Embracing Change and Building Confidence Through Coaching – Exclusive Interview with Elizabeth Ballin

Elizabeth Ballin, PCC, is a Switzerland-based Professional Certified Coach accredited by the International Coaching Federation, Mindfulness Practitioner, and founder of Ballin Coaching. With more than twelve years of experience working across more than twenty cultures, Beth supports professionals, expats, leaders, families, and teams as they move through personal and professional challenges with clarity, intention, and resilience.

Elizabeth Ballin, Professional Certified Coach

Who is Elizabeth Ballin? Introduce yourself, your hobbies, your favorites, you at home and in business – tell us something interesting about yourself.

I am a Professional Certified Coach and Mindfulness Practitioner who has lived an international life for many years. At home, I am a parent, and I continue to find meaning in my own creativity, whether it is painting or writing. Earlier in my life, I lived in New York City and worked with local artists, helping them connect with galleries and shape their public voice.

Later, while working in an international school environment based in Switzerland, I had the opportunity to mentor college-bound students and support their parents during a meaningful stage of their lives. These conversations awakened something in me. I realised how much I enjoyed supporting people as they made decisions and faced uncertainty. I also felt ready to bring that work beyond the education world. That recognition eventually led me to coaching, which opened a path that felt both natural and energising.

What inspired you to become a life and mental‑health coach?

My interest in coaching grew from several meaningful chapters in my life. My years in New York City showed me how much creativity and expression influence a person’s direction. Later, my work in an international school placed me within a truly multicultural community. I lived and worked alongside people from many cultural backgrounds, and this opened my own world. I saw how differently people understand identity, family, ambition, and change, yet also how universal our desire for meaning and direction is.

I discovered how much I enjoyed networking and finding solutions for others. Sometimes it meant helping a student secure a first internship. Other times, it meant supporting an expat family trying to find their place in a new country. These conversations mattered to me and encouraged me to expand this work beyond the education world. Training as a coach felt like a natural next step because it allowed me to focus entirely on personal and professional growth. That motivation remains the foundation of my practice today.

What distinguishes your approach (Solution‑Focused Coaching + Mindfulness + Motivational Interviewing) from other coaching methods?

My method blends Solution Focused Coaching, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing. This combination helps people recognise what is already working in their lives, understand their motivations, and build confidence through meaningful steps. Clients often describe the process as grounded and spacious at the same time.

Mindfulness is woven throughout my work, and it is also central to therapeutic models such as ACT, DBT, CBT, and my training in MBSP. Since I have been trained in these approaches, I often integrate the elements that help clients slow down, observe themselves, and make wiser choices. I also use VIA Character Strengths to help clients connect with their innate resources and develop greater self-awareness. The result is an approach that strengthens insight, resilience, and self-trust.

Which types of clients do you mostly work with (professionals, students, couples, etc.), and why those groups? 

I work with clients from all over the world, including professionals, leaders, parents, young adults, and couples. Many of them carry significant responsibilities and feel stretched between their personal and professional lives. They are often curious, reflective, and ready for change, even if they are not sure what that change should look like yet. I enjoy working with people who want to understand themselves more deeply and explore what is possible.

What are the most common challenges your clients come to you for help with?

Many of my clients feel overwhelmed at work. They may feel stuck, unsure about their next step, or pulled in different directions by family expectations, cultural pressures, or major decisions. And others come with a sense of digital fatigue that they may not even be aware of, which adds another layer to their exhaustion in daily life.

Challenges often come from situations we cannot fully control, and clients want to understand how to face these moments without losing sight of their purpose in life, whatever that may be. Many seek support to feel more confident, have more balance with their emotions, and to find direction.

How do you help clients navigate major life transitions – like career change, burnout, or personal crises? 

Transitions are always difficult periods because our natural desire for action is placed on hold. Accepting that pause and using that time to reflect can become meaningful in itself. I often describe this as the in-between space, like the moment a door closes and there is an air current that feels uncomfortable. It signals that something is shifting.

During these periods, it is important to set up immediate goals so clients feel connected to something while they reflect and reshape their direction. We explore what matters most, what feels outdated, and what new possibilities are emerging. Together, we create steps that make the process feel manageable rather than overwhelming. Clients gradually learn to trust their own resources, even during uncertainty.

The COVID years intensified these transitions. I supported many professionals and families as they rebuilt routines and identities. I was experiencing similar pressures at home, which helped me meet clients with empathy and realism. Coaching became a place where they could release tension, regain direction, and rediscover strengths at a time when everything felt unpredictable.

Can you share a success story (without naming names) that illustrates the transformation your clients experience?

One client I worked with was grappling with the tension between her cultural roots and her professional aspirations. She was ambitious and capable but felt held back by expectations around her. In our sessions, she explored her identity, her values, and the future she wanted to build. I listened from her unique perspective and supported her as she made challenging decisions with potential risks.

Over time, she gained the confidence she needed to take the bull by the horns and pursue what she had always wanted. She eventually stepped into a highly paid executive role where she now leads a large team. What I admire most is that she moved forward without letting go of the cultural traditions that shaped her. Her professional life expanded significantly, and her relationships at home also grew stronger. Seeing her grow into her potential was deeply meaningful.

What role does mindfulness and self‑awareness play in your coaching philosophy and client outcomes?

Mindfulness supports everything I do as a coach. It helps clients pause long enough to notice their emotions, thoughts, and impulses so they are not carried away by them. This awareness allows for clearer decisions, steadier communication, and a sense of internal alignment.

Mindfulness is also a key element in ACT, DBT, CBT, and MBSP. Since I have been trained in all of these, I often implement the parts that help clients observe themselves with compassion rather than judgment. I also use VIA Character Strengths as a way for clients to identify what is strong within them rather than what is wrong. Self-awareness becomes a lifelong tool they can draw upon long after our sessions end.

How would you describe the long-term impact of coaching on someone’s life, beyond just solving immediate problems?

Coaching does more than address a challenge in the moment. It helps people understand themselves, regulate their emotions, and make choices that reflect their values. Over time, this creates confidence, direction, and inner steadiness. Clients often describe feeling more aligned with their lives and more capable of handling whatever comes next.

If someone is feeling stuck or overwhelmed but hesitant to reach out – what would you say to encourage them to get in touch with you?

Feeling stuck can also be an opportunity to understand what kind of support a person might need. A simple conversation can help clarify whether coaching is the right fit or whether another form of support, such as therapy, would be more helpful. Clients often feel relieved knowing they have been heard and that someone is there to guide them toward the next best step. Coaching begins with one conversation, and that alone can begin the process of resolution and direction.

Do you have any other thoughts that you would like to share?

Coaching needs to continue evolving in our modern world. Staying attuned to the changes happening globally and within each person keeps the work fresh and meaningful. It stimulates me on a personal level and reminds me why I am committed to this field. Coaching is not static. It grows as we grow, and that is what makes it so rewarding.

Follow me on LinkedIn and visit my website for more info!

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