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1. When did the company form and who are the names and titles of the
principals? I started my coaching practice in New Jerseyin 2003 dba “The
Bonnie Howell Group”. That group consisted of myself,my daughter Dr.
Kathryn Howell, l who practices Child Psychology,her husband who is a
child developmentspecialist,and my other son-in-law who has an
MBA. My parents became ill so I returned to New York and eventually
organized an LLC, Bonnie Howell Coach and Counsel, approved by New
York State in 2012;I am the sole owner/operator of that organization.
2. What are three things our readers should know about your philosophy,
your company, and what it does?
I’m a certified life coach with many years of experience in leadership,
coaching formally and informally, and parenting as the hardest, best
coaching job I ever loved—looking back. As suggested three
descriptive phrases that define and differentiate me.
Integrative Coaching:
As a certified coachtrained in the Integrative method,I encourage
you to considerthat you have but one precious life not life segments
named work life, home life etc. Part of my effortwill be aimed at
keeping our approach integrated along those lines. I believe that the
answers to your hardest life questions lie within you as part of the
story of your life. My role is to listen to that story, watch and sense
what you are communicating or not communicating and to ask gentle
thought-provoking questions aimed at helping you find your answers.
I may observe things in what you communicate that could lead to
valuable insights, and will raise these for your consideration. It’s
designed to be short-term intervention with long-term results.
Conversational Coaching:
A necessaryskill in good coaching is listening on multiple levels
(hearing, seeing,feeling) and these dimensions are a major part
of coach training. That's one reason why it's so important to find
a well trained, certified,coach. However, the “fit” is equally or
perhaps more important. Your first visit is always complementary
to see if we have the necessary fit. To openly and honestly
communicate your life story can be scary but in the end a special
bond between coach and client is created. That’s why it’s so
important to choose someone with whom you are comfortable
and confident. Raising awareness of negative, untrue self-
perception,belief systems,or life view is also part of the coach’s

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responsibility.Beyond raising awareness the coach provides
supportfor the client to create alternatives, new possibilities,new
actions to achieve what they desire going forward. All those
difficultchanges happen more effectivelywhen the client has
been able to develop confidencein the process and the
coach. Coaching is a partnership, a sacred, safe space carved
out between the individual and their coach. The client sets the
agenda, I listen to their story and guide them through specific
agreed upon steps to achieve a desired outcome.My brand of
coaching does not dwell on the past, but follows those roots to
explain how the client arrived at a place they may not want to
be.
Future Oriented:
The result is future focusedconversation addressing solutions rather than
problems. Supporting people to understand how they came to
this moment and then helping to develop alternatives upon which
to build their story forward, is the essence of my coaching
process.In summary, unlike some coaching schools of thought, I
believe the coach and client work together to develop the best
plan for the next Chapter of a life story. However, it isn’t a
passive processforclient or coach. The tools a coach has to
offervary from practice to practice. In conjunction and within a
coaching relationship I can offerHypnotherapy, and Heart Math
Biofeedback. I am also a certified Pastoral Counselorfor those
needing to work though issues using a nondenominational but
spiritually oriented approach.
2.What are your goals for the next year? Any specialevents, promotions,
projects,etc.?
Promotion:
My specialoffer:a 25% discount on any of my services to current card-
carrying chambermembers forthe first three months of my Chamber
membership. So a $100 coaching sessionwould be offeredto chamber
members for$75
Goals: First I would like to grow the practice to full time, partially by
contracting with organizations to work with one employee or a group. I’m
certified to use DISC personality (aka work style) assessor. I’m also a
certified Five Behaviors Coach in working with leadership teams to
improve performance. This new offering is based on Patrick Lencioni’s
work in which he notes that under-performing leadership teams quantified

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show it’s perhaps our largest untapped resource.
Finally, if I can develop enough interest, I would like to organize two new
groups.
The first is to fulfill something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.
Working title:
"Womenwho are where the buck stops” Offera group for women who
are either owners of their own business,or the CEO of an organization.
Goal to discuss business issues from that vantage point knowing that
women in the role face slightly differentissues than their male
counterparts—not allowed to say that any more—welljoin this group and
we’ll talk about it.
The second group I want to offerbecause,with 10,000 people perday
retiring, rising to 13,000 by 2017,it’s no surprise that some of those people
didn’t get the dream life they thought they had earned. That’s why suicide
rates go up dramatically for this age group, along with other physical and
mental health issues. I’m tentatively calling it
“Retirementbeyond financial planning"
This second group would be aimed at those who are near retirement or
who have just retired. We’ll be using a processdeveloped especiallyfor
honestly discussing what’s right, what’s wrong, and what’s intolerable
enough to push for successfulchange.
I think this addresses the outline you gave me—any and all suggestions for
edits or content gratefully accepted. Especiallynaming groups and things
like that, your expertise would be an invaluable asset. I’m also open to be
steered in other directions either to fill a need or avoid competing in an
already served area.
My contact info to be inserted where you think best:
Dr. Bonnie H. Howell
607-279-8400
bhhcmc@gmail.com
www.thebonniehowellgroup.org
Office:1201 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, NY (the old Fall Creek Theater Building)

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Dr. Bonnie Howell
Coach and Counsel