Barb Brunzell

Play & Empowerment Coach
Shamanic Counselor

Certified Martha Beck Wayfinder Life Coach
International Coaching Federation, Associate Certified Coach (ACC-ICF)
Harner Shamanic Counseling ™ Practitioner
Partner, Copper Thread Coaching

When you work with a coach, I believe it’s important to know who you’re working with. Selecting someone you can trust, who can hold space for all of your parts and create a safe judgment-free container where you can unravel the mystery of you is key. Picking the right partner to nurture your intuition, as you dream and scheme, and walk alongside you, as you make tough lifestyle changes, is imperative. Choosing a guide to help you navigate your growth edge, someone who can show compassion when you trip and fall, and celebrate your wins as you rise is essential to your success. So, with that said, let’s get started on the trust building. Here’s a bit about me…

My Story
“I hadn’t listened to the whispers, the nudges, or even the slaps across the face I received from the universe. Then one day, it took me out with a two-by-four and I went down and stayed down for a very, very, long time. If I wanted to be happy, healthy and whole, it was time to shed my old skin and embrace the pink underbelly of something new.”

I scribbled these words in my journal, years ago, in the murky depth of burnout. I was a card-carrying member of our hustle-hard, white-knuckling-it-through-life, push-with-pride culture and proud of it. My approach had worked well, that is, until it didn’t.

It took the cataclysmic event of ‘my fall’ to force me to take a long look at myself. Burnout had sucked away my life force and done damage: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

It may seem like this is the end of the story, but it’s not. It’s just the beginning.The experiences I’ve had and the lessons I’ve learned, created the path that has led me here, to you. And I come bearing gifts, for the tools I have gathered along my winding road to wellness, I now offer in service. The most powerful of them all? Play.

My Philosophy – Serious Times Call for Playful Measures
I will never forget the day I was prescribed play by a shamanic practitioner. The backdraft was real. “What do you mean play? How is that supposed to help? Really, have you seen the state of me, of the world?”

I eventually bought into the concept, because today, I play for a living. As a Play and Empowerment Coach and co-founder of Copper Thread Coaching, I see daily how making room for experimentation and allowing a little wonder in life, maximizes joy and minimizes suffering. It relieves stress and improves brain function. It boosts creativity and innovation. It builds confidence and resilience. It fosters growth, helps us to learn, allows for release and healing, and most importantly, it feels darn good.

How I Work
As a coach, I use play as a gateway to empowerment. I bring a sense of adventure, a healthy dose of humour, and a pocketful of playfulness to all my sessions.

I follow your lead, because deep down inside, you have all the answers. I use my superpower of asking deep, probing questions in a safe and non-invasive fashion, and pair it with my keen ability to hear the truth in what’s not being communicated. I then mirror those messages back, so you can see yourself and your circumstances in a new light.

Armed with this knowledge, and some assistance from my ‘tickle trunk’ of tools, we work together to help you become a creator, instead of a survivor, so you can get from where you are, to where they want to be with ease.

What’s in the Toolkit?
As a multi-passionate human with a “yes, and…” attitude, my list of tools continues to grow. Here’s the highlight reel:

  • Martha Beck Certified Wayfinder Life Coach;
  • Associate Certified Coach (ACC™) with the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
  • Harner Shamanic Counseling™ with The Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Originated by Michael Harner, and based upon core shamanism, this methodology allows shamanic counselors to work with clients so they can become practitioners of divinatory shamanism and navigate non-ordinary reality. Packages available. Tap here for more information;
  • Yoga. Psyche. Soul. 300-Hour Yoga Psychology Teacher certified by Ashley Turner;
  • Trained in Internal Family Systems Therapy, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), self compassion, grief work, ritual, a host of shamanic methods and more;
  • Holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University and Theatre Arts Diploma from George Brown College.

I have also spent more than 35 years working in the arts and culture sector and creative industries, much of which informs my work today. I’ve been a professional actress, a radio and television arts broadcaster with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, as well as a leader, managing arts marketing teams and creating new cultural products.

Both my professional journey and my personal one, ultimately taught me that the cure to feeling heavy is to introduce some lightness. So if you’ve been thinking about making a change, or you’re looking for support, why not try on your “something new.” I am ready to play, if you are.

Barb Brunzell’s Schedule:

Mondays 11am – 3pm (virtual only)
Wednesdays 10am – 5pm (in-person or virtual)
Thursdays 1:30pm – 4:30pm (virtual only)

Want to Learn More?
If you’re curious and want to read more about my journey, experience and credentials you can find the whole ball of yarn at https://www.copperthreadcoaching.com/about-barb.

Interested in the story of Copper Thread Coaching and all we have to offer? Visit our website at https://www.copperthreadcoaching.com or check out the Copper Thread Facebook or Instagram pages @Copper_Thread_Coaching for daily insights and tools.