Life & Work with Christina Carlson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Carlson.

Hi Christina, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised in a strict Evangelical Christian home which left little room for me or for a connection to my body. I had a third of the Christian bible memorized by the time I graduated High school and I have my Bachelors degree in Theology. I helped run a bible college for several years. I was dedicated beyond the vast majority of my peers. About seven years ago, I danced for the first time unstructured with a group of people in Kansas City. I had been allowed to dance growing up but only if it was ballroom dancing or swing dancing.

It was the first time I had allowed my body to move in whatever way she felt, and it awoke something in me.

I started a process of reevaluating the religion of my upbringing in a process which people now call deconstruction. My whole heart and body had always wanted to make room for everyone, to love everyone and make space to see people as good, and there was no room for that within the religion I was raised in. I felt that when I danced.

I eventually left this religion altogether for a more liberating connection to myself and my own body. I found such incredible connections with people and nature that were so much more fulfilling than what I had been raised with.

Through the process of my own deconstruction, discovering my own sexuality (I am bisexual) and my developing relationship with my own body, I found that I was incredibly good at helping others find themselves after leaving religion or going through a similar process of deconstruction. I was helping people find their purpose, find meaningful work, and deeply trust themselves.

This leads me to coaching. I had been following a few Life coaches for several years and had always found them really inspiring. I noticed the way they deeply believed in people and held space for them to process, and I saw the same qualities within myself. During the start of the pandemic, I made the leap and I studied Coaching through Beautiful You Coaching Academy based in Australia.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has been such an inspiring and challenging journey to take. I grew up with very little self-belief, so taking the step to invest in myself in this way was a leap. I grew up believing that I could have confidence if I was doing things in one particular way. I had stepped way beyond that parameter of safety at this point and was learning to have confidence in myself.

My experience with Beautiful You Coaching Academy was beyond incredible. The support and trust and education I received there was far beyond what I could have expected. They really helped me step into trusting myself to show up, fail, and try again. They witnessed me and held space for me as I learned through their program. It was not easy to battle my own fears around showing up in that way (in one exercise, I coached a classmate live in front of fifty other students) and to see that I am meant for this type of work.

It has been a challenge to get a business off the ground during a pandemic, figure out changing social media, and finding alternate ways to meet colleagues and clients, but I have had such incredible support from my husband and partner Josiah who started his own business just before the pandemic in 2020.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work with women and nonbinary folk who have left a religious past on a one on one basis. I offer a twelve weeks coaching container. We meet every other week on zoom for an hour and I offer email support in between. Throughout the course of twelve weeks, I guide clients to

1. A deeper connection to their bodies

2. An understanding of who they are and what they value most

3. A clear sense of where they are headed

It is my belief that our bodies individually hold the answers to what is best for us and our lives specifically. I believe each of my clients knows deep inside what is best for them and their lives. My job is to guide them into listening to themselves and support them as they rebuild that relationship to themselves that was lost.

I am most proud of my clients for really trusting themselves and discovering their passions. My clients have gone on to study social work, study medicine, pursue acting, and start their own business. All because they listened to their bodies and got in touch with who they are and what they deeply wanted.

What sets me apart is that I trust my clients. I have a calming presence and I am not pushy, I believe in you and I trust your process.

I also have a similar background to my clients. I know many of the challenges that must be overcome when moving from a life of disconnection your body to trusting in my worth and moving from a place of confidence.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I really enjoyed the Podcast Everything Belongs by my coach Madison Morrigan. Her work is inspiring and expansive. My favorite books are always changing. I am deeply moved by stories and learn best through this format. The best two I’ve read lately are This is How it Always is by Laurie Frankel and The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta.

Pricing:

• My Twelve Week series is $1,500
• I offer a Free Discovery Call

Contact Info:

• Email: christinacarlsonlifecoach@gmail.com
• Website: www.christinamcarlson.com
• Instagram: @christinacarlsonlifecoach
• Facebook: @christinacarlsonlifecoach

Image Credits
Photography by Josiah Carlson with Carlson Home Photography