. "Instead of wasting energy analysing these fears, simply acknowledge them and carry on regardless."

• Celebrate!

Rejoice in your success. If you don't keep up the positive thinking, making changes will become too much like hard work, you'll lose motivation and give up. you have to give yourself credit and have fun when you accomplish something.

Bertolucci suggests putting inspirational words or pictures above your desk at work. "One of the simplest ways to build confidence is to create powerful affirmations, " she says. An affirmation is simply a positive statement that you repeat to yourself at regular intervals. Examples: "I am confident in my future", The greatest tragedy in life is to risk nothing."

Stephanie Hope and Glynis Horning
Cosmopolitan, August 2006

Is Fear limiting your life?

"Fear is the most prominent factor holding people back from reaching their potential in any aspect of life," says life coach and author Domonique Bertolucci (Your Best Life, Hodder, $35. http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/). According to Bertolucci, fear can be broken down into categories: fear of failure and fear of success. Either we're worried everything will go horribly wrong and come crashing down around us, or anxious about how we'll be viewed if we actually do accomplish something spectacular and what might be expected once we've set the bar.

So, why do we get scared? Quite simply, because we care. "It means the issue in question matters," says Bertolucci. "I call it 'scary good'. It means that you're about to take a significant step forward."

Fear factor #1

"I'm terrified of getting my heart broken"

"A broken heart is devastating, but you get over it and come out wiser and stronger," Bertolucci says. "It's crazy to be scared of new relationships because of past experiences - you already know first-hand that you can, and will, recover."

Worst case scenario? You get hurt again. "But," Bertolucci adds, "you pick yourself up and dust yourself off. It might take a week, a month, or longer, but you'll be fine and just as fabulous again."

Fear factor #2

"I'm scared of taking the next step in my relationship"

So how do you know what to do? "People use the expression 'I feel it in my gut' in relation to knowing somethings right or wrong, but I don't think that's a sign of knowing," says Bertolucci. "It's an instinct if you feel it everywhere in your body, but if you just feel it in the pit of your stomach, it's probably fear." If that's the case, you need to find out where the fear originated.

Fear factor #3

"I'm worried I'm not good enough for this promotion"

Career angst is experienced by 99 per cent of people. Fear of failing is an obvious one, nut fear of success can be just as debilitating. Bertolucci says most people worry about the responsibility a new job will bring and whether they'll cope with it. It's also common to get scared of what other people will think of your promotion. "You just need to be committed to always doing the best you can," Bertolucci adds. If you do, you'll have no regrets. Remember: you wouldn't have been hired if your employer didn't think you could cut it.

Fear factor #4

"I hate the idea of a huge loan hanging over my head"

"There are two different kinds of debt - constructive debt and non-constructive. Credit card debt is non-constructive. It's not adding any value to your life," Bertolucci explains. "But a mortgage is constructive debt and actually helps you get ahead for the future."

As long as you've done the sums, are confident you can handle the monthly repayments and have gotten some financial advice from an independent source, then you really shouldn't have anything to worry about. "Very few people in Australia go hungry," she adds. "The standard of living is so high and we all live such an abundant life, what we're probably afraid of is not being able to get a new iPod."

Fear factor #5

"I've got a great business idea, but what if it fails?"

This is actually a situation where fear can make you smarter and stronger. Ask yourself exactly why you're afraid. What's the worst case scenario? How would you handle the situation if it came to that? Now you're prepared, use that fear to motivate yourself into working your hardest to not let it happen. "Feel the fear and carry on regardless. Write up a really good business plan and see if your idea and the numbers stack up," says Bertolucci. "You may never get over that fear, but if you're willing to take the risk and are comfortable with the consequences, there shouldn't be anything stopping you."

Fear factor #6

"I'm petrified people won't like me"

"As humans, one of our ingrained needs is for approval. Developing a sense of belief in yourself that isn't dependent on anybody else's approval will mean you can face so many of your fears head-on," says Bertolucci. The most important lesson? Understanding that fear is normal, then using it to motivate (instead of destroy) you. "So many people use fear as an excuse for not doing something. It's just a feeling - it has no impact on your actions unless you choose to give it power."

Sarah Gawthorne

Cleo, July 2006

Copycat Friends: Have you hooked a mini-me?

"Most copycat behaviour is totally harmless, but occasionally it can develop into something sinister," says Domonique Bertolucci. "It's really important to trust your instincts - if you feel your friend's behaviour is becoming obsessive tell someone!" Are they taking over your life? Have they become so dependent on you, you're feeling claustrophobic? Do they constantly place tabs on you? Do they pretend to be your PA, making all your plans? While their heart might be in the right place, their practise of not allowing you space to be 'you' could result in a major falling out.

"Don't be afraid to let her know that her lack of originality is frustrating you," advises Domonique. "Although she might be doing it on purpose, many people don't even realise that they have become a copycat. Don't be afraid to talk to your parents or speak to your school counsellor." If talking isn't your thing, try putting the brakes on your friendship. And if it's a sitch where she's someone you kinda know, then getting someone else's advice is a good idea. "Try looking out for things that she does differently to you and make sure you compliment her on those - that way she knows that you like her for her, not for who she is trying to be," adds Domonique. Most importantly: don't change you!

Oops I copied again

If you feel like you're changing too much to fit in with new friends, feel like you have a put-on personality or are constantly appearing false, take a rain check on yourself. "If your family and old friends start saying things like, 'You've changed,' 'I don't know what has gotten into you lately' and 'You're just not yourself anymore,' listen to them!" warns Domonique. It pays to develop your own taste otherwise you could ruin your friendships for good.

Ella Beck,

Girlfriend, August 2004

Fall In Love With Fitness

Think yourself fit

"A big part of getting fit is mind over matter," says personal coach Domonique Bertolucci. "If you think it's going to be a hard slog, it will be." Feed yourself positive messages like, "I'm fit and I feel great" or "I look as good as I feel" and keep repeating them. "The best news: exercise releases endorphins and regulates serotonin, giving you a natural high," Bertolucci adds. "The more you exercise, the better you feel."

Felicity Percival

Cosmopolitan, November, 2004

A Crash Course In Sales When The Product Is You

Personal branding doesn't involve turning you into a product, says personal coach Domonique Bertolucci. "It's about tweaking the areas that are negatively affecting your life. It's not about being perfect, it's about being the best you can be. Think of yourself as the marketing manager of You Inc and decide on the three things you want people to recall instantly when they think of you."

If your professional life needs tweaking, the first step is to sit down and work out what your goals are. Then give yourself a performance review to see if you're on the right rack. "You should look at the leaders int he profession or company," suggests Bertolucci. "Look at what they're recognised for and use that as a benchmark to evaluate your personal brand. Compare their communication and presentation skills, time management abilities, performance and efficiency with your own and set yourself a few improvement goals. If your problem is that you're being overlooked for promotion, take a look at the people who are moving up - is there anything they're doing differently to you?"

It's also important to remember that old motto: "Dress for success". "While the surface stuff isn't a replacement for good quality work, people often make quick judgements about what your work is going to be like based on how you present yourself," says Bertolucci.

While it's not a good idea to go around shaving your new brand in people's faces, there's nothing worse than contradicting the new message with your actions. "It's important to actually be the new brand an confirm it in the way you speak and act," point out Bertolucci.

Gemma Crisp

Cleo, November 2004

So Stressed! Crazy Busy! Totally Nuts!

According to personal coach Domonique Bertolucci, founder of Sydney-based Success Strategies (http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/), "There can be a sense of satisfaction in knowing that you're doing better than someone else. But this feeling can have a destructive effect on your relationship with friends and colleagues."

"Many people talk about how stressed that are as a way of getting attention," says Bertolucci. "But it's better to appear in control." Many people dive into stressful situations because it creates a buzz of being wanted. But this feeling can be very addictive. "Getting stressed releases adrenalin into your system, which gives you a short-term high," she adds. "This natural high can be just as addictive as an illegal high. It makes you chase after stress, just like a junkie would chase after their next fix."

"Don't kid yourself that you're creating stress because you work best under pressure," advises Bertolucci. "There's a difference between positive stress (eustress) and negative stress (distress). Competitive stress disorder is negative stress and has the same set of health risks."

"Don't worry about things you can't control - it's a waste of energy," says Bertolucci. "If you concentrate on developing your inner confidence, it won't matter what everyone else thinks."

Felicity Percival

Cleo, September 2004

Fire Your Inner Critic

"Women are our own worst enemies in a way that men aren't," says life coach Domonique Bertolucci (http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/). "Men are quick to find fault in each other, whereas women find fault within themselves. Your inner critic is tied closely to your beliefs about yourself, about how you operate in the world, what's okay and what's not. Left unchecked, those beliefs can have a powerful negative effect on how we see ourselves. That's when the inner critic is born. Everyone has one, but it's up to you how big a voice you give it.

From critic to cheerleader

If that inner critic is holding you back, it's time to do something about it. The first step is the easiest one: realise that the voice is a separate entity. It may be inside you, but it's not you - and it has no right to rule your life.

"Recognise that you have an inner critic which is constantly putting you down," advises Bertolucci. "Then examine the messages it's giving you and look at where they're coming from." If it's telling you you're fat, what's the basis? Do you just need to lose a kilo or two, and your inner critic isn't putting it nicely? Or is there nothing wrong with your body - you just don't like it because it's not Cameron Diaz's?

"If there is validity in the message, coach your critic to present it to you in a positive way," says Bertolucci. "Instead of saying 'You're fat', it'll say 'Try to eat healthily tonight' or 'You're going to the gym today.'

"If the messages have no substance, replace them with alternative ones, so your inner critic starts to think differently. If it's saying you're fat when you're not, then the affirmation might be 'I'm healthy, I'm fabulous.' Teach it to talk to you in a more positive way."

"Your inner critic is a bully. The moment you catch your critic giving you a negative message, replace it with a positive one," says Bertolucci. "And don't make the mistake of comparing yourself to other people - it just gives the voice an excuse to speak. Concentrate on being the best you can be, not what someone else wants you to be."

"Your inner voice will never go away," adds Bertolucci. "But it's your choice as to whether you want that voice to be a critic or a cheerleader. You can control that dialogue, so you make the rules."

Gemma Crisp
Cleo April 2005

5 Happy-Life Lessons You Need to Know Now

Life Lesson #1 "Don't rely on other to make you happy."

"Your happiness and fulfilment has to come from within," says personal coach Domonique Bertolucci (http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/). "It can't come from meeting society's expectations, it has to come from meeting your own. It's all about the positive attitude you bring to your choices," she explains.

Gemma Crisp

Cleo, October 2005

Cleo Life Coach

Q:"I've always been really indecisive. How can I take control?" - Amanda, ACT

A: When you're going through a confidence slump, it can be difficult to make even the simplest decision. We lose faith in our abiloity to work out what's right for us. But you should remeber there are only two types of decisions ifn life: important ones and unimportant ones. Ask yourself, "is this decisoin going to matter in ten years?" If the decision is not a major one, just make a choice and go for it! For bigger questions, work out your values. When you know what really matters to you, deciding what to do will become easy.

This month's expert is Domonique Bertolucci, personal coach and director of Success Strategies, http://www.domoniquebertolucci.com/.

Cleo, January 2005

When The Weight Comes Back

Unexpected events

"You can't always control life - it'll always get in the way," says life coach, Domonique Bertolucci. "Life keeps on going so you have to keep on going. There will always be birthdays and dinners and other events that you have to learn to deal with."

If there is a special occasion coming up, Domonique suggests inviting people to your place so you can control the menu, rather than being at the mercy of a restaurant or someone else's cooking.

When more serious events happen, such as a death in the family or a relationship breakdown, Domonique suggests it can be very useful to keep a food diary - record your emotions as well as what you eat and when you eat it, so you can identify the problem areas.

If you've succumbed to a fad diet and the weight has returned, Domonique suggests re-starting your weight loss plan with a broader goal in mind than just dropping a dress size. Think in terms of looking after your health, rather than just losing weight, in order to meet your goals. "Like saving money, looking after your health is something we all feel we should do. But if you're saving money for a car, it is easier, just as looking after your health is easier if you have big goals in mind," says Domonique.

"Look for goals that will really benefit your life, rather than trying to fit into a dress in time for a party. I had a client who lost weight with the goal of joining a golf club and getting fit for life that way."

Any time you put weight back on, but especially if it has returned during a plateau phase, Domonique recommends "getting back to basics."

"Remember what you were doing right back when you started losing weight. It can be a wake-up call," she says. "Keep a food diary and start afresh."

"Getting back to basics also means reincorporating exercise into your day," says Domonique. "Get off the sofa and do something - doing 15 minutes of exercise a day is better than doing none. If you used to get up at 6.30 to exercise, but now you're sleeping until 7.30, start by getting up at 7.15 and doing 15 minutes of exercise, than gradually start getting up earlier and earlier. It'll become easier as you remember how good it made you feel."

Getting back to eating well again and doing regular exercise is important, but Domonique says not to forget the mental aspect of weight loss. "Often people find they are no longer engaged with the reason why they wanted to lose weight," Domonique explains. 'To get re-engaged, ask yourself what losing weight will mean to you. If you can remind yourself of this, it can help. For most people, they want the exterior to reflect the interior - if they are feeling confident and successful, they want this to be reflected in their body and their health and fitness."

Domonique's get back-on-track tips

1. Don't beat yourself up -feeding your self-esteem with negative messages will only make matters worse.
2. If you fall off the wagon, get back on...sensibly! Never resort to a crash diet. Make a sensible plan for what you need to change in order to get back on that track and follow that.
3. Focus on the reward - decide how you will reward yourself when your weight loss is back on track and focus on this, rather than obsessing over the fact that you have gained weight.
4. Be an inspiration to yourself. Remind yourself why you wanted to lose weight and how good you felt when you were on track.
5. Live and learn - look at the environment and events that lead up to your weight gain and put in place a strategy that makes sue the same factors don't get the chance to affect your progress ever again.

Georgia Lewis
Slimming Magazine, July 2004

So You Want To...Negotiate More Money

It all comes down to reasonable expectations, say Domonique Bertolucci, director of Success Strategies and author of Your Best Life.

"You have to be clear as to why you want a certain amount of money and what's reasonable to ask for. If the average salary for a particular job is $60,000 you can probably forget asking for $120,000, but you may be able to make a compelling case for $70,000."

Make a strong case

Don't think about remuneration in terms of what you need to pay the mortgage. "This isn't a compelling business reason to ask for a certain amount of pay," Bertolucci says. "Look at what the role is paying in your particular industry sector, but also have a look outside your industry and company salaries. This way, you'll be ready with some solid research."

Build up to it

Don't appear too eager to talk money, Bertolucci cautions. "The general rule in negotiations is that the person who asks the money question first has the least power in the negotiation.
"The minute the money is on the table, the person answering has a point to debate. It's like a duel. You ideally want to be the one responding in this discussion."

She advises people not to ask about money at the first interview. But make sure you have done your research so that if you're asked about it, you have a prepared response.

Have a margin to play with

"Ask for a little more than what you want. For example, ask for 10 per cent more than you want so you have 10 per cent to play with. In this way you will often get what you want."

And always put it in a way so that it doesn't create the impression you're all about the money. "Start by saying you would hope the salary package would include your benefits or that you're looking for an investment to be made in your development. Then, in the second interview, ask what sort of salary package is being offered."

Who's better at playing the money game?

"Men", Bertolucci says. "[They] find it easier to ask for what they want as they don't see it as a reflection on their personality. Women, on the other hand, don't want to appear greedy."

That isn't to say women can't be good money negotiators. "It's all about putting in greater preparation and getting really clear in your mind about what your attributes are," she says.

The key is to know your own value and be able to clearly articulate what that is.

"Most employers now recognise that their people are their biggest asset, so don't be afraid going into this type of negotiation. Instead, be prepared by thinking about different options in the negotiation, such as 'okay you can't pay the money I want, but would the company pay for these four courses this year?"

"Or maybe you could ask for different working hours or extra holidays. Never be afraid to think laterally."

Margie Sheedy,

Sydney Morning Herald, Careers, 24th June 2006

Life - Take The Cake

Start fresh

"The first thing to do is leave the past in the past," says Domonique Bertolucci, life coach and founder of Success Strategies in Sydney. "Don't dwell on past failures. You're just feeding yourself negative dialogue."

Be positive

"You don't have to go all New Age or pretend things are better than they are, but it does help when you're nice to yourself, especially if you're striving for a particularly difficult goal. Bertolucci recommends you listen carefully to your inner dialogue. "We fall into bad habits, continually criticising ourselves," she says.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't be self-reflective, it's just that beating yourself up about shortcomings doesn't help you. Bertolucci's advice? "Don't speak to yourself more harshly than you would a small child," she says. "You need to guard your self-esteem as you would theirs."

Define your goal

"Figure out what it is you really want and then define your goal.

Be realistic

"Unrealistic goals are a recipe for failure. You want to make a million dollars by next year? Get in line and prepare to be disappointed. "When we set unrealistic goals we know we've failed before we start," says Bertolucci. Worse still this can cause us to become unmotivated and our negative spiral towards the self-pity sofa begins.

Consider the obstacles

"Inertia or the comfort of the status quo can also be debilitating. "Ask yourself if, on some level, not achieving your goals is working for you," says Bertolucci. For example, are you avoiding pursuing your interest in art history because you'll have to change your nightly routine? Change will be a part of achieving almost any goal. Accept it and embrace it.

Write it down

"When you document your goal it gives it a new level of power and accountability," says Bertolucci.

Celebrate your success

"And when you reach your final goal, celebrate your success - you deserve it.

Margie Borschke
Family Circle, November 2005

Know How

Catch a falling star

Few businesses can afford to carry non-performing staff, so a conversation about performance should happen sooner rather than later. A director and principal coach at Success Strategies, Domonique Bertolucci, advises her clients to set a time limit for the problem to resolve itself naturally; for example, make a note to take the matter further in four weeks if the situation has not changed. The benefit of leaving it for four weeks rather than three months is that the conversation is not as serious and disciplinary action does not tend to come into the picture. "You can treat it as blip rather than a crisis," Bertolucci says. The first encounter should be a mixture of offering support and a gentle kick in the behind.

Bertolucci stresses the need to keep the initial discussion non-threatening, along the lines of "you don't appear to be as sparky as you were and what can we do to change that". "It might be something as simple as they are exhausted and need a break," she says. Alternatively, it may turn out that their job has stopped being challenging and they are too bogged down in the day-to-day. They may need a new more challenging role to keep their fires burning. "Remember, you are dealing with high performers and they are driven by their sense of success."

Emily Ross
BRW Magazine, Leadership, July 2005

Prize Ego

Listen up

Domonique Bertolucci, a Sydney business coach, often advises a different version of the 360. She gets clients to send a blanket email to around 30 friends, relatives and colleagues, saying they're pursuing self-development and asking the recipients to list three positive words to describe them.

"So often we take our strengths for granted, and I get them to build on that. For example, if the client got 30 responses saying she was sensitive, we'd look at how she might need to be a bit more outgoing, while acknowledging that sensitivity is a strength."

Creative questioning

Bertolucci has one of the more creative ways to check the accuracy of your self-perception. Like all coaching practises, it raises awareness through questioning.

"To get clients to accurately assess their behaviour at certain events I get them to look at what they wanted versus what they did. It can be very surprising."

Bertolucci then gets them to explain to someone on Mars what a person with their quality would display in their outward behaviour.

"If I have a client who wants to be perceived as friendly, I ask them to explain to someone on Mars what 'friendly' would look like. For example, a friendly person would smile, be interested in people, appear relaxed. They do a constant comparison with what they've been doing. It gives them a solution to why they aren't getting the results they're after and how they can change it."

Bertolucci has a client who was anxious at the political correctness of telling his employee her dress sense was wrong. Bertolucci then took the girl to a conference and asked her to name the best-dressed speakers, then sought further detail as to how their hair, make-up and clothes worked well for them.

"I also gave her homework to watch TV programs where people appeared successful, and she started changing the way she dressed for her job. It was a much more empowering way to teach her because the awareness came from an inner shift, not from telling her what to do."

Louisa Deasey

The Sunday Telegraph, Body and Soul, 4th June 2006

Tuning Out

In today's world of constant communication, it's important to learn how to drown out the noise.

Domonique Bertolucci, a Sydney lie coach and author of Your Best Life (Hachette Livre), says silent time is important for absolutely everyone to reconnect with their authentic values.

"Daily life throws lots of situations at us where we're asked to compromise our values," she says. "The only way to reconnect is to take time out to be quiet with yourself."

Bertolucci recommends a regular "reboot", whether that be a half-day with the phone switched off, or a longer one-week break every few months. "I also think it's so important to start and end every day quietly; it helps you to be intentional about how you would like the day to go."

Louisa Deasey

The Sunday Telegraph, Body and Soul, 2nd March 2008

A Wasted Youth

Why Women Drink

Domonique Bertolucci is a Sydney based personal coach, and author of the book Your Best Life (Hodder). She says that two culprits are stress and poor role models.

"The average person has a higher stress level than ever before, and alcohol provides a short-term release, " Bertolucci explains. "This increase in stress is caused by a number of things, including work-related pressures, pressures from the media and advertising to look a certain way, and the pressure to be sexy and relaxed with the opposite sex."

When it comes to role models, Bertolucci says that continual reporting of "it girl" bad behaviour and binge drinking in the media normalises it among young women. "Every week there is another story about Paris [Hilton] falling down drunk, or Lindsay [Lohan] collapsing in a club," she says. "Young women see it as acceptable or even an aspirational way to behave."

Bertolucci says that drinking can overflow into many other areas of life. "You may find that you compromise the goals you have - you might blow your budget, ruin your diet, or damage a relationship by being unfaithful," she says.

"And turning up to work with a hangover will definitely impact your ability to perform to your full potential, compromising your goals for your career."

Getting Help

If you feel that you're drinking too much, one thing you can do is try to identify the reasons behind your behaviour. Bertolucci suggests paying attention to your "inner voice" before you take your first drink.

"You may find that you are having internal conversations about being stressed, being uncomfortable or shy, worrying about your appearance or feeling insecure," she says. "By understanding what you are thinking before you drink, you will have a clearer idea about what issue you are trying to resolve by drinking excessively.

"Instead of using alcohol as a quick fix, you can begin to work on reducing stress levels, building your self-esteem and social confidence or any other area of your personal development that may need attention."

Joanna Hall

The Sunday Telegraph, Body and Soul, 17th December 2006

Star Bright

While we can't all afford specialist help on the celebrity scale, success coach Domonique Bertolucci, director of www.SuccessStrategies.com.au and author of Your Best Life (Hodder), says learning to delegate the things you don't do well is a valuable skill.

"If a certain area of your life is a weakness, employing a specialist will help you transform it into a strength and raise your quality of life," she says.

Bertolucci also advises individuals to outsource work which doesn't bring in the greatest financial return, therefore freeing you up to earn money doing work that pays off. So have a think - does three hours of ironing take you away from more financially (and emotionally) rewarding tasks?

Louisa Deasey
The Sunday Telegraph, Body and Soul, 1st July 2007

Power to the Positive

Life coach and author of the popular goal-setting book, Your Best Life, Domonique Bertolucci, said positive thinking was all about taking a positive perspective on situations and outcomes.

"If you don't believe that what you are doing is going to be successful, or that you have the right to succeed, then you are going to have a hard time creating that," Ms Bertolucci said.

"It doesn't mean that you are naive or that you refuse to acknowledge that things can go wrong; it's about learning from disappointments and knowing that you can dust yourself off very quickly and get on with it."

Monica Videnieks
The West Australian, Mind & Body, 14th November 2006

Your Time Starts Now

Domonique Bertolucci personal coach and executive coach

My earliest memory is... my youngest brother being born. He's four years younger than me and I remember just bursting with love for him, simply because he was my brother.

At school I... got in trouble for talking too much. If you look back at what your teachers were always telling you not to do at school, it's a great insight into your strengths, talents or passions.

I wish I'd never worn... fluorescent pink in the 80's. Or, for that matter, fluorescent orange, blue and green.

I'm very bad at... anything that requires hand-eye co-ordination. When I was nine, I was sent home from school with a note for my mother: "Domonique is very good at reading. Tonight for homework would you please practise catching."

My mother always told me... I could be anything I wanted to be as long as it made me happy.

My father always told me... I could be anything I wanted to be as long as it was a lawyer!

My last meal would be... my nonna's gnocchi.

At home I cook... to keep up the wonderful Italian tradition of feeding the people you love.

I don't like talking about... politics. I was taught: "If you don't have anything nice to say..."

When I was a child I wanted to ... be Wonder Woman.

My favourite gadget is... my Palm Treo. It helps me be in two places as once and is the closest thing I've found to a time machine.

The book that changed my life is... Wishcraft by Barbara Sher. I read it during my quarter-life crisis and it helped me to stop worrying about what I was going to do with my life and just start living it.

It's not fashionable, but I love... wearing woolly socks to bed.

If only I could... sing. Unfortunately I'm not tone deaf, so I know precisely how bad I am.

I'm always being asked... if I ever have a bad day. Of course I have, but what matters is how fast you can recover from one. My recovery time is pretty good.

Friends say I am... the most positive person they know.

I often wonder... why more people don't realise that you really do create your own reality. You can have everything you truly what in life, if you're willing to work for it.

Sydney Morning Herald, Good Weekend Magazine, 28th October 2006

All For The Best

Domonique Bertolucci is convinced that everyone can aspire to live life to the full. She talks about her first book, Your Best Life, to Rosamund Burton.

Bertolucci's office is on the fourth floor of a renovated building next door to Louis Vuitton on King Street in the heart of Sydney's CBD. Domonique, who is in her mid 30s, is originally from Perth with Italian heritage. She her thick jet black hair, large eyes and glistening white teeth. She is wearing pearl earrings, a tailored black jacket and a grey skirt with a black flower motif embroidered on it. On her foot is a tattoo.

"The Chinese characters mean truth, love and wisdom," she explains. "I got it in New York. It was a celebration of change. The idea of having it on my foot was I would always walk forward with truth, love and wisdom.

"When I was a child I wanted to be Wonder Woman," she tells me. "But when aged about nine I realised that you didn't grow up to be Wonder Woman because she was a cartoon character, I became interested in television and film." This ignited her interest in being a star. It was not until she was thirteen that she realised that movie stars were actually actors.

"It was a lifestyle aspiration," she admits now. "Movie stars are well paid. They have great clothes. They get to work in different countries and their work is in demand." She told her school guidance counsellor that she was going to be a star.

"After school she did two years of a BA before realising her heart wasn't in it. She was doing some modelling work while at university, so decided to move to Sydney to pursue that career, and had contracts both here and in Asia. Aged twenty-two she went to London.

"I arrived at the same time as the waif look," Bertolucci recalls. "When I was asked to lose a stone and I was at the bottom end of what's healthy for my height I decided to retire gracefully."

She registered with a temp agency, and because she had learnt book-keeping and could speak fluent Italian, landed a position as an accounts clerk for an international organisation on a tax-free salary. With a well-paid job and being in a steady relationship, it looked as though she had it all. "I was successful but not satisfied, " she says now. "I had a lovely boyfriend but he was not right for me, and the job wasn't right either."

So she left both her job and her man and took a position in Luxemburg as a junior accountant for a fund manager. On her first day the company finance officer gave her a problem to solve. She did that successfully and also offered advice on how to prevent this particular issue from recurring. The CFO became the managing director and employed Domonique as her special projects person.

"If you always give the best of yourself you'll always be able to make the most of opportunities," she reflects. "I ruffled feathers during this time, but if you are going to live your best life you'll ruffle feathers."

After working in Luxemburg for eight months she was in a position to work in project management and also consultancy. She decided from then on rather than accepting permanent employment to always take contract work. She also always chose contracts that provided her with a learning opportunity, and worked with prestigious companies such as the BBC and Credit Suisse First Boston.

She realised that what really interested her was motivating people and getting the best out of them, so in 2001 she trained as a coach. She met her husband, who is also from Perth, while in London, and in 2003 they moved to Sydney and Domonique set up her coaching business, Success Strategies. Today she has clients in the USA, UK and throughout Australia, and also has a small team of coaches.

Your Best Life is a step-by step guide for the reader to achieve his or her goals, and there are exercises to do throughout the book. Much of the emphasis is on appreciating what you already have in life, and also recognising the difference between true goals and fantasy aspirations. There are straightforward instructions on how to achieve small changes in life to long-term goals.

"The book is based on what I've learnt," Domonique explains. "It took 210 hours to write and edit, and for part of that time I rented a small apartment on the Queensland coast and tapped away on the laptop, like Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone."

With her own successful business, a happy marriage and publication of her first book, she is living proof that you can create your dream life, and she certainly is the star of her own life.

Rosamund Burton
Goodreading, Mind Body Spirit, September 2006

Goal Getting

Coaches traditionally help us to get the most out of sport but what about life?

Domonique Bertolucci said there are three simple steps to achieving your goals:

1. Know where you want to be
   
2. Know what you need to do
   
3. Do it
   

The first step is to write down your goal. Bertolucci points to a  1953 Yale study where students were asked if they had written down their goals. Only 3 percent answered yes.  Twenty years on, the participants were contacted again and the researchers found that the three percent who had written down their goals had amassed more material wealth than the remaining 97 percent put together.

" Simply by writing them down you are having a greater chance of getting them and doing something about it; the more you can see your goal the more effective it will be", Bertolucci told Mind&Body.

"You're communicating with your subconscious about your expectations and that tends to compel you to start putting it into action."

Goals can and should be set in all areas of your life, Bertolucci said. " You only have one life, so it's important that you love it," she writes at the start of her book.

Monica Videnieks

The West Australian, Mind & Body, 27th June 2006 

The Big Steal

Are you forever running late, 

wishing you could swipe some extra time for yourself? 

Australia's busiest women show you how

DOMONIQUE BERTOLUCCI

"Generally, people underestimate the amount the length of any task by two-thirds. Therefore, when they write a to-do list, they set themselves up for failure - and for frantic times filled with stress.

"I've learned to set myself up for success. I write my to-do list and then multiply the time I've allocated to each task by three. If that means I can't realistically tackle everything I'd hoped to do that day, so be it. I then take the time to work out what my priorities are and decide which tasks my energy needs to be directed into."

Weight Watchers Magazine September 2005

All Work... No Play

5 Simple steps to get your life back in balance  

 DOMONIQUE BERTOLUCCI

1. Get a LIFE! 

The most important thing you can do if you find that you are having no life outside of work is to create a life outside of work.  Start making plans for your recreation time and stick to them. Enrol in that class you have always wanted to take, arrange to meet a friend for a movie or commit to a gym class or personal trainer.

 

The trick is to schedule these events into your diary and then commit to them in the same way that you would any other appointment during your busy week.  

The more reasons you have for finishing your working day, the easier it will be to finish your work for that day.

2. Get Clear About Your Priorities 

Whether you work for yourself of for an employer, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that work is the most important thing in your life.  There are deadlines to meet, customers to keep happy, issues to resolve and bills to pay.

It’s important to remember that work is what you do, not who you are; it is just one of the many roles you play in life. You need to take the time to honour the other roles that you play and to make time for the wide range of activities that are part of being a well-rounded person.

3. Manage Expectations

One of the most important things that you can do to bring more balance into your life is to manage the expectations of others.  Just because your clients, customers or boss says “jump”, doesn’t mean that you have to say “how high”!

Get proactive and start informing people of what they can reasonably expect from you and by when.  Develop the habit of saying ‘I can get back to you with that quote tomorrow’,  ‘I can get that report to you within the week’ and ‘I’m really happy to take that (project) on, but I will need to reprioritise some of my other tasks’.

Remember to under-promise and over deliver. That way everyone will be happy, including you!

4. Get Creative 

When you are working at a hectic pace, it can feel like there literally is no time to fit in the other things that you would like to be doing, like catching up with friends, exercising or simply taking time out to relax.

Look at different ways you can keep your social life going. You could meet a friend for breakfast before work, or combine socialising with exercise by asking your girlfriends to join you for a power walk at lunchtime, or a group personal training session.

5. Aim for Overall Balance 

Don’t worry too much if every single day of your life is not in total balance. What you want to aim for is overall balance.  Aim to achieve balance over the course of the week, the month or even the year.  

You could work late on a Tuesday night, so that you can finish work early on a Friday.  If you have to work long hours one month, you could schedule a series of long weekends the following month, and if you find that your whole year has been crazy, make sure you book a long holiday or even a sabbatical the following year.

It’s important to remember that there will always be more work to do, and that there will never really be a good time to take time off – so just do it!  You will feel so much better in the long run.

First published in Working Woman Magazine - Winter 2006

2008 Media List

Radio

• May 08 Radio MixFM – Regular guest
  
• Sept 08 Macquarie Regional Radio Network – ‘Talking Back the Night’ with Jamie McDonald
• Sep 08 Eagle FM – ‘Home Run with Robbo’ with Daniel ‘Robbo’ Robinson
• Jan 08 ABC Radio - North West Mornings with Lachie Macara
• Jan 08 ABC Radio - ABC Radio Kimberley Mornings program with Miranda Tetlo

Print

• Feb 08 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph)
  
• Mar 08 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph)
  
• May 08 New Woman Magazine
  
• May 08 Cleo Magazine
  
• May 08 Women’s Health Magazine
  
• Aug 08 Cleo Magazine
• Aug 08 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph)
• Sept 08 Cleo Magazine
• Oct 08 Madison Magazine
• Dec 08 Cleo Magazine

2007 Media List

Television

• Mar 07  Sunrise – Channel Seven
  

Radio

• Nov 07 Nova Radio – Akmal Show with Cal Wilson (Sydney)
  
• Nov 07 Mix FM Radio – Breakfast with Tim and Tracey (Sydney)
  

Print

• Feb 07 AFR Boss Magazine (Australian Financial Review)
  
• April 07 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph)
  
• July 07 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph)
  

2006 Media List

Television

• Feb 06   Sunrise – Channel Seven

 Radio

• June 06 ABC Radio National – Life Matters
• June 06 Radio Curtin FM 100.1 (WA)
• June 06 Radio RTRFM 92.1 (WA)

 Print

• May 06 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph) 
• June 06 Marie Claire Magazine  
• June 06 Careers - Sydney Morning Herald 
• June 06  Life Etc Magazine
• June 06 Working Woman Magazine 
• June 06 Slimming & Health Magazine
• June 06 MX Newspaper  
• June 06 Western Suburbs Weekly
• June 06  Mind & Body (The West Australian) 
• July 06 Cleo Magazine
• July 06 Body + Soul (The Sunday Telegraph) 
• Aug 06  Cosmopolitan Magazine
• Sept 06  Cleo Magazine  
• Oct 06 Good Weekend (SMH / The Age)
• Nov 06 Mind & Body (The West Australian) 
• Dec 06 Body + Soul