Biography

Write On!: Trauma-Informed Coaching through Writing

Much like her first career as a Professor of Literature and Writing, both at Hunter College in New York, her city of birth, and then for over two decades at Palomar Community College in southern California, coaching is a “calling” for Andrea, a labor of love, meaningful and transformative beyond words. Profoundly appreciative of those who have helped her on her life’s journey, Andrea can think of no higher calling, no finer purpose, than to return to others the priceless gifts they have given her: the gifts of human connection, joy, laughter, love, and kindness; the opportunity for growth and well-being; and the capacity to live life fully, with passion, depth, and authenticity. 

When she is not working to help others achieve “success,” however they define it, Andrea can be found on the tennis court, out in nature, or road tripping up the coast. For the last three years, she has been leading three literature/writing groups, each with eight or nine people, providing as many as thirty people with opportunities to connect deeply with others, to “bear witness,” and to walk in others’ shoes. A writer herself, Andrea has completed a memoir and several other works of “creative nonfiction.” 

As a coach, Andrea will respect boundaries where others might have violated them as she empowers clients to discover and to honor their own unique gifts. Andrea is dedicated to helping others to thrive in the aftermath of trauma, suffering, and tyranny, and to understand the impact on them of (often systemic) oppression and injustice. She will bring to bear on her coaching practice the same openness, authenticity, respect, warmth, humor, kindness, and deep insight that her students so loved and appreciated in her and to which they have attested in hundreds of cards and letters over the years, the same commitment and love that earned her the Distinguished Faculty Award at Palomar College. 

Finally, Andrea will rely on the skills, knowledge, and expertise that she has acquired as a member of the student community at Orenda, the unique and unparalleled coaching program created and developed by Athena Phillips. Andrea goes out into the world as a coach with the same confidence, skills, knowledge, expertise, and love that defined her connection to the community of students with whom she has worked over the course of so many rich and wonderful years.