By any standards, Dr. Colleen Brophy is a very accomplished person. A vascular surgeon practicing at the VA Hospital in Phoenix, AZ, Dr. Brophy is also a center director of the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University and a founder and chief medical officer of AzERx, a company developing ground-breaking approaches to treating asthma and strokes. She is also a wife and mother.

Why would someone as successful as Dr. Brophy engage the services of a coach? According to Dr. Brophy’s coach, Victoria Castle, “although she is a remarkable achiever, she was not fully feeling joy in her life. Colleen was smart enough to know that something was missing and decided to fix that.”

When Dr. Brophy noticed her sister, Tracey Warson, a graduate of IWL’s ELSC program, was ‘totally energized,’ Dr. Brophy ‘wanted what she got’ and enrolled in ELSC where she met up with Victoria Castle, an IWL coach.

Castle, continued, “Colleen is almost always at the head of the pack. She’s an innovator, visionary and inspiring leader. It’s easy to take on ‘everything’ and people in Colleen’s role often become ‘burdened.’ Colleen made a brilliant shift in focus as she engaged in ELSC and in our coaching relationship.”

“Coaching helped me focus and prioritize,” shared, Colleen. “My organizing principle now is ‘I am exactly where I need to be right now.’ I let the universe guide me to be in the right place at the right time. It’s been wonderful to engage Victoria as a coach,” continued Brophy. “In each session, we spent a good part of the conversation acknowledging accomplishments instead of simply pushing beyond them. It opened up a lot of completion for me.”

Coaching tip 1: Always go into a coaching session with an agenda. Dr. Brophy’s agenda included:

A true overachiever, Dr. Brophy knows if she can identify a goal, state it and visualize it, it will become reality. “Victoria helped me to identify why a goal is important to ME. She helped me to use my goals more as compass points rather than having them on a to-do list. She helped me to uncover the true value in my goals and become clear in why I should ‘bother’ with them.”

Victoria adds, “We kept exploring where Colleen was in the equation. We kept bringing in her personal experience as a metric for accomplishment. Colleen was a quick study with regard to applying the centering and somatic practices included in ELSC. She would often ask herself, ‘How am I feeling? What’s my state? Can I drop my shoulders and open up my chest?”

“Somatics was one of the most powerful parts of ELSC,” said, Dr. Brophy. “It’s a matter of practice makes permanent. I consciously come back to my body and notice what’s going on. I’ve applied this professionally and personally.”

Victoria noted, “As accomplished as Colleen is, she’s available to learn new things. She’s got the capacity to be ‘provoked,’ and explore when things are uncomfortable.” The strength of a good coach,” said, Dr. Brophy, “is to find what’s missing and present it in a way you can hear it. Victoria’s focus is always in service to what I care about and what I’m committed to.”

Coaching tip 2: Keep an open mind and be available to learn something new. Test out new things to see if they make a difference. Dr. Brophy quickly began applying new practices from ELSC and coaching and began to see the pay-offs early rather than waiting to some other time to explore these new ideas.

“I’m now able to see who I am being and how who I am being is going to impact me, my family and the people around my in ever increasing circles. I am now aware of expanding my sphere of influence,” said, Dr. Brophy. “I’ve got a lot more joy and satisfaction in my life. I was recently sitting in a hot-tub with my mom. She noticed I was ‘back.’ I showed up for my mother in a way she wants to be around. At work, it’s now a lot more fun to give presentations, for instance. Instead of hurrying through the ‘unpleasant task’ of presenting, I now see it as a real opportunity to really be there – to find my feet and really connect with people. Now when I walk into the Biodesign Institute, instead of seeing a cavernous barn and freaking out, I connect with how great it is for all these people from different disciplines, to be together in our all-glass ‘fish bowl.’ It is awesome.”

“The Biodesign Institute, which has an integrated and multidiscipline approach, hasn’t been accomplished previously, shared, Brophy. “We’re mixing ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ researchers and experts together and asking them to work together in a way they are not trained to do.”

Victoria, shared, “Colleen spent time with the team, taking them right into the places of their discomfort, such as why this set-up might not work. She helped them to explore everything so that nothing was un-said. Colleen sponsored and guided in way that attracted and drew others to be on board. She recognized what humans need to react to change and helped them deal with it. She hasn’t lost anyone along the way. Her center, currently one of eight, includes 50 people.”

“At the same time, the establishment of our company, AzERx, is unfolding. I was committed to establishing the company in the right way – not knowing what the right way was – and I used my experience at ELSC to do so. It is fun to start at the ground-level and watch the thing grow. For me, it all works by holding a vision of the end-point. I envision this molecule or drug successfully helping patients, “ said, Dr. Brophy.

Coaching tip 3: Establish a compelling relationship with the future. Answer the ‘why bother?’ question. Dr. Brophy holds a huge vision. When you’re really in relationship with your vision, then all the obstacles take proportionate size. Dream big.

How’s the rest of Dr. Brophy’s life? “It’s great, “she said. “I believe the work/life balance is critical. While I’m watching the kids play soccer, ‘I’m exactly where I need to be right now.’ I stay present when I’m engaging the rest of the community, the VA, Biodesign or AzERx team. The real challenge is transferring what I’ve learned through ELSC and coaching to the ever-widening circles around me, especially teaching them to celebrate their successes and acknowledge their accomplishments.”

“Colleen is always finding the growing edge. In the past she was willing to effect change without getting the kudos for it. Now she’s brilliant leading out in front. When people see who she is, it helps to pull them forward. Colleen keeps expanding her ability to learn more but asking herself, ‘what’s next?’ ‘What’s the next place for me to grow?’”

Coaching tip 4: Community of peer coaches. It’s particularly important for women, as we assume leadership roles to be part of a community of coaches (like the ELSC alumni). Whether we’re facing a ‘sticky floor’ or a ‘glass ceiling’ we’re facing greater challenges and need support to intervene in the tendency to ‘do it ourselves and not bother anyone.’

What’s next for Dr. Colleen Brophy? “We’re going to build the first medical school in Phoenix, starting with dirt!” she said, enthusiastically.

About Victoria Castle

Victoria Castle is a Seattle-based coach, consultant and an IWL coach, who works with executives and business leaders to make their most potent contribution to their organization and to the human community - and to thrive while doing it. No suffering allowed! Her book, 'Embodied Abundance,' will be published later in 2005. Email Victoria.

IWL offers follow-on coaching for IWL alumni. Please contact IWL at 650.556.8800 for information.

Volume 6, Issue 1– January 2005