I love what I do! I wake up excited and go to sleep fulfilled. Coaching isn’t a job for me…it is me. It’s how I live my life.

Coaching is in my soul. I am there to guide, to look at things through my client’s eyes – the expression is “different lenses” – and to offer perspectives, options and ideas, so the client can run with the ball.

What I love doing is guiding people to achieve their full potential. I love supporting clients and providing accountability to reach their goals, professionally and personally and get passed self-imposed limits. The goals and plan we set are all stretch goals and values-driven. This means they have you take a step (or stretch) out of your comfort zone; and have values-driven goals have meaning to you, and therefore combined with accountability, give you a 95% success rate of reaching them.

I literally, physically feel, in my gut, the concerns and sensitivities of others. I believe this allows me to be a better coach. I believe it allows me to shed light, for clients, when sometimes they do not see. I create awareness. Without awareness, there can be no progress, no moving forward.

Do not under estimate the Power Of Thoughts. Just as water has the power to shift and mold earths landscape, your thoughts have the power to shift and mold the landscape of your life.

Chuck Danes

My story

The first major influence in my life came from my grandmother moving in with us, after my grandfather passed. Her influence shaped me in many ways. Her mother died when she was young and the aunt who was to take care of her died six weeks after that. Her view of things were sometimes negative. I took what she often said, such as “there is always a black cloud following us” and “laugh in the morning and you’ll cry at night” and as I grew I used those things to find positives.

Something inside me knew that it wasn’t true. I used to go outside, literally, and look for the black clouds. She also told me that I couldn’t do all the things I excelled at, like sports because it wasn’t lady-like.

Next, while it didn’t feel like it at the time, my divorce was the second major influence on me, and clearly one of the biggest gifts I ever received. I’ve heard that before from others, and it rang true with me.

What my divorce did was to move me into survivor mode. …

I developed 13 positive Self-Talk proven strategies. Theses strategies are what I call positive structures, and implementing them did not cost anything. I have used, and continue to use these strategies daily, and I have used them successfully with thousands of clients.

I believe that what we say to ourselves is the most important thing in life because it affects how we think about ourselves, affects the relationships we’re in and the careers we choose…affects our mental, emotional, and physical being. All my work and life experience moved me into action.

Be the change that you want to see…just like Ghandi!

I am still a work in progress. My journey is not complete. I am proud and fulfilled on the accomplishments in my life, and with the support I have thus far provided to others.

I am proud of my credentials...

  • 2016Positive Intelligence
  • 2016Breakthrough Coaching
  • 2016Trained in Conversation IQ
  • 2014Trained in Emotional Intelligence View 360 Degree Feedback
  • 2013Alternative Dispute Resolution Program: Negotiation, Problem Solving & Third Party Roles
  • 2012PDI 360 Degree Feedback
  • 2011Certified Mediator
  • 2011Certified Lominger 360 Degree Feedback
  • 2010Intelligence Community Clearances
  • 2010Certified 360 Reach
  • 2009University of Pennsylvania: Foundations of Positive Psychology
  • 2009Certified ChangeWorks Trainer
  • 2008Certified PeopleMap Trainer, Personality Diagnostic and Strengths Finder
  • 2008Trained in Checkpoint 360 Degree Feedback
  • 2006Certified Professional Coach, International Coach Federation
  • 2006Graduate, Coaches Training Institute Leadership Program
  • 2006Certified in Organization and Relationship Systems, Center For Right Relationship
  • 2005Certified Professional Co-Active Coach, Coaches Training Institute (CTI)
  • 2004Graduate, Coaching Training Institute

Professional and Organizational Memberships

  • Past President, International Coach Federation Metro DC Chapter
  • Member, International Coach Federation (Global)
  • Past Chair, Education Committee, ICF Global
  • Coaches Training Co-Active Network
  • Wharton Women’s Business Club
  • Team Leadership Arlington
  • NAWBO, Mastermind Team Leader
  • Member Charter 100
  • Member, WBO
  • Member, CBODN
  • Member, American Society for Training Development
  • Board of Directors, JSSA
  • Mentor and Past President, Chevy Chase, Maryland Association of Business Professionals
  • Member, Affinity Group Leadership

Noteworthy Accomplishments

  • Certified Mediator
  • Certified professional coach, speaker, facilitator, panelist Featured guest on WUSA9 TV
  • Community Content Producer for WUSA9 TV
  • Featured on WNBC TV
  • Columnist for Digital Communities Forum
  • Featured on Federal News Radio, WMAL 1500 AM, WTNT 570 AM
  • Business & Life Coach – Gazette Newspapers Healthy Challenge
  • Pro-Bono work for Montgomery County Commission for Women Career Center
  • Pro-Bono leadership training and coaching for numerous social service agencies, women’s shelters, disabled individuals’ organizations
  • Leadership training for business leaders in New Orleans, LA after Hurricane Katrina
  • Pro-Bono coaching for Hurricane Katrina evacuees
  • Montgomery County MD Department of Economic Development, roundtable discussions and leadership development
  • Led roundtable discussions, ASTD Conference, University of Maryland Smith School of Business Women’s Executive Roundtable
  • ICF Metro DC community outreach program award winner
  • Featured in Coaching World magazine
  • Featured in the Washington Times newspaper
  • Featured in numerous Gazette newspapers and the Potomac Almanac
  • Featured in Insight magazines
  • Featured in Next Door News magazine
  • Howard Community College, Mentor – Entrepreneurship Program
  • Organizer, ICF, East Coast Chapter Leaders
  • Organizer, Mega Mixer – ICF, ASTD, SHRM, CBODN

Personal

Mrs. Samakow is married and has two daughters.