As the founder of Tamara Bey Coaching, I offer somatic trauma-informed coaching – a holistic and integrative approach that addresses the mind, body, and spirit of my clients. I am certified by the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, the UK International Health Coaching Association, the International Coach Federation, and the Continued Professional Development. I am also trained in "Trauma Informed Positive Psychology Coaching Method™ and Non-Violent Communication. As a result of my own journey of war, displacement, and childhood sexual abuse and an adult relationship of emotional & psychological abuse, I fully appreciate the impact of how our traumas & epigenetics can have on all aspects of our current health.
Tamara Beydoun, Trauma Informed Functional Medicine Health Coach
What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
My business is called Tamara Bey Coaching. My name is Tamara Beydoun, so it's short for that. As a behavioural change expert, I am here to empower my clients, and to let them know that they have a choice in whatever decisions they take to really live their best life, most aligned with their own values and their vision.
Where does that specific want and need to help these clients in this way come from?
As it often is in coaching, I would guess many coaches have their own life journey experience. I've been on mine for the last four years. It's been such an empowering journey, one that was also extremely hard. At times it was dark, but going through it was just the most incredible experience ever. It's given me a sense of extreme strength that I never knew I had. It's made me an extremely compassionate person. I mean, it's been a really tough journey, but a beautiful one. If you asked me would I do it all over again, as tough as it was, I’d say yes. And I want to share that, because if I've discovered that strength within me, that means each one of us has that strength inside of us too. I'm not any different. I wish for people to wake up and see the beauty in them and what they are also capable of achieving.
Do you think you've always had this mindset of the tough times being like an adventure? Or do you think there was like a pivotal moment where your mindset started to change?
I would say no. I was very much living life in a container, thinking it was perfect, not questioning anything. I do however feel I was born with a sense of curiosity, knowing that there was something more, it was always inside me. I think, as a lot of us often do, I just ignored this curiosity, for all those years, until something woke me up. A combination of things really. I experienced my father passing away 10-11 years ago. My mother was extremely sick with Alzheimer's, so I was going to lose her. And with my relationship with my ex-husband of 31 years, there was something missing – I just couldn’t understand what it was at the time. There was something not right. I felt in a way, not alive, like a part of me had died inside. I wanted more. And you know, my kids were growing up and I just so desperately wanted a beautiful connection, an authentic connection with them. And it wasn't. It was conditional. So, you know, this is why I say my biggest teachers have been my children, because they've awakened that part in me. Seeing my children doing things that I could never have dreamt of when I was their age; seeing them at a young age being able to set boundaries, prioritise their needs, communicate non-aggressively, be gentle towards themselves and others. This is my biggest motivator. It's beautiful to witness and I think everybody deserves that.
Tell us more about your career and how you ended up where you are today?
My background is in marketing, mostly within the media, hospitality & tourism industry. I love the tourism industry because it's such a positive industry full of human connection. I loved this, until COVID.
As the world slowed down at this time, so did I. Something opened up inside me and I started to explore my own personal growth journey. This is what actually led me to coaching.
So my first step towards coaching began with ‘nonviolent communication’. For the first time ever I connected to emotions and feelings. I started talking about my feelings, which was a completely new language for me and at home. Truthfully, I felt the communication between my kids and I was completely blocked. How could I expect them to make a change? It was up to me to lead by example.
Suddenly at home, everyone was allowed to express their feelings with respect. I noticed a difference in how my children would also communicate within their friendship groups. The shift was happening.
The next step, I got certified from the FMCA, Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, which is an incredible school. Unlike conventional, western medicine, functional medicine goes to the root cause of any symptoms you might have. I work with movement, the impact of movement on our well-being, nutrition, spirituality, connecting to others, and sleep (all modifiable lifestyle factors that could impact our wellbeing). All these factors are very important in living one’s best life.
I started coaching in this area, offering guidance as a behavioural expert, but I felt something was missing. We often get setbacks when we set goals because of old patterns; and old patterns are often there because of unhealed trauma. So, I felt there was a strong need to add to that a trauma certification. I then certified as a somatic trauma-informed coach, and that involves a lot of positive psychology work, inner child work. We also work with brain spotting and regulating the nervous system. It's vast.
And as a last part of my certifications, I went on to become a Narcissistic Abuse Specialist. Unfortunately, in today's world there are a lot of toxic relationships. From my own personal experience, I found the biggest need for healing after such a relationship is to be in a community of others who can support and validate your experience; because it's an experience that can really make you feel you've gone crazy. Being part of this safe space is a huge step in the healing journey.
As a result of all these qualifications combined, I really feel I can be of great service. They are all so interconnected when it comes to us living our best lives, aligned to our true values.
Have you encountered any major challenges during your journey and how have these affected you?
During any major healing journey, there will be a time where you feel alone and it can be scary. It’s difficult. However, as I tell all my clients, this is where the transformation takes place. It will pass, and I assure you, you’re not alone as much as you feel you’re alone.
Whilst we are connected to nature & we may have other human connections around us – part of the healing journey is actually to walk it alone. To introspect and go inwards and tune into your resiliency – this takes courage and strength; whether you are healing from trauma, or simply setting goals and finding yourself having setbacks. These moments of struggle will inevitably show up for everyone, at some point in their lives.
I think we're very hard on ourselves when we have setbacks. 95 percent of goals fail. Failure is not negative. It's just another learning experience. So actually, talking to yourself with a bit of kindness towards these setbacks is very important. And I think being supported by a coach can be hugely helpful.
Aside from your children, is there anyone else that inspires you to be the best version of you?
I honestly think it's my inner child. Like, I look at her and I think, okay, we've wasted enough time now. Let's do this together and let's do it right. I ask for her forgiveness as well.
I just think we're here as beings on this earth, in this lifetime, this in itself is a miracle. And that's what keeps me going, appreciating every day the miracle we each are and the beauty I mean, you go down the street you smile to a stranger – that stranger will smile back to you and then just feel the beauty of that simple gesture.
I would go out every day, either grab a coffee or go to the local store, and I would make sure I had a nice conversation and a smile with the person there. And I would think, my God, this person has no idea what I'm going through. But just connecting with them kept me going because it gave me hope in humanity.
What is your superpower?
I think the way I show up in this world. You know, I'm quite small, but somehow there's a lot of ‘tender strength’ in me that is very unthreatening. It’s sometimes difficult to see in others. I'm sure others have it, but we somehow are too scared of it, as it is overwhelmingly simple and beautiful.
What's the next big goal or project for you and your business?
I'm going to share my vulnerability here. The part of me that is very scared is to put myself out there. And so the next step of my business is really to put my face out there, put my story out there.
I've sort of been procrastinating about it, but now I have mentors. Coaches need coaches, by the way.
I also plan in the next year plan to work very closely if I can with private universities. Supporting people in their 20s in managing anxiety & overwhelm. Letting them feel also that they have a choice, that they can live differently.
In the meantime, if you’d like to work with me you can visit my website and take a look at my different coaching packages. I offer a free discovery session which you can check out by clicking this link here.
