SELECTED TESTIMONIALS
Read what clients have to say…
“Announcement was made today. My speech went very well, I was able to deliver it well and without looking at my notes. Feedback from the staff was very good and they seem to be happy. We opened it for questions and I answered confidently. Thanks for your tips and for all your support.
Also thank you very much for the warm feelings and for all the effort you have exerted with me and Ahmed TD throughout the last few months. Your valuable coaching made a big difference.”
Ahmed F. Amin, CB&I, Egypt
“I learnt a lot during these workshops. I learnt how to control any situation, how to use my body language to interact with others, how to be a team player (through the exercises), how voice, tone, pitch, and body language affect my presentation, and that preparation is the key to a successful presentation.”
Dima Safar, ICLA Information Field Assistant, NRC, Minieh, North Lebanon
“The management skills training was a healthy and useful space to speak about and express the different challenges that we are facing in our work. We needed to talk about these issues but we did not have time to talk about them during our daily work. It was a great opportunity to know and understand each others’ personalities and I think this will be valuable to improve the relationships between us and to support each other in the coming period.
During the workshops our way of thinking changed and our knowledge improved in many management skills relevant to our work, like: promoting teamwork, coaching and developing others, conflict resolution, etc. I think these topics need more time and the training could be even more useful and efficient if we had more role plays but I know that all of that was related to the limited time we had.
As a team, we must work with and for others. To be able to mutually achieve our goals we must be able to relate to others effectively. These effective management skills will help us do that.
At the end, I would like to thank you very much for your efforts and support to improve our management skills.”
Mohammad Beqai, ICLA Information Field Officer, NRC, Akkar, North Lebanon
“Mariam is a very talented speaker, she presents well and her sessions are highly interactive. Her knowledge is invested in the audience beyond what is expected.”
Anthony Khoury, Assistant Branch Manager, Shtrumpf, Lebanon
“Dr. Shebaya’s sessions are very interesting, interactive, and pleasant to attend. She can make you think about and realize things that you wouldn’t think would affect your daily life and interactions.”
Datevik Ohanian, Shift Leader, Shtrumpf, Lebanon
“Mariam has been my coach for relationship and career change since Nov 2012. Since that time Mariam has been absolutely awesome – both professionally and personally. She cares a lot about the people and the issues she is dealing with. Mariam puts into the work all the skills she learnt, experience she gained, but most importantly also her own emotions and heart. Mariam has large knowledge in both personal & business fields. Combination of those makes her really unique.
Mariam has always done her best to give support despite my complicated situation from time, money or other perspectives. I bow my hat in front of such a person.”
Radovan Hanzl, Entrepreneur, London, U.K.
“I benefited a lot from all the topics covered in this workshop. Dr. Shebaya’s delivery is very smooth, and she conducted the workshop very effectively. Some of the tools she offered will prove very useful in our day-to-day work, especially the urgent/important matrix to clarify priorities.”
“Our vision is now clearer and we can proceed with our work in a more systematic manner now. We also have tools to be able to deal with conflict constructively.”
“We now feel we can approach funders more confidently. We also learnt to communicate more effectively and deal with conflict more effectively.”
Excerpts from Anonymous feedback given, NRC Camp Management Workshops
“I had 5 coaching sessions with Mariam Shebaya from May to October 2010 and I could summarize the effect of the coaching in several ways:
- I had no expectations whatsoever, I knew I needed some advice and guidance as I felt confused at the time, but I had no idea where and how to look for it. Mariam helped me define my goals. I still hold on to these goals and I often refer to them for guidance.
- We had various exercises which helped me look at the issues and concerns I had from various and definitely new perspectives. This helped me understand that I should not take issues for granted because they are not fixed entities, rather they depend on the way I look at them or create them. My perceptions and my emotions are not fixed forever and I can do something about them.
- The exercises and discussions helped me understand where my limiting beliefs had come from. I used to think about my weaknesses or limitations as something I was born with. Throughout the training sessions I realized my limiting beliefs were something I had created for a reason, but something that was not innate, so I could as well get rid of them or choose to change them. I also realized I had more reasons to get rid of my limitations than hold on to them.
- I find it still revealing and inspirational to go over my notes. I think with the help of Mariam I started a process of self understanding that is soothing, guiding and inspiring.
- As a result I feel now more open minded, willing to try new things, more relaxed and understanding about the things that bother me and more aware about where I am now and where I would like to be. The first exercise Mariam asked me to do was The Wheel of Life. I made the same exercise the other night as an experiment. I was happy to see I had now a year later a fuller and smoother (wheel of) life”.
Marina Petrova, Graphic Designer, Bulgaria. www.marinabpetrova.com
“Mariam supported me through one of the most challenging times in my professional and personal life, i.e. building my coaching business, caring for my son, writing a book, etc. She stands out with her coaching skills not just because of her deep, thoughtful approach to coaching and also for her extremely high level of empathy, which I’ve never experienced with other coaches.
Mariam is a master coach in overwhelming, confusing, complex and emotionally challenging situations. Feeling emotions without knowing how to deal with thoughts can feel very overwhelming. Mariam has such a great ability to manage and deal with client’s emotions in positive and constructive ways through her 100% presence and variety of different exercises and techniques. Mariam cared deeply about me, and it was shown in her listening and questioning skills . I felt trusting, safe environment and sensed care and nurturing support throughout each coaching session (even though we were thousands miles apart: myself- in the UK, her –in Lebanon).
What I treasure about Mariam most – is that she ALWAYS gives a choice and an opportunity to choose during a coaching session: between preferred exercise(s) and/or or technique(s). It seems that she has so many appropriate tools for visuals that it will never end (!).
Mariam encouraged me in reaching my goals and believing in myself to reach my full potential in such situations that I’d pretty much give up everything. She helped me to grow and develop myself personally and professionally at different levels as a coach/business owner/mother/writer. How grateful I am for her coaching abilities and skills!!”
Nelia Koroleva, Leadership/Personal Performance Coach and Owner of VSEI Coaching, U.K. www.vsei-coaching.com
“I had a course of sessions with Mariam over my irrational fear and low confidence about my driving abilities. I felt I couldn’t drive my own and felt very unsure on the road. There were a couple of reasons combined together, all of which we dealt with successfully.
Mariam was easy going but perceptive and really fit the coaching with my personality. She made sure to keep it interesting, which made me continuously address and refrain the issue in my mind. With every session I felt more and more confident in my abilities, I also felt very sure in Mariam being the absolutely best coach for me with her empathy towards my situation. I knew and felt she was cheering me on, and that further solidified my belief in myself.
After 5 or 6 sessions I feel very self-assured behind the wheel, driving on my own. I also have used the techniques provided by Mariam to great success. They are all easy and quick to do, which means I can incorporate them anytime, anywhere.
I thought Mariam was very professional and inspiring coach and will not hesitate working with her again or recommending her to others.”
Antonina Andreeva, The Coachinista, U.K. & Cyprus
“Mariam helped me get clarity around the priorities for my business. She helped me identify some areas I needed to concentrate on improving. As a result, I developed some good habits in terms of getting organized and task management”.
Elaine Gleeson, Freelance Trainer & Coach, U.K. www.elainegleeson.com
“The major impact in the coaching sessions I had with Mariam was a “click” in order to drastically change life style. To take more control of things, and to be more organized and structured as a person. I clearly set my goals and started working step by step. I was able to visualize them, take more notes, and follow up more thoroughly. I was able to move up the at the office from marketing coordinator to marketing manager. However this perhaps lead me to quiting one of my other objectives, which was to open a restaurant myself. This did not bother me though. I am still moving up the ladder at work, and I am also currently in charge of all online activities for the 2 restaurants I am employed by”.
Hady, Marketing Manager, Lebanon
“I had three coaching sessions with Mariam. All of them were quite enlightening. She has an informed and mature approach. She was very patient with me. She listened very actively and showed a multi-cultural awareness. Just by talking, she helped me untangle many issues and also empowered me to go ahead and solve them. Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity”.
Harsha Basu, Professional Editor & Project Manager, U.K.
“The coaching I had with Mariam was interesting for many reasons:
- the coach was a very friendly and supportive person
- the setting made me feel very comfortable
- the coach gave me exercises that enhanced my self-esteem and gave me more self-confidence”.
Loubane Tay, University Student, Lebanon
“The sessions I had with Mariam helped me think more objectively about my circumstances and pushed me to change perspective on my situation. The sessions pushed me to think more deeply in identifying the problems and issues and relating to them differently. I do feel that I benefited from the coaching, taking action as a result, especially regarding my work. One other thing I benefited from was more courage to ask for clients, to do more PR, and to promote myself and my work.”
Dr. A.A., Dentist, Lebanon
“As a result of my coaching sessions with Mariam I got a lot of clarity around my goals, and was inspired to take positive steps towards my action points. Mariam is a very friendly, and easy to talk to person which I found very helpful during our coaching sessions. Thank you Mariam!”
S.P., Business Coach & Entrepreneur, U.K. & India
“My partner and I could not stop arguing. Our emotions seemed to get so strong and things would get blown way out of proportion. Mariam helped us to reconnect our hearts and uncover the purpose and “hidden treasure” behind starting our relationship. We were able to communicate with each other in a loving way once again and let our love grow. Wonderful feeling! Many thanks!”
M.R., Prague
SELECTED CLIENTS
