From "Why Not?" to "Wow"
When Therese, a young woman from the Philippines, first met her Human Better EDU coach, Ayla, she thought coaching might be… interesting. Maybe even helpful. But life-changing? That, she did not expect.
“We didn’t have this kind of opportunity at university, not even in high school,” she said. “Coaching isn’t really a thing here. It felt very foreign at first.”
Still, after watching a few Human Better EDU talks online, curiosity won. She signed up. What started as a “Why not?” moment turned into the realization, “Wow, my life is better.”
From Tantrums to Take-Charge
Therese laughs when she talks about her early coaching days.
“Before coaching, I would come from rage and triggers and resentment,” she said. “Now, I’ve learned to stay grounded, stop tantruming about things, and take responsibility for my actions.”
When Real Life Hit Hard
Midway through her coaching journey, Therese was let go from her job. She came to her next session upset—hurt, angry, and confused. She’d worked hard, stayed loyal, and still found herself blindsided.
So Ayla gave her an assignment: a Brain Dump.
Therese poured it all out—every ugly, unfiltered thought swirling in her head. Then came the real work. Together, she and Ayla dissected each line, looking for the voices and the opportunity behind the pain. What emerged surprised Therese: a trait she’d never named before—The Golden Child.
In her Rebuttal to her Brain Dump, she wrote:
“The truth is, I could have talked to my manager. I could have emailed HR and asked for a review. My trait was preventing me from going after what I wanted. I was too afraid of giving a bad impression or upsetting someone in authority.”
Her Golden Child was running the show—whispering things like:
“I have to be the obedient employee.”
“I have to say exactly what they want me to say.”
“I can’t say no to anyone or anything.”
“My feelings don’t matter as long as I get recognized.”
That trait had protected her for years—but it was also keeping her stuck. With Ayla’s guidance, Therese learned to spot when her Golden Child took the wheel and how to reclaim control. She identified a new trait she wanted to develop and named it Northern Star, representing self trust, inner guidance, and forward movement. It didn’t just change how she handled her career; it changed how she related to her family, friends, and herself.
Tools That Stick
When asked which Human Better EDU framework made the biggest impact, it wasn’t surprising that Therese didn’t even pause.
“The Brain Dump,” she said. “It’s like writing in a diary—but with a twist. You’re not just journaling or complaining; you’re finding ways to respond differently.”
Therese isn’t just completing a coaching program—she’s carrying a lifelong toolkit. She says,
“These tools have now become part of how I think.”
At Human Better EDU, that’s the whole point—to give students everywhere frameworks that build agency, accountability, and self-trust. Because as Therese’s story shows, no matter where you live—or how unfamiliar coaching might seem—once you grab the wheel of your own life, everything starts to move in the right direction.
Casey Seidenberg
is a Human Better EDU Program Leader and Executive Life Coach. She leads our popular Take Charge of Your Life course for Middle Schoolers and High Schoolers. She also works with graduate-level educators to Kindergarten teachers and everything in between. Email Casey at casey@humanbetteredu.org.
Ayla Davidson
is the Director of Operations & a Life Coach at Human Better EDU. She has worked with schools and theaters across the country and abroad as a Teaching Artist. She was a speaker at the recent Thrive Conference: Providing Joyful Growth Opportunities for Educators and primarily coaches students and young adults, with a dream of expanding into the younger grades. Email Ayla at ayla@humanbetteredu.org.
Want Help With What’s Holding You Back?
Bring your upsets and tantrums to an HB EDU Coach and let us help you get curious, sort through them, and discover what these feelings are really telling you. Your Coach can help you with a Brain Dump to find out what’s really got you stuck, and make a plan to get you back in the driver’s seat! Book a free call today.