Hi, I'm Isabel

I’m a mother and an accredited motherhood & leadership coach.

Through many conversations with like-minded mothers, I have learned how important it is to share our experiences to inspire each other in navigating the challenges of juggling ambitious careers and motherhood.

Below, you can read my story of transitioning from being an independent woman to becoming a mother.

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a sleeveless black top and black pants, standing outdoors near a stone wall, smiling and looking to her left.
Badge with ICF Credentials and Standards, indicating an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) certification.

Before motherhood, I was very career-focused. As a senior digital marketing manager at global fashion brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Farfetch, and H&M, I worked at a high pace, traveled extensively, and was accustomed to working long hours.

After having my son, I returned to work after 5 months of maternity leave, taking on a new job in corporate marketing. I thought that I could ‘do it all’ and just step back into my old mold. But while my professional side was excited to express herself at work, my new mom side felt guilty and missed being with my son. I wasn’t fully present in either role, always feeling like I was running behind and not being good enough. Seeming to keep it all together was draining and unfulfilling.

The quote by Osho deeply resonated with me. I felt lost and confused because the life that I had created for myself seemed to ‘not fit’ anymore, since I had become a mother. It was a process of letting go of parts of this old version of me and discovering this new version of myself as a mother.

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born.

She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. Osho

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I felt lost
When I returned to work, I tried to maintain being my old self. But something had shifted. I felt lost and confused because the life that I had created for myself did not fulfill me anymore, since I had become a mother. However, I ignored the signs and continued to run on my old operating system until I almost burned out. I needed to reconnect with what was truly important to me now and figure out who this new version of me was.  

I felt overwhelmed
Juggling my responsibilities at work and as a mom left no time for myself. So I deprioritized doing the things I loved and caring for myself. Only when I got very sick, I started cutting back, setting better boundaries, and taking responsibility for my well-being again. 

I felt unfulfilled
Feeling torn between work and family, I realized that I craved to work at more flexible hours so that I could spend more time with my family. My priorities had shifted. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do yet, but I was longing for a career that supported both my professional aspirations and my new lifestyle as a mother.

What did I struggle with?

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To overcome these challenges,
I invested in therapy and coaching to reconnect with myself and gain clarity on how I really want to lead my life. 

It wasn’t an easy journey, but it was absolutely worth it.

I am still me, but now I am also a mother
Motherhood was (and still is) such a profound transformation. It created not necessarily a new but a much more authentic version of myself. It helped me to explore and prioritize what is really important to me, which feels much more aligned with who I am and how I want to lead my life.

I can’t serve from an empty cup
I had heard this expression before, but never understood how true it was until I neglected ‘what fills my cup’. Through motherhood, I learned how important it is to incorporate time for myself to stay healthy and happy. So I rewired myself that taking time to do what I love and care for myself is necessary to ensure I feel well, and I can take care of my loved ones and be joyful and present with them.

I need ‘the village’
My independence used to be very important to me. I wanted to do it all by myself so I wouldn’t be a burden to anyone. But through motherhood, I have learned that I need ‘the village’ and how much I appreciate the help and support, especially as an expat. I’m originally from a small village (!) in Germany but have lived abroad since my early 20s - mostly between Amsterdam and Porto. I also learned that people generally like to help. They only need to know when help is needed. So it’s ok to ask friends and family for help or to pay for help from professionals, such as therapists, nannies, coaches, cleaners, Uber Eats, you name it. Admitting that I needed support and accepting help strengthened my relationships and created deeper connections.

I am not alone in this
Although I often felt alone during the beginning of transformation (which I later learned is defined as ‘matrescence’), I was assured that my feelings of losing ‘my old self’, being overwhelmed by my new responsibilities, and craving a different lifestyle since ‘my priorities had shifted’ weren’t unique to me in many conversations I started having with other modern mothers. These conversations helped me realize what an amazing and special time motherhood is. And how grateful I am to experience it. And I’m here to support you with navigating this life-changing transition.

What have I learned?

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If you’re feeling lost, overwhelmed, or unsure what your next steps could look like, know that change is possible for you too, and that you don’t have to walk this path alone.

Let’s have a chat on how I could support you in feeling like the happiest version of yourself again.

With love, Isabel

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TESTIMONIALS

  • Isabel's coaching helped me so much in gaining clarity and purpose as I go back into work being the mom of a two year old. Isabel gave me the tools I needed to feel recharged and empowered as we planned together how my next months can look like. | highly recommend her sessions for anyone looking to improve any areas in life, to feel refreshed and have a wise and profesional guide on how to accomplish your goals.

    Mariana, Portugal

  • I had an incredibly positive experience with Isabel. This is the best thing I could’ve done for myself!

    Mili, Portugal

  • A session with Isabel feels like that first sip of coffee in the morning that sparks a burst of inspiration. She empowers you to step into your gifts, she challenges you to move past your edges and gently shows you how to step into what you are truly capable of.

    Alex, US

  • I had a great experience working with Isabel. I truly recommend her to any woman who needs to get back on track and reconnect with her goals, inspiration, and motivation.

    Laura, Portugal

  • I had the pleasure of working with Isabel as my life coach, and it was a truly transformative experience. She has an incredible ability to ask insightful questions that helped me uncover my core values and envision a better balance in how I use my time to align with them. Isabel guided me in setting actionable steps to work towards my objectives, always remaining professional and creating a safe, nonjudgmental space for our conversations. I felt completely comfortable opening up about personal thoughts and feelings, and she was patient and attentive, helping me identify the key points in what I was expressing. One of the things I appreciated most about Isabel was her approach—she never imposed her opinions but instead encouraged me to discover what felt right for me. I’m grateful for her support and look forward to working with her again for continued accountability and growth.

    Daniela, Portugal

  • I worked with Isabel for a few weeks and my experience has been absolutely positive. Isabel has an incredible ability to listen deeply and understand your unique challenges and goals. Together we uncovered what is really important to me and worked on a very concrete area. Her patience and thoughtful approach make every session feel productive and empowering. She asks insightful questions that help uncover new perspectives, and her focus on practical, actionable outcomes ensures that you see real progress. Thanks to her guidance, I’ve gained clarity, confidence, and tangible results both personally and professionally. If you’re looking for a coach who combines empathy, wisdom and a results-driven approach, Isabel is the perfect choice. I couldn’t be more grateful for her support!

    Lucia, Germany

  • Isabel was such a powerful guide. She has an incredible ability to listen and make new sense of what is being brought to the table. Her questioning is gentle, insightful, intelligent, and inspiring, and will guide you to parts of yourself you didn’t know needed to finally see the light. She is pure gold and I am eternally thankful for our time together.

    Tessa, US

  • I really didn't expect how powerful the session with Isabel would be, it felt very empowering to be given so much room to explore my thoughts! The questions she asked and input she gave were brilliant and within an hour, she managed to help me have a very clear summary of all the disconnected ideas that I had gathered in my head over the last years of craziness and chaos (aka motherhood).

    Sandy, Portugal

  • I got so much out of my time with Isabel. She is so professional yet very easy to talk with. As a result of our time together, I was able to set manageable short term goals, which I would have never have thought of alone. These are ultimately setting me up for my bigger, long term plans which Isabel also enabled me to visualise with greater confidence and ambition.

    Sorrel, Portugal

  • The experience I have with Isabel as my coach has a great value in my life. I started to plan my own business being pregnant and it came out to the day of light when my baby had 8 months. The new experience of being an entrepreneur and new mom at the same time really blew my mind. I needed someone who understands me, who hears me and can bring clarity, optimism and helps to set my goals. Isabel as a mother herself could relate to what I am going through. The sessions with her are warm, uplifting and constructive.

    One, Portugal

  • Being in a coaching conversation with Isabel was such a powerful experience for me. She made me feel seen, safe, and like she heard every single word I said, which she beautifully reflected to me in a way that was eye-opening, so that I was able to see myself clearly. I left our session feeling so light, uplifted, full of joy, and true peace. I felt connected to myself and my path in a much deeper way.

    Nanna, Denmark

  • Isabel, your questions made everything so clear—my purpose, direction, goals. And your ability to distill my very vague thoughts into a direct and clear plan. I no longer have any doubts of how to spend my very precious time. Thank you for making it all so attainable and helping me create a concrete yet flexible structure. Your guidance and insight have been invaluable. Thank you 🙏

    Kate, Portugal

FAQs

  • My approach combines practical tools, mindset work, and a deep connection to emotions, helping you to tap into your full potential by listening to both your head and your heart.

    As someone who has often operated solely from a place of logic and practicality rather than connecting with my emotions, I’ve come to experience the incredible power of listening to my feelings and trusting my intuition.

    This has taught me how important it is to not only engage the mind but also the heart. It’s this balance that I strive to bring to my coaching practice.

  • I’m originally from Germany. But I have lived abroad since my early 20s and have worked in English for the majority of my life. Therefore, I offer coaching in both, German and English. 

  • I became a coach for modern mothers because motherhood led me to reimagine my career and my life. After becoming a mother, I found myself feeling lost and unfulfilled in my previous role as a Senior Marketing Manager. The demands of my career no longer aligned with the person I had become, and I longed for work that would allow me to embrace my new identity as a mother while also giving me the flexibility to spend more time with my son. Coaching became my path to that balance—both as a personal transformation and as a new career direction.

    The fulfillment I found in coaching inspired me to help other mothers do the same. It’s incredibly rewarding to guide moms through creating a lifestyle that nurtures both their personal well-being and professional aspirations. By supporting them in aligning their values and goals, I’ve seen how transformative it can be to build a life that feels joyful, purposeful, and balanced. Coaching gives me the opportunity to help others navigate the same journey I went through—and I’m honored to be a part of that process for modern moms who are ready to create the life they truly want.

    You can learn more about my story here.

  • Coaching is a goal-oriented process. By focusing on what the client wants to achieve, the coach supports them to bring those future goals, dreams, and visions into reality now.

    Therapy primarily explores the past and focuses on healing something that has already happened to help deal with issues in the present.

    These are the key differences between coaching and therapy:

    Coaching

    • Focuses primarily on the present and future

    • Centered around personal growth and professional development

    Therapy

    • Focuses on the past, present, and future

    • Designed to help you work through deeper issues such as anxiety, depression, or trauma

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