New Leaf Coaching
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About Us
Connie DiStasi Hillman and Gary Hillman are partners in New Leaf
Coaching. They married in 2000 after meeting online. They live in
Boston, Mass., and are parents to Gary's three grown children--and grandparents to Stalia.
About Connie
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Connie DiStasi Hillman, MSW, MA
Connie is a pastoral psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, now in coach training with Mentor Coach and working toward coach certification from the International Coach Federation. My story...and approach to coaching
My own long and winding road attests to the possibilities in life. In my career changes, I have moved from elementary education, detoured for 17 years into marketing research for a large corporation, and then returned to graduate school at midlife to earn Masters degrees in social work and pastoral ministry. For the past dozen years, I have worked with people struggling to find hope in troubled lives. Personally, I have dealt with myriad challenges of my own, and found hope and direction from others' support and examples. I have had my share of surprises—good and bad— including the best: getting married for the first time at "a certain age." My personal and professional experiences bring me to this new and passionate endeavor of coaching: to support others in their quest to dust off old dreams, or create new ones –-then plan to "make it so," as Capt. Picard says on Star Trek. Sometimes the dreams are grand, dramatic and bold (start a new business, for example); sometimes the dreams are quality of life aspirations (have more "balance" in life, or get more organized). Finding what's most important to you and pursuing it is always worthwhile. I know that following one's heart takes reflection, decisiveness, and courage. It's also exciting, hopeful and fun. We all need support, gentle prodding, and, ultimately, someone to celebrate progress—and victory!— with us. As a coach, I get the privilege of walking alongside and sharing the wonderment and joy of fulfillment. If any of this sounds intriguing, we should talk. I am offering a free half-hour consultation by phone so you can experience a sample coaching session with me—and we can explore the possibility of working together to re-envision your future. |
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About Gary
Gary is a sales professional with a background in human services, now in coach training with Mentor Coach and working toward coach certification from the International Coach Federation.
The “EE” after my name stands for Entrepreneurial Evangelist and it reflects the enthusiasm I have for building my own business and helping others build theirs. This idea also applies to people who don’t literally own a small business because in a sense, we all are in charge of something we hold dear. Whether it’s a household, our family, or a career, we all seek ways to better manage all the balls we have in the air.
Zest for coaching comes naturally for me as I see clients get excited again about their goals—and begin (again) to believe in possibilities. This is especially true of folks with ADD or ADHD. I have many special interests and coaching specialties, but this one in particular demonstrates my belief in “turning a new leaf”—and comes directly from my own personal experience.
A few years ago I was diagnosed with ADHD. A coworker shared his story of living with ADD and suggested I might have it. Some of the symptoms he listed really struck home, so I started investigating. My wife encouraged me to get formally tested—and so I was diagnosed.
Getting that diagnosis paradoxically upended my life for a while. Yes, I started treatment and finally was on a successful road, but emotionally it threw me for a loop. I recalled all the troubles I’d had in school and work throughout my life—and at long last was able to make sense of it all. “Recovery” took more than taking the right meds; it also meant hiring a professional who specialized in ADD to help me learn strategies for getting organized and in control of my life.
Of course, I’m not “cured,” but what I’ve learned is tremendous—and has reinforced my belief that anyone can make breakthroughs in his or her life. I can now look back at my previous work and value the variety of experiences I had even before the diagnosis: I returned to college as a “mature” student and was able to finish my BA, and go on to graduate school to earn an MBA. I finished one year of Law School before finances interfered (I still occasionally think of going back to finish). I’ve run a business and worked in human services with developmentally disabled adults. Still, most of my work has been in Sales. I love it because it’s a people business. Which leads me to coaching and why I get a charge out of it: I get to support others’ dreams and see them get excited and succeed!
In 2000, Connie and I married (after meeting on-line). We started New Leaf Coaching because we both see ourselves as helping professionals who want to build people up and help them see their own strengths, just as mentors have done for us. We like being in the “hope” business. We know from personal experience that hope isn’t an empty promise; it is the launch-pad for success. I’d love to talk to you about your hopes and how I could help you realize your dreams.
