Most Executive Coaches Treat Symptoms

I Diagnose the Root

You’ve done the workshops. Read the books. Maybe even tried therapy or coaching before.

And you’re still wrestling with the same patterns – procrastination, self-doubt, perfectionism, an inner critic that never shuts up.

That’s not a discipline problem. That’s the nervous system problem. And treating it at the surface level is exactly why nothing has stuck.

I use PhD-level diagnostic tools combined with evidence-based interventions – Brainspotting, EFT, and somatic techniques – to identify and resolve the root cause, not just the symptom. My clients don’t just feel better. They function differently.

Book a 45-minute coaching strategy call

Signs of Workplace Distress

Procrastination

Perfectionism

Self Criticism

Imposter Syndrome

My clients - senior managers, high achieving professionals, and leaders in transition - consistently report:

Overcoming long-term procrastination, perfectionism, and self-doubt without shame or force
Decoupling unpleasant emotions from memories that had been keeping them frozen
Communicating at work with more clarity and fewer costly misreads
Increased productivity that comes from internal alignment, not external pressure
Landing better roles where they are seen, acknowledged, and valued as the credible professionals they are
Replacing poor wellness habits with sustainable ones that actually move them toward their goals

Thanks to Marie’s coaching and follow-up work, I find myself working at a place that aligns with my values, key ones being fairness and respect.

Olga K.

Mining Engineering

I wholeheartedly recommend Marie. She has a unique ability to encourage you to think bigger, aim higher, and take meaningful steps toward goals that may once have seemed out of reach. At the same time, she brings calm, sharp focus, and discipline, qualities that have made a lasting difference in my life.

Margarita Todorova

Senior Industry Liaison

Clients frequently say they feel safe, seen, and heard — sometimes for the first time — and that the changes they made in sessions showed up in their work and relationships within days, not months.

Who I work with:

Mid-to-senior managers, high-achieving professionals, and leaders navigating career transitions who are ready to stop managing symptoms and start resolving root causes.

My credentials:

What Makes This Different

Somatic + emotional regulation techniques to ground and build resilience
Practical, strategic guidance to clarify goals and take decisive action
Workplace communication & conflict tools that shift how you’re seen and heard
Proven frameworks that integrate career and personal transformation

I don’t use a generic coaching framework. Every intervention I deliver is specific to the root issue your facing – informed by decades of research, two coaching certifications, and diagnostic training that most coaches simply don’t have.

We work together on the actual mechanism driving your pattern, build your nervous system’s capacity to accurately read internal and external cues, and practice real-world skills inside every session – so you leave each call with something you can use the same day.

All coaching is rooted in adult learning principles, career development theory, and cutting-edge workplace wellness research – delivered with deep empathy, insight, and care.

3 Components of My Coaching Model

Career healing for professionals and managers

Advance your career and unlock your true potential through one-on-one personalized coaching

If you feel bad about going to work, being there or thinking about working, you are in the right place! Since 2016, I have been helping distressed professionals release unpleasant emotions from work memories, learn self-regulating tools and feel happier at work.

Watch this short video to see how this works

Visible benefits from CAREER HEALING coaching:

Surprising new work opportunities
Increased confidence and control
Clarity, calm, and focus
New abilities to set healthy boundaries

Feel: Safe, confident and alert

See: Improvements to your productivity and problem solving

Think: Clearly about what you face inside and outside and gain perspective

Learn: Self-regulation tools to use immediately

Book a Call

Consider what session package could be right for you:

🏆 RELEASE
- 6 one-hour sessions to release emotional blocks and take action steps that work
🏆 TRANSFORM
- 12 one-hour sessions to link emotion, strategy, and habit in business and personal life
🏆 EMBED
- 24 one-hour sessions for in-depth personal and career development that has enduring, sustained results

Check the FAQ section to find out what employer benefits may be covered

Marie Gervais Bio

Marie Gervais, PhD., provides human centered managerial leadership training, nervous system regulation coaching, and organizational capacity development to individuals and organizations through in person/online courses and coaching. She helps build internal capacity for leadership and intercultural communication and develops teams to function more effectively. She has a focus on practical, visible results, through intrapersonal awareness, inclusive workplace practices and interpersonal efficacy. Her courses and multimedia resources have won prizes for innovation and excellence in online learning.

Dr. Gervais is a Level 2 Brainspotting Practitioner, an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certified Coach, a Certified Conscious Emotional Freedom Techniques Practitioner and a Certified Emotional Success Coach. She uses modalities focusing on emotional regulation, visualization, body sensation (somatics) and breathwork. She specializes in helping clients deal with anxiety, workplace distress, career mapping and removing emotional blocks that interfere with success and joy in life.

Her experience working with diverse populations and varying English proficiency skill levels have provided her with insights into how people feel welcome at work, and what they need to be productive in their roles. Her ongoing research in the future of work and workplace trends led her to write the book The Spirit of Work: Timeless Wisdom, Current Realities, available in eVersion and book form.

Credentials and Certifications

In process for Emotions Code Certification, 2026
Level Two BrainSpotting Training, 2026
Certified International Coaching Federation ACC Coach, 2024
Conscious EFT™ Practitioner Certification, 2022
Certified Emotional Success Coach, 2022
SoundTouch for Self-Healing Level 1, 2020
Emotional Freedom Coaching Levels 1 & 2, 2017 & 2020
Approved to offer Inclusive Behaviours Inventory with Aperian Global, 2018
Talent-C Mentor coursework and supervision level 1, 2015

Download The Leadership Coaching Brochure

Talent-C Mentor coursework and supervision level 1, 2015
Canadian Certified Evaluator, 2014
Approved to offer Work Personality Index and Thomas Kilmann Conflict Style Assessments with Psychometrics, Career ID, 2012
Coursework and Case Study completion for measuring training ROI Jack Phillips Method, 2012
Canadian Training and Development Professional, 2009
PhD in Education: Specializations – Curriculum Design and Culture and Learning in the Workplace, 2004
True Colors Certified Trainer, 1999
The Virtues Project Facilitator, 1999

What clients have said…

Here’s what past clients had to say about how coaching with me transformed
their career and leadership capability:

From Mental Block to Fresh Perspective

I highly recommend Marie for anyone seeking career guidance. Her coaching helped me gain much-needed clarity.. Before working with her, I was feeling uncertain about my next steps, but through her insightful guidance, I was able to refocus and gain confidence in my path. I particularly enjoyed her creative approach, which made the process both engaging and effective. Her unique methods helped me break through mental blocks and gain a fresh perspective. Thanks to her coaching, I now feel much more certain and empowered about my future.

Karl Wolter,

M.Eng, P.Eng.

From Work Stressor to Positive Resilience

I booked a few sessions with Marie after working on the Jasper wildfire to discuss some stressors at work and tactics for responding and shoring up my professiional resilience. I found her sessions to be positive, helpful, insightful and uplifting in my day to day role with the federal public service.. Very much appreciated her time and expertise. Thank you Marie!

Kevin Gedling,

Parks and Interpretive Planning

From Decision Overwhelm to Safety and Calm

I truly appreciate your ability to blend somatic coaching with deeper conversations about tough topics. Having a skilled, empathetic, knowledgeable and authentic coach who understands and elevates the layers of these challenges makes such a difference. Your presence, as always, felt like a safe and calming hug from the screen.

Patricia Bailey,

Leadership, Crisis Communications and Change Management

From Lack of Confidence to Deep Purpose

Marie’s career coaching support brought me closer to determining what I want from a job and helped me appreciate who I am and the value I contribute. This worked better than just setting goals and feeling guilty about not achieving them. I developed skills to check within and re-establish my own boundaries, gaining a deeper sense of purpose. These tools and techniques have been and will continue to be very valuable for me.

Alison V.,

P. Eng

From Confused to Focused

I’m working with Marie right now. She has the ability to help me collect my thoughts, settle back down, and refocus on key steps to move forward.

Darren S.,

Owner GC Custom Metal

From Jobless to Employed

I received a job offer today which I accepted. I would like to thank you for all the work you did with me. I know if I didn’t work with you I would never have gotten this far. I haven’t given up on my own business. Now with a job, I will get through probation and work on building it.

Angela L,

IT Specialist

From Self-doubt to Confident Control

Marie’s professionalism and knowledge in this field enabled me to excel in my current role. Working through my values with Marie has been an invaluable experience, one that has had a positive impact on both my career and personal life. I would highly recommend her professional services to anyone who is looking to develop themselves professionally and personally, in line with their values and goals.

Rajiv K.

Capital Markets Transformation

Answering your questions about the coaching...

How is this coaching different from “talk” coaching?

I use somatic (body based) techniques that help you focus on sensations and tensions to release them from unpleasant memories. Once you no longer have an unpleasant emotion with a memory, it no longer bothers you. We also use breathwork, visualization, tapping (emotion focused techniques), parts-work to help parts of your inner self work together better and mid-brain processing that helps you notice, accept and calm any remaining activation around a work wound. I have training and multiple certifications for these modalities and am a certified coach and practitioner.

Once you have sustained emotional regulation and feel better, we can strategize for your career development, do job market research, and engage the cognitive parts of your brain that earlier may not have been available to you.

Does this coaching go into past traumas?

You may have memories of past traumas during coaching, but we do not go into the details, the coaching helps you know how to keep your nervous system safe so you never have to relive past traumas, but can move forward with your life and work.

If I decide to go ahead, what is the process?

We start with a Career Breakthrough Strategy call, and identify your goals and challenges. From that call you will already feel some relief and have an insight you can use. If you decide to go ahead with a coaching package, you decide on the one that feels right for you, choose a payment plan and three starter goals to work towards.

The goals, package details and payment plan are sent to you in a coaching agreement which you sign digitally, then you receive your client intake form and first invoice.

You can book your first session once the first invoice is paid.

What is my ROI on coaching?

It is specific to each person, but many clients find they have better work and family relationships as a result of coaching. They typically receive a promotion or find a better paying job within the duration of the coaching sessions. Coaching costs see faster results than any other type of training or education. Without coaching you can still make career progress but coaching helps you see results that are faster, more effective and enduring.

What if it doesn’t work out, can I get a refund?

Unless there is a severe health issue or natural disaster there is no refund for coaching. However if you really feel unhappy about the process, we can discuss a compromise.

If my issues are related to deeper traumas should I see a psychologist instead?

Many of my clients see psychologists or other health professionals but find that for their career wounds, my specific coaching is most effective. It is a bit like thinking about your physical health: you would see a doctor for illness, a dentist for teeth issues and an optometrist for eye problems. A career wound coach works specifically for moving people out of career distress into career success. You may need other health or mental health professionals as part of your self-care.

Can coaching be covered by my employer?

See the table below to find out what your workplace may cover:

Type of coverage	Yes/No	Notes
Professional Development	Yes	Find out if your organization accepts coaching under professional development allocation, and if so how much can be covered.
Health Spending Account	Yes	If your organization provides personal health spending accounts, coaching can be covered. May require manager sign off.
Health Benefit	No	Since coaches are not health professionals, coaching is not covered under this category.

Find the career healing package
that is right for you

RELEASE: 6 one-hour sessions

Clear emotional blocks & take aligned action.
Break free from internalized patterns and external stressors. This package helps you reclaim calm, clarity, and confidence.

Somatic + cognitive strategies for emotional release
Short-term planning to create momentum
Powerful mindset and boundary-setting tools

TRANSFORM: 12 one-hour session

Link emotion, strategy, and habit to create powerful results
Bridge the gap between inner change and outer success. Get personalized strategies that turn insight into progress.

Deep coaching to uncover and shift root issues
Career and communication skill-building
Systems for habit change and consistent leadership growth

EMBED: 24 one-hour sessions

Sustain your growth with in-depth career and leadership development
Longer-term support for professionals looking to fully integrate, lead, and thrive.

Strategic career alignment and personal brand positioning
Conflict resolution, communication mastery, and leadership mindset
Tools to embed habits and anchor success long after coaching ends

Ready to work at the root level?

Book your strategy call now!

Now Sure? Book A Career Healing Strategy Call Now