One day in the middle of 2013 I saw a post on facebook by Shiona Long about her own journey that led her to set up her “Performer’s Heart” business.  It resonated strongly with me and I sent an email indicating my interest in finding out more about her coaching.

For some years I had struggled with depression and had been ‘trying to be’ a professional singer-songwriter.  But I was tired, disillusioned, burned out and wondering what the heck it was all about.

Surprisingly (for me), in a couple of conversations with Shiona a Grief came to the surface: a grief that I had been holding down, tightly bottled for fear of admitting my disappointment with myself and above all, with God.  Over the next few days I wept quite a lot, I revisited conversations and relationships and beliefs that had been connected with the time of my great disappointment. You know how when you get a surprise or something bad suddenly happens and you breathe in and you might hold your breath?  I felt like I’d been holding that breath in for years and now, instigated by those conversations with Shiona, I was letting it go.  I breathed out the grief finally and it was gone.  Like a wave crest dissipates when it finally reaches the beach and it just disperses.  It’s not that it never happened but the pain and sadness is gone.

I am so grateful we connected!  It has enabled me to really move on in my life, to be less rigid and begin to see other possibilities.  And I am fairly certain ‘the music’ is still in me.  I just needed to let go of, what to me had become, a hollow structure.  I feel excited for my future for the first time in years. ~ Linda Wood,  Singer/Songwriter

It is with great pleasure that I recommend Shiona Long’s work. We have used her for both 1:1 personal coaching work and for group work in helping staff to develop their leadership qualities. Shiona delivered great results for people in both the 1:1 and group work. Her facilitation skills are wonderful and she has a great ability to build rapport and trust quickly.

Shiona has a great gift in assisting people to find their purpose and to help them to see the world in a different way. The work Shiona does brings value to both the individual at the centre and from a business perspective, all who come into contact with that person. ~Karen McCraw, CEO and Founder: Karden Disability Support Foundation 

I started my true purpose work with Shiona to make sure that where I was heading was in line with my purpose for being on the planet. I had started life coaching in 2009 and loved the insight and self-knowledge it brought. It was also totally fantastic to work with people who were ready to make positive change in their lives. I loved working with individual clients and was excited about running my own business.

My day job was as a senior manager in the public sector paid very well and brought me (and my family) security, but seemed a million miles away from who I was when I was being a life coach. I was intending to leave the public sector and set up my own business as a life coach, and was in the process of planning the transition towards this new phase of my career.

The journey I took was at my own pace and Shiona safely guided me all the way. The process pulled together seemingly disparate experiences and things I knew about myself, and helped me form a more holistic sense of who I truly am. I rediscovered my spiritual beliefs and in a sense came home to myself. Nothing had been a waste of time.

I decided to remain in the agency where I was employed, knowing that I could live my life’s purpose, positively impacting on many more people, all of whom spend a large portion of their lives at work.

Once I chose this path, I was promoted to an executive leadership role and I am now in charge of creating a workplace where I can assist lots of people to connect with their own inner truth.  Every day I go to work knowing that I am living according to the purpose for which I was put on this planet. I feel now, that I have stepped into being who I truly am. How great is that!

Thank you Shiona. ~Claire Witham,  State Manager – Australian Electoral Commission

If you’re lucky, you come across someone that has a truly profound effect on your life. This person for me was Shiona.

I was at a turning point in my life and wasn’t sure how or if I was going to move forward. Thanks to her guidance I was able to connect to what’s really important to me stronger than ever before, discover my True Purpose in life and find my way. Shiona was able to support me completely as we worked together which meant that I never felt alone and for that I will be eternally grateful. Throughout my time with her, she was dedicated to my success and invested in my progress.

Because of her coaching I am truly flying higher than I ever thought possible. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough. ~Jo Baker Coach, Speaker and Trainer 

I felt really taken care of. Shiona’s listening is deep – I felt that she heard what my soul was longing to express. Thank you for your wisdom and genuine caring. ~Linda Kiernan, Coach: Calgary, Canada

I have no doubt that Shiona has found her path in helping individuals learn how to discover their true purpose and live it and believe that anyone looking to find their own purpose with the aid of Shiona’s guidance will not be sorry. Thank you, Shiona and great blessings upon your path! ~Evening Lategano, Holistic Yoga Therapist and Program Director at Suncokret Body & Soul Retreat, Hvar Island, Croatia www.suncokretdream.net

Shiona is awesome. To have met this brilliant person who can pinpoint any in- authenticity in your life and totally blow it away is just great. You leave her presence feeling lighter and freer, knowing who you are. ~Jules White – Mother of three, Women’s Circle Leader & Teacher

In just one session with Shiona I was able to release an old pattern of fear that was holding me back in my career. The result for me was a profound feeling of peace and a deeply felt experience of my own power. Shiona guides but does not intrude, she is deeply present and intuitively knew exactly what I needed each step of the way. I highly recommend her to anyone who wants to fulfil their potential and live life to the fullest. ~Anne Marie Clear,  Coach and Trainer – California, USA

When I reflect on my life so far I am able to see a “not-so-helpful” recurring pattern. On one hand I’ve always sought opportunities that pushed me beyond my natural comfort zone in my desire to pursue success & be the best that I could be. On the other hand I have also always harbored self doubts about my ability to manage & been quick to pull back when things became too challenging or complicated.

With hindsight I can see that I was actually undermining my own success & gathering evidence that my secret beliefs were correct, that I wasn’t good enough to be all that I wanted to be as a professional, as a mum & as a person.

Shiona helped me to see that I had the power to change how I saw myself & that my self-limiting beliefs were generating the results I thought I deserved rather than what I was really capable of achieving. While I thought they were protecting me from failure & disappointment, they were actually becoming my ball & chain.

With Shiona’s help I came to recognize my personal strength & believe in my self worth. I now have a job that I love as well as having an improved family life. By embracing my own strengths I have been able to help my children to do the same & they are growing in self-confidence also.

I truly feel that I am living my life the way I am meant to be & am looking forward to a fulfilling future. I would happily recommend the Authentic Success program to anyone looking to break free from the past & get more out of life. ~Fiona Reeves,  Oncology Nurse and Mother of 3

When I started working with Shiona I’d just missed out on performing in a play because of bad health. Being in the play would have been the culmination of a long-held dream. I’d missed out before on achieving my dreams as a dancer because of injury, and I’d begun to think that missing out just before reaching the pinnacle was the story of my life.

Shiona has helped me find ways to change the ‘story’ I’ve created – from inviting the dancer I was back into my life to looking at how the different parts of my personality work for and against my art. What I really liked about working with Shiona is that she offers both emotional and practical strategies. I’ve benefitted from her suggestions on forming and keeping habits that help me make progress despite setbacks. I’m very lucky to have Shiona’s support as I continue to rewrite my story. ~Fiona, Writer

Shiona was the mother bird pushing me out of the nest, the wind beneath my wings, the hurricane propelling me forwards, and the light illuminating my way, all rolled into one. I simply cannot thank her enough! ~Jenny Molan, Coach and Healer