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Family Coaching

Several months ago it became clear to us that our son was suffering from depression.   Although no longer living at home he worked with his dad and we could see he was not coping well.   We eventually became desperate as his episodes of depression became more obvious to others and affected his daily life.   That was when we contacted Mona.   She listened to our concerns but also took the time to get a good understanding of our relationships with our son.   This enabled her to discuss with us how best to approach our son so we could talk about his depression and form a family plan to support him.  Until that point we felt helpless with nowhere to go for help.   With Mona’s guidance it also became clear to us that we would be of no help to our son if we did not take care of ourselves as well.   

Mona is a very effective communicator and we found her to be very knowledgeable about all aspects of this difficult issue.   In addition to Mona offering concrete ways to communicate with our son, her compassion and understanding of what we were dealing with were enormously helpful.   Mona is an extremely supportive person who can be counted upon to be well prepared to deal with the emotional issues and feelings dealing with depression brings up.   Mona provided us with the tools to handle the ups and downs with more hope and less stress.   Because we contacted Mona we were finally able to establish effective communication with our son.   We are deeply thankful for the time she spent helping us. 

S. Port 


Our son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder four years ago, at age 21.  As would happen with any severe illness, our family went into a period of shock and disorganization.  In those months following the diagnosis, my husband and I desperately needed information and support.  We wanted to meet some other families who had learned to deal with a severe mental illness and who could be models of hope for us.  Luckily, we found the Peer Support Program at CMHA which is lead by Mona Cooley.  Mona is the mother of a woman living with bipolar, and therefore had instant credibility with us.  She had lived through what we had lived through and had learned how to support her daughter to full recovery.  In the group, Mona encouraged us to take care of ourselves, and we decided to take a weekend away, something we had not done for well over a year.  It was an important step towards reclaiming our lives. In addition to learning how to take care of ourselves, we learned how to help our son take responsibility for his health, to support him without enabling him, and to communicate effectively with him in sickness and in health.  It was largely through Mona’s inspiring leadership that we were able to recover some joy and peace in our lives.  An excellent facilitator; we have watched Mona interact with entire family groups (Mom, Dad, Brother, Sister, Grandparents).  She does this very skillfully and sensitively, so that everyone is heard, and everyone’s needs are met.  My wish for families who are on this journey is that they meet someone like Mona who can help them discover strengths and develop skills that promote recovery for all members.

M. Moore, Edmonton  


Life in Transition.  What a challenge.  The question, what do you really want to do with your life hovered before me.  I had no idea, no courage, and little hope for real change.  Newly unemployed and “no spring chicken,” I knew that I would need help to effect that change, and I knew of someone who might be willing to help me with the challenge.  That person was Mona Cooley, someone I had come to know and admire through my Toastmasters journey.  In a few short weeks, under Mona’s direction and encouragement, I began to sense a “shift” in my attitude.  After 7 sessions, Mona provided me with a progress report that was a benchmark.  It accurately captured the place I came from (self doubt, self recrimination, oh woe is me, and the blame game) to the place I’m in now (hopeful, grateful, aware of my gifts and talents, appreciative of people around me, and a new awareness of my tendency to horrible-ize – coupled with a positive trigger that I can effect when I begin to get into ‘story telling’ mode!).  I am encountering a ton of ‘AHA!’ and ‘WOW’ moments.  Mona’s words of encouragement, warmth and compassion, coupled with her tenacity to get the best from me, have inspired me to make changes I didn’t think possible.  Working with Mona has been one of the very best gifts I have given myself.  

 Karen Tober, January 2009


I was searching and feeling like I had not accomplished enough in my life.  Was this a mid-life crisis?  Mona helped me realize that we all have a purpose in life, even though I was not sure of what it was at first.  Before you knew it, ten perfect strangers felt comfortable enough to open-up to each other.  Through straight-forward exercises, Mona assisted us in finding our strengths and weaknesses that helped us focus on what values are important to each one of us.

I found this course to be enjoyable and informative, and would highly recommend it to any individual who is looking for more meaning from their life.

-Veronica

Speaking

In 2010 Mona  was a presenter to a group of Psychiatrists working for Alberta Health Services in the Calgary Area.

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I have had the pleasure of knowing Mona for 5 years as she has been an enthusiastic and reliable volunteer at our pre-employment program for immigrant women. We invite her to share information about Toastmasters so that the women gain exposure to alternative means to improve their communication skills, meet new people and gain leadership skills.  Mona has an engaging style with our participants, utilizing a blend of experiential and presentation methods to share her considerable knowledge.  

Mona is thoughtful in planning her presentations and is very responsive and adaptable to group needs.   After a couple of presentations to our program she recognized the need to build a stronger connection with the group.  She initiated contact with an immigrant woman who was attending Toastmasters and invited her to accompany her for the next presentation. This innovative strategy made the prospect of joining Toastmasters a real possibility for our participants as they now had a role model to relate to. Encouraged by her presentation, many women have courageously joined various Toastmasters groups and continue to participate today.

In incorporating new strategies into her presentation, Mona finds new ways to illustrate the link of accessing Toastmaster’s to improve participant’s communication, business and networking skills. I have observed her supportively coaching participants and fellow presenters, providing feedback and guidance, challenging them to improve their presentation skills and learn from their experience.

Mona is a delight to watch and listen to as her natural warmth and gentle humour captivate the audience. Mona’s presentations are inspirational, fun and informative, all at the same time!

Elaine Lupul, Program Coordinator, Employment and Life Skills Program  


It was an absolute pleasure to have Mona Cooley speak at the Certified General Accountant luncheon held at the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.  Mona brought her dynamic personality and wit to our luncheon today.  She created a poignant and professional presentation which exceeded our expectations.  Mona warmly shared personal experiences to illustrate her points and identify with our professional audience.     


Deanna McCormick, CGA 

Mona Cooley was our keynote speaker at the Sustaining Projects year end
function in Fort McMurray.  Mona gave an inspiring address reflecting her personal experiences in leading a team with purpose and ensuring frequent communication.  Her willingness to take on seemingly impossible challenges resulted in  roaring successes.  The principles of setting goals and inspiring people are applicable to our regular business teams.  Mona has an energetic and lively style which captivated the audience.  The rock and roll music and movements at the opening reflected a signature feature of her "show".
Toastmasters has given her the confidence to speak from the heart and
deliver a memorable message of courage , determination and excitement.


Mark Hodson, Suncor.

Facilitating

Our organization recently required the skills of a neutral individual to assist in facilitating an information session on a rather controversial topic. After speaking with one of our senior public education volunteers, who belongs to Toastmasters, Mona was highly recommended. Our volunteer said Mona had experience with conflict resolution and providing facilitation around “hot button” issues. 

Mona came well prepared having done much research on the topic and making herself well aware of the controversial issue and different views attendees may have. 

I found Mona possessed the skill and expertise as a facilitator that was necessary for our session. Mona was well prepared for any “what ifs” and was able to the focus on the message while still considering the feelings of the audience members. She provided a safe environment so that our guest speakers felt at ease and at the same time made sure the audience members left with having had their questions answered. These are truly qualities of a skilled facilitator.   Thanks Mona.

 Bev Babuk - Calgary