Welcome to my website!
DUE TO COVID RESTRICTIONS, PLEASE NOTE: NO TRAINING COURSES OR FACE-FACE SESSIONS AVAILABLE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE - WHY NOT TRY ONE-ONE ZOOM AND/OR TELEPHONE SESSIONS - VERY EFFECTIVE!
I’ve always been fascinated by people and why we are the way we are. After completing an honours degree in Human Sciences at Oxford University, specialising in psychology, I continued to develop my interest through a range of part-time training in counselling, group-work, stress management and assertiveness training. I was awarded an MA by Oxford University in 2000. At the end of 1991 I left my job as Community Education Officer for ITV’s London Weekend Television to become a freelance soft skills trainer and personal development coach. I live near Saffron Walden, where I do my one-one coaching, working mostly in London and the Cambridge area.
Customised solutions and training to suit your organisation’s specific needs
One-one coaching face-face, Zoom &/or by phone
Personal development classes in Cambridge
Highly skilled and supportive trainer and coach
Coaching and Training for Individuals
Are you ready to make some changes in your life? Looking for some one-one coaching? Or supportive, small group training sessions in Cambridge (5 minutes walk from central Cambridge) to build your confidence, increase assertiveness, or reduce your stress?
Coaching and Training for Organisations
Looking for a highly skilled and experienced trainer to help develop your team or staff? I offer a wide range of soft skills training, coaching and consulting - always carefully tailored to your specific needs and available at prices to suit you.
‘One-to-one sessions with Laura really helped me to regain my confidence after a difficult period in my life. Laura is an excellent communicator and mentor with a great ability to holistically understand a situation and focus on the key issues, she's taught me many practical skills and techniques which have made situations that previously might have felt impossible, completely manageable. Thank you so much.’
M Le May, Cambridge
‘The team at MKA benefitted hugely from Laura’s course introducing us to assertive behaviour in the workplace. The workshop sessions were particularly useful for trying out the techniques under Laura’s expert guidance. We were new to soft skills training but have already resolved to do more when our busy season is finished.’
J Kohler, Director, MKA Ecology Ltd
Coaching for Individuals
'Laura took me on a journey of discovery about myself which has had unexpected, fantastic results. I am not the same person that I was before - Laura has delivered exactly what I asked her to do.' J Thompson, Cambridge
'Laura is a highly skilled professional. I found her coaching support practical, focused and beneficial both in my personal and professional life. Laura is not only sympathetic but also very intuitive - her support was invaluable to me in getting through a difficult period.' K Smith, Cambridge
A short series of one-to-one coaching sessions is an excellent way to build your self-esteem and confidence in any areas of your life, or to boost your performance in a particular task - whether for home or work-life. Coaching enables accelerated learning so it’s an invaluable support for anyone wanting to work on themselves and particularly helpful for tackling a specific problem, new task or skill-set. I work with a wide range of clients - some working on personal issues like their confidence, assertiveness, or stress/anxiety management, while others are developing specific skills such as presentations, speaking at meetings, dealing with confrontation etc. Treating yourself to some coaching is a great way to give yourself a boost. You are in charge and you set the agenda. As your coach, my aim is to draw on my experience, knowledge and skills to support and empower you in whatever directions you choose.
Anyone recently appointed or promoted to a new role can benefit from one-to-one time to discuss issues, set targets, practice skills and get honest, constructive feedback and advice from an experienced coach.
Coaching sessions are usually 90 minutes face-face although telephone coaching is also an option after the initial session. The fee (for each 90 minute session at my office with a 60 minute follow-up phone call after or between sessions) is £140. Sessions elsewhere are usually charged at a higher rate.
If you’d like to discuss coaching options, either as an individual or for your organisation, go to my contacts page.
Training for Organisations
Soft skills with hard edge results
Soft skills are essential practical business skills for professionals in any workplace - particularly important at a time when we all need to do more with less, by increasing quality and productivity with reduced resources. They include a range of self-management and people-management skills:
• communicating
• problem solving
• delegating
• planning and organising
• conflict management
• managing people
• handling stress
• presenting ideas
• meeting deadlines
– all the non-technical skills every business and organisation needs to work effectively. An excellent soft skill-set delivers hard edge results, with people working more efficiently, effectively and proactively.
Get the best out of your people
Good communication and self management skills add real practical value to any team and organisation. Without them the work suffers - with wasted time and resources, missed deadlines, lack of team spirit, disorganisation, stress, conflict etc. Few w have all these skills naturally and most people need to develop and hone them over time. Indeed, continuing professional development (CPD) processes regularly flag up soft skills as key areas for attention - learning to handle people, solve problems, cope with conflicts, manage change etc are all common daily challenges and I can help you, your team or your organisation to do these things really well.
Struggling to manage?
We all know how tough today’s workplace can be. Managing yourself (and your workload) as well as dealing with others in these difficult times can be a real ongoing challenge. Tighter budgets, reduced staffing and uncertainty about the future can affect us all. Things are often too hectic to be able to step back and work out the real root of problems or think creatively about proactive solutions. We may find ourselves muddling through and hoping things will get better or simply go away. Things rarely do, of course; indeed more often they simply get worse. Typical issues can include:
• losing customers
• missed deadlines
• compromised quality
• failing processes or systems
• low morale
• lack of team spirit
• poor relationships
• mis-communications
• unresolved conflicts
Invaluable help
A soft skills consultation and/or training intervention can deal very successfully with any of these issues. It’s invaluable to get an experienced outsider’s viewpoint, support and advice, along with some practical tools and a chance to reflect, talk things through and plan effectively. If you, your team or your staff want help to move forward contact me to arrange a free initial consultation.
Check out consulting for the different ways I can help you find your perfect solutions
See the range of sample courses - choose any elements you want to mix and match
Go to the courses list if you are looking for a training course for yourself
Contact me if you are interested in some one-one coaching
UPCOMING CLASSES
ASSERTIVENESS TRAINING
Three Saturday afternoons: CURRENTLY NO COURSES PLANNED DUE TO COVIDSmall group (max 6) enables personal attention – part coaching, part training
Cambridge - 5 minutes walk from central Cambridge £350.00 (includes: light refreshments and course materials) Find out moreBUILDING CONFIDENCE AND SELF ESTEEM
9 hours: Six weekday evenings CURRENTLY NO COURSES PLANNED DUE TO COVIDSmall group (max 6) enables personal attention – part coaching, part training
Cambridge - 5 minutes walk from central Cambridge £300.00 (includes light refreshments and course materials) Find out moreSTRESS MANAGEMENT WORKSHOPS – TASTER
Two Thursday afternoons - CURRENTLY NO COURSES PLANNED DUE TO COVIDTry out a TASTER session (total 4 hours) as a starter pack – then see if you want to learn more from the full training course (up to 12 hours). Small group (max 6) enables personal attention – part coaching, part training
Cambridge - 5 minutes walk from central Cambridge £150.00 (includes light refreshments and course materials) Find out more
Laura Dain
Independent soft skills training and consulting for private and public sector since 1992
Qualifications
MA Human Sciences - Oxford University 2000
Diploma Anatomy, Physiology & Massage - ITEC 1995
Combined Certificate in Counselling Skills & Theory - CSCT 1994
Certificate in Counselling Skills in the Development of Learning - RSA 1992
Certificate in Relaxation Therapy - LSH 1992
Certificate in Training Assertiveness - Redwood Association 1991
Certificate Foundation Counselling Skills - City University 1991
BA Hons Humans Sciences - Wadham College, Oxford University 1984