About – Sophie Eaden Coaching

Hi, I’m Sophie

I’m a coach, former equine vet, psychology nerd, trainee counsellor, cold-water swimmer, dog person, occasional artist and firm believer that humans are far too complicated to fit neatly into boxes.

I’ve always been fascinated by people – what makes us tick, why we behave the way we do, and why knowing what we should do doesn’t necessarily make doing it any easier.

It took me quite a long time, however, to apply that same curiosity to myself.

How I ended up here

I spent nearly a decade working as an equine veterinary surgeon. I loved the problem-solving, the science and the privilege of being trusted by people during some incredibly difficult moments. But somewhere along the way, I became increasingly interested in the human at the other end of the lead rope.

Why do capable people lose confidence? Why do we find it so difficult to set boundaries? Why can we know, rationally, what we need to do and still feel completely unable to do it?

That curiosity eventually took me into veterinary education, coaching and work around leadership and professional development. I’ve taught at Surrey Vet School, served on the British Equine Veterinary Association Council and now work both independently, as an associate coach for Grit Ltd and supporting people who have been through primary breast cancer for Breast Cancer Now.

My own life has taken a few unexpected turns along the way too. I’ve had to reconsider some fairly deeply held ideas about success, productivity and who I thought I was supposed to be. That experience undoubtedly shapes the way I work, but I don’t believe you need to have lived my life, or I yours, for me to understand you.

These days I’m still learning. I’m currently completing a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling and becoming increasingly interested in the relationship between our thoughts, emotions, bodies and nervous systems.

Mostly, I’m still fascinated by humans.

When I'm not working

You’ll often find me somewhere in Devon, probably with a dog nearby. I love being outside – walking on Dartmoor, cold-water swimming, pottering in the garden or attempting a slightly overambitious DIY project.

But my energy isn’t unlimited, so there’s plenty of slower living too. I’m very partial to a good book, an afternoon nap and getting thoroughly invested in a TV series. I’m learning that a good life doesn’t have to be a constantly busy one.

I’m also increasingly likely to have some sort of art project on the go. I love colour, good food, interesting conversations, learning things purely because they’ve caught my attention, and people who are willing to laugh at themselves.

I’m thoughtful and sensitive and can happily disappear down a psychology rabbit hole for hours. But I’m also playful, occasionally sweary and don’t think personal development needs to involve taking ourselves terribly seriously.

That combination probably tells you quite a lot about what it’s like to work with me too.

And yes, I'm qualified...

Coaching is an unregulated profession, so I think it’s important that you’re able to make an informed decision about who you work with. If qualifications and training matter to you, here are some of mine:

Diploma in Personal Performance Coaching (Level 5)
Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Trauma-Informed Coaching Certificate
Somatic Coaching Micro-Certification
DISC Certified and Accredited
Neuroscience and Coaching CPD
Nonviolent Communication Foundation Training
Certificate in Understanding Mental Health First Aid and Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace
Pending – International Coaching Federation Accreditation
Pending – Level 4 Diploma in Counselling

What people have said about working with me

To say the coaching has changed my life is not an exaggeration. I have struggled with some basic organisation skills my whole life and with Sophie’s support I was able to find a way of being organised that works for me and this has reduced my stress enormously. I was feeling very stuck in my life following some major life challenges over the past few years and with Sophie’s support was able to start addressing some thoughts that were keeping me stuck and put into place some actions to help me move again. Sophie is very kind and approachable. Having gone through some difficult times herself this gives her a unique level of empathy, but also tools, insight and wisdom about what is needed to pick oneself up again and push through limiting thoughts to make positive action.

Sophie is brilliant coach whose approach is always kind and non-judgemental. She creates a trusting space where I feel I can explain issues, self-doubt and beliefs which often hold me back. Her coaching skills have given me a deep understanding of myself and helped me to achieve and work on a range of goals relating to my personal and professional life. Sophie effectively raises my awareness about myself and enables me to fully understand where I am and where I want to get to, and the steps I need to take to get there. I always look forward to our sessions together.

Sophie has enabled me to break down the goals that I have into more manageable, bite size, achievable chunks. Before working together, I felt overwhelmed by a lot of things going on in my life and Sophie really helped me through our sessions to understand what was really a priority and what wasn’t and then how to move forward in small steps to achieve the things that I wanted. Working week on week on the things that were important to me and coming up with action plans literally changed the way I run my life which has resulted in me feeling so much less overwhelmed and focused and empowered to achieve the things I want to achieve. She also felt like my own personal cheerleader and really made me feel like she believed in me even when I didn’t and continues to do so.

Sophie showed me that I have the inner resources to succeed, and guided me to become a better version of myself . She helped streamline the process for me in a practical way and enabled me to become more focused, more organized and more motivated! I wish every single person could access the support of trained coaches. Sophie is really lovely, she didn't put any pressure on me during our sessions but helped me open my eyes to what I have to do in a very positive and pleasant manner!

I have found my coaching sessions with Sophie to be highly beneficial in both setting and achieving the goals that she empowered me to clarify. I wanted to work on my next career steps and how to start tackling this area, which I have struggled to make progress with up until now. Through our sessions, Sophie helped me to clarify my next steps, identify tangible pathways for myself and feel successful in undertaking small steps towards my goal. I feel positive and energised by the whole process and would highly recommend her as a coach to others.