Rewiring in the In-Between: What a Stroke Survivor Teaches Us About Transformation
Incredible journey:
Imagine doing the things you normally do every day — making coffee, brushing your teeth, heading to work. Then suddenly, something feels terribly wrong. Words slip away. Movement falters. You realize you’re losing part of yourself you’ve always known.
This was the experience of Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist who suffered a massive stroke that shut down her left hemisphere. What followed was both terrifying and, in her words, profoundly illuminating. As her brain slowly healed, she discovered an entirely new way of experiencing the world — more creative, more interconnected, more alive.
Bridge to coaching and science:
Her story is dramatic, but it reveals something that applies to all of us: the brain’s astonishing capacity for neuroplasticity. Even after trauma, new neural pathways can spark, reshaping how we think, feel, and act. This is more than survival — it’s awe-inspiring reinvention.
In coaching, we often meet clients in their own “in-between” — after an ending, before a beginning. It may not look like a stroke, but the disruption feels just as real: a career change, a relationship shift, a loss, or even the quiet awareness that “the old way no longer works.”
Why liminal coaching matters:
Traditional coaching emphasizes the importance of goals, action steps, and productivity. But in the in-between, something different is needed. It’s not about rushing forward — it’s about creating space for reflection, curiosity, and discovery. This is where new pathways — both neural and personal — can begin to form.
By staying in this fertile uncertainty, clients can rewire not just their strategies, but their very sense of identity and possibility.
Baseline:
The brain’s ability to rewire in moments of disruption is nothing short of remarkable. That’s why coaching in the in-between is so powerful. It helps people not just survive change — but emerge transformed.
👉 Want to dive deeper? Book some time with me.