Our Philanthropy: Transition Makeovers

Where are They Now? January 2008

You read about them before and now that they have completed the Midlife Transition Makeover Program, a brief update about the six most recent participants follows. Please note that these Transition Makeover participants will give a brief update, one each month, at the beginning of each salon in Orange County. You will have a chance to hear each one talk about her personal experiences and share her transition story with you.

The underlying reason that Mary Carbone wrote her letter and became a makeover candidate was because she really needed a job. She had been unemployed for more than a year. She was facing critical times financially and emotionally and she was worried that she did not appear self-confident, though she knew she had good job skills.

Mary met with life coach, Joan Stavale, who taught her life skill tools that have helped her in both her personal and working relationships. Mary had actually found a job just as the program began, so her career coach, Ann Coil, helped her strategize advancement in the new job and helped her design a growth plan. However, Mary left the position just as the Transition Makeover program ended. This time around, though, unemployment is not proving to be the overwhelming affront to Mary’s self worth as it was before. She has learned the guideposts to help her and she has WomanSage friends to stand by her. She is looking for her next career move with her own personal plan in hand.

She ended a recent communication by saying, "I have learned to take deep breaths, be positive, smile sincerely and enjoy life each day." Watch for Mary Carbone’s update.

Katy Cutter found a position in the field of her dreams, working with the aging population and being able to apply the benefits of her recent academic training. However, an unexpected back injury on the job "froze her life." It prevented her from being offered a permanent position until her medical problems were resolved. Prior to applying for a Transition Makeover, Katy had been impacted by downsizing and had used the opportunity to move from her 25-year career in finance to study for her Masters in gerontology. After her degree, she discovered that there are major differences in the salaries for the two fields, especially for someone just starting out.

Katy worked with her life coach, Liz Barbour, to unravel her medical hurdles from the career issues she faced. She spent time on the work assignments she was given by her coach and has regained the confidence she had lost. Life coaches share that the term, coach, is used for a reason. The work must be done and it takes discipline and action to get through. And time.

Katy is no longer frozen and is now able to make her next career move based on her own plan. Katy will report on the moves ahead in her career path.

Jacene Deratany faced many losses before connecting with WomanSage. She had survived cancer three times. Her 32-year marriage had ended in divorce. She faced financial, emotional and personal losses and ended up moving to Orange County to care for her aging parents, as she sought to rebuild her life. She has emerged from the sessions with her life coach, Carol Draper, with renewed vigor, passion and a plan.

She is choosing to continue her work with children in the school district where she has been employed and is expanding her tutoring service from that base. This is where she will make her career.

She has disengaged from the active role of day-to-day, part-time, paid caregiver for her parents and has encouraged them to hire someone else to take over that responsibility. She can now play the role of daughter to her parents, rather than their constant, hands-on caregiver. Jacene used the opportunity of the Transition Makeover to investigate other potential career avenues for which her career coach, Ann Coil, identified she was suited. An "informational interview" with WomanSage member, Lisa Amick, who is involved in the hotel industry, helped Jacene reach the conclusion that the hospitality industry, though appealing, would not be a good choice for her. Anyone need a tutor?

An artist and illustrator and art teacher, Michele Liem, is finding her way to make these three roles her main career and income streams. Oh, she is still a waitress and does work in the field of real estate, both jobs she has held for many years. However, the career coach helped her define the plan that would make her talent in art the major way she will earn enough to support herself and her three children, who are under the age of twelve. She has connected with a WomanSage member, photographer, Julie Diebolt-Price, who is helping photograph her art and helping Michele develop her web site: www.micheleliem.net. Michele is trudging through the divorce with its emotional and financial conflicts and WomanSage is providing support here as well. Thanks to career coach Ann Coil and financial advisor, Delia Fernandez. Some transitions take longer than others.

Diana Olson took time off from her job at a large insurance company to recover from her caregiving role after her mother’s death. She had worked all the while her mother suffered from uterine cancer, taking precious time to be her caregiver at the same time juggling her full-time career and being a wife and mother. She did not realize how difficult it would be to find a job again and was surprised that a position with her former employer, was not available.

Dianne Prentise, her life coach, helped Diana review her goals in light of the recent losses she had experienced and helped her discover what it would take to move back into the work force after a year away. Her career coach, Markell Steele reviewed her resume and assisted with her job search plan.

Today, Diana is working in a small property management firm, a very different work environment from her previous job, and she is in another period of transition and change.

Michelle Sharpe has had the benefit of life coach Carol Draper, who guided her through an exploration of how she can make the transition back to a work environment that has changed a great deal since she officially left to be a stay-at-home mom. She doesn’t want to go back into advertising but does want to find work that will fulfill her desire to make a difference in the lives of others and will use the skills she has honed as a community leader and school volunteer. Michelle is interested in non-profit work and has explored several opportunities.

Michelle wants to follow her passion and to find a work environment that will help her do that. The life coaches’ assignments, lessons and techniques helped Michelle explore her own inner strengths and areas of weakness so that she is able to identify them and channel them as she makes the choices ahead.

Her financial advisor, Pam Adams provided a financial snapshot and advice on how to plan for a future that still includes high school and college for their children and then years of pre-retirement and finally, retirement for the two of them.

WomanSage and the members and volunteers will help these women as they move ahead by providing a safe and open place to seek support in a time of transition. The goal of WomanSage is to do this for all women at midlife.