Why the Name Tandem Lifestyle: Born from Personal Life Transitions

At the peak of my corporate career, I was honored with the Cendant Everest Award for high achievement and offered a high-profile opportunity to relocate from California to New Jersey.  The California office was closing, so relocating was my only option to stay with the company and in California.

The people I loved weren’t willing to make the move with me—and I chose them.

It was one of those life-changing decisions that, even now, I sometimes look back on and wonder: Did I make the right choice?

When Career Success Doesn’t Equal Fulfillment

Staying in California didn’t fix my failing marriage. Fast forward a year: I was getting a divorce, and my son was launching into his adult life. During the divorce, I lost many of my closest friendships. The couples Bible study group I had been part of disbanded, and without a partner, I would have been dismissed from the group anyway. My extended family—on the East Coast—felt far away in more ways than one. Some were disapproving. Others just… silent. I had never felt so alone.

I vividly remember one afternoon, driving home on the toll road in my convertible SL500, the top down, wind in my hair, gripping the steering wheel and crying out to God:

“Lord, you have blessed me with so much. Why don’t I feel gratitude? Why do I feel like I’m drowning in pain? Look at this fun car. No, I don’t live in a house on the hill anymore—but my condo is beautiful, peaceful, and just two miles from the ocean. I’m healthy and life is full of potential.  Why isn’t it enough?”

A New Beginning: Finding a New Community

Spirit gently reminded me that I needed fellowship. I found my way to a new church, New Community, that was started by my favorite pastor.  I didn’t have to pretend everything was okay. Three single women—two never married and one divorced—invited me into their circle. The church didn’t have a singles ministry, so they attended a couples Bible study where they were warmly welcomed. I joined in.

The study was called In Tandem.

That’s where I began to find my way back to myself. The leader, a trained counselor, didn’t lecture—he asked thought-provoking questions, encouraged deep listening, and skillfully guided us through meaningful discussions. He anchored us on common ground and taught us how to journey in tandem.

The Coaching Connection: Healing Happens Best Together

The name of that group stayed with me—In Tandem—because it reflected how healing happens: not alone, but together. Today, that phrase anchors my coaching practice, a reminder that whether we’re navigating career crossroads, health changes, or heartbreak, we do it best when we travel side by side.

Research consistently shows that individuals supported by health and wellness coaching experience better outcomes than those going alone.

• 🧠 Health coaching improves outcomes for individuals with fibromyalgia:
  A pilot study found that when health and wellness coaching (HWC) was added to standard fibromyalgia treatment, participants showed clinically significant improvements in quality of life, reduced pain, and lower health care utilization—outcomes rarely seen without intervention.
  👉 PubMed ID 27821160 – Pilot Study on Coaching for Fibromyalgia
• 🧠 Health and wellness coaching reduces pain interference and improves emotional well-being:
  Coaching was shown to positively impact individuals with chronic pain, reducing how much pain interfered with daily life and improving overall well-being.
  👉 PubMed ID 32716976 – Coaching and Chronic Pain
• ⚖️ Health coaching supports weight loss more effectively than going it alone:
  In one randomized trial, participants who received coaching lost over 15% of their body weight, compared to just 2.5% in the non-coached control group.
  👉 Finkelstein et al., Obesity (2023)
• 💪 Coaching promotes physical activity, better diabetes control, and sustained behavior change:
  A systematic review showed that coaching led to increased physical activity, better diabetes management, and more lasting healthy habits.
  👉 Zhou et al., BMC Public Health (2022)

These studies affirm what I’ve learned personally and professionally: lasting change happens when we feel supported. It’s like learning to ride a bike. Having someone steady you until you find your balance not only shortens the learning curve but builds your confidence for ongoing success.

Why I Coach

This is the heart of Tandem Lifestyle. Coaching isn’t about fixing you—it’s about partnering with you. It’s a space to reconnect with your strengths, honor your values, and move forward with clarity and confidence. It’s about cultivating a “together” lifestyle.

No matter what new healthy habits you want to develop, you don’t have to go it alone.

Let’s journey In Tandem.