Michelle Schafer spent her career at big organizations, first TD Bank and then the Canadian Cancer Society. She never pictured herself self-employed. Then she was restructured, not once but twice.The second time, she remembered something a friend had told her years earlier: "I never understood why you never got into coaching." At 46, Michelle took that as her sign. She started with zero clients and has since built a six-figure career and leadership coaching practice. She's also the author of the bestselling Cultivating Career Growth: Navigating Transitions with Purpose.

Christa and Michelle talk about:

• Why restructuring can happen in any sector
• How one book pushed her from banking into nonprofit work
• The "stars aligned" path to launching her business
• Why networking was her biggest hurdle, and what it means to look through your network instead of at it
• The must-do's to get clear on before any job search

Connect with Michelle:

• Website: https://mschafercoaching.ca/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleschafercoaching/
• Free book chapter + order the book: https://mschafercoaching.ca/cultivatingcareergrowth/
• Free Career Focus Framework: https://mschafercoaching.ca/gain-clarity-and-confidence-in-your-job-search/
• Book a free 30-minute discovery call: https://calendly.com/coaching-with-michelle-schafer

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Melina Maresca built her career in corporate law and divorce litigation, then stepped away to raise her three kids. When she came back to full-time work, she came back differently: founding Maresca Mediation around work that fits her values and her life. Christa Lauri talks with Melina about trading adversarial litigation for solutions that work for families: why mediation can be a better option than divorce court, more focused on children, and often far less expensive. It's a conversation about choosing work that matters to you, even when it means rethinking the exact career you trained for.

Key topics

• Melina explains why her early divorce litigation career felt exciting at first, especially in Manhattan with high-profile clients, but became less appealing after returning as a mother.
• Melina describes the biggest frustrations with divorce litigation, including children being used as leverage, constant emergencies, and the lack of control over outcomes.
• She tells the story of a client who settled through mediation before a scheduled meeting, which became the turning point that pushed her toward mediation.
• She breaks down the key difference between advocacy and mediation, noting that mediators must unlearn the instinct to represent one side and instead help both people reach their own agreement.
• She emphasizes that a strong divorce mediator often benefits from litigation experience because knowing what could happen in court helps guide clients realistically.
• Melina explains why mediation is usually better for children, since it can keep them out of court and reduce the emotional fallout of custody disputes.
• She notes that mediation can help former partners rebuild communication, which is especially important when they will remain co-parents long after the divorce is finalized.
• She shares that mediation is typically far less expensive than full litigation, or even resolving a case through attorneys outside of court.
• She reflects on her own pivot advice: take small steps, do not expect perfection, and ask for help from people in the field.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Melina Maresca and her pivot from divorce litigator to mediator

01:04 - The subway novel that made divorce law feel more meaningful

02:25 - Leaving practice to raise children after roughly five and a half years in litigation

03:26 - Returning to law after 16 years away and realizing litigation no longer fit

06:21 - The client mediation story that changed her direction

08:02 - Why mediation requires unlearning the advocate mindset

10:59 - How litigation affects children and why mediation is different

12:03 - Co-parenting, communication, and why divorce does not end the relationship when kids are involved

15:19 - Keeping children out of court and bringing in parenting experts when needed

16:37 - Why self-crafted solutions can be more workable for families

17:41 - Seeing former spouses begin communicating again outside mediation sessions

19:25 - Why Melina believes mediation is the better fit for most cases

20:13 - Mediation as a lower-cost alternative to litigation

21:30 - Advice for career pivoting: small steps over reinvention

22:44 - Progress over perfection and why asking for help matters

23:52 - Where to find Mareska Mediation and the services Melina offers

24:20 - Melina on building her own social media presence one step at a time

Where to find Melina

• Website: https://marescamediation.com/about

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What if exhaustion, brain fog, and persistent health symptoms were a reason to pause and listen—not just push through? This conversation follows national board-certified health and wellness coach Jen Dorf’s "pivot path" from a high-pressure career and entrepreneurship to coaching, sparked by her own health struggles. Christa and Jen also unpack how limiting beliefs, self-talk, and old patterns can block change—even when someone knows what to do! Jen shares practical insights into health coaching, radical self-compassion, and the RAIN framework for working through difficulties. This episode is for anyone feeling stuck in health or career patterns and looking for a more grounded next step!

In this episode

• The thread connecting Jen’s career in hospitality, entrepreneurship, and coaching
• How motherhood, business, and health challenges contributed to overwhelm
• Why Jen began exploring anti-inflammatory foods and mindfulness
• How coaching helped her identify limiting beliefs and build consistency
• What health coaching looks like—and how it supports client agency
• The role of neuroplasticity and small, repeated steps in changing habits
• How radical acceptance and self-compassion can help when you feel stuck
• Jen’s RAIN practice for responding to difficult emotions

00:00 — Jen’s health challenges and the pivot into coaching
01:09 — The thread connecting hotels, restaurants, and service
02:35 — Motherhood, overwhelm, and life before the pivot
04:12 — Searching for answers to persistent symptoms
05:07 — Exploring food as anti-inflammatory support
06:21 — Why new habits still needed support
07:33 — Presence, care, and deeper healing
08:43 — Fear, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome
10:31 — Neuroplasticity and building new patterns
11:28 — What health coaching looks like
12:26 — Clarity, values, and getting off autopilot
13:30 — Radical acceptance and self-compassion
14:39 — The RAIN framework
16:56 — Sitting with discomfort and letting emotions pass
17:28 — Jen’s community work and where to find her

RAIN practice

• Recognize what is happening.
• Allow the feeling to be there without immediately trying to fix it.
• Investigate what you notice in your body.
• Nurture yourself with care and compassion

Website: jendorfwellness.com

Social: @jendorfwellnesscoaching

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