Ask the Pro Stylist is proud to announce beauty career coaching sessions. As an educator and Executive School Director, I often advised students about their goals after graduating. Quite frequently, their paths took a different direction, which is OK. In addition, many would be overwhelmed by an unknown future. Today’s post is a transparent introspection into what pushed me to want to inspire others.

Beauty Career Coaching: Welcome to a New Era for Ask the Pro Stylist

Ask the Pro Stylist is expanding into beauty career coaching. However, some of you might not know what brought me to this moment. So, please allow this introspective glimpse into my past with a clip from a reality TV show where my family and I were featured.

Life or Debt – A Reflection

Reality TV isn’t real. Much of the episode was embellished or frankly untrue. However, even nine years later, it is still a hard mirror to reflect upon. I wanted to break the mirror when I watched it again. My oldest son thinks the part of me lying on the ground as they remix the soundbite, “I’m gonna have a heart attack,” is hysterically funny. I do not. Therefore, let me explain.

Many years before, while in therapy, it was uncovered that I have very visceral reactions to emotional pain and stress. While I lay there on the floor during the episode, at 45 years of age, my chest hurt. I truly thought I was going to have a heart attack, no matter how dramatic it seemed. The tremendous hurt of losing my home and business weighed heavy on my body and my chest. My heart was broken. As a result, my relationship with my husband, the love of my life and my best friend, was failing – fast.

The show focused on me as an “aggressive” hairdresser, but I initially asked the producers for help to expand my career in writing to leave the beauty business. My aggression was my physical reaction to hurt instead of breaking down into tears. I cry, but my gut reaction to emotional pain is aggression.

Bodily Responses to Stress

The visceral responses to stress began in my twenties with persistent medical challenges until I changed my life. Now, in my fifties, I understand the physical cues and have moved to bring peace into my life. Yes, stress rears its burning flame, as does the occasional reaction. However, I am more accepting of myself than I was nine years ago, fifteen and more.

I am not ruminating on the past. This clip shines a light on how I can help you. Without that painful experience, I would not be here, getting to write this from home and in turn, help others.

La Mia Bella Vita – My Life is Beautiful – A Success Story

A month after the show ended, I took whatever job I could get, determined to move on. I hopped from one to the next, hunting for greater pay, and demanding more because I brought business ownership experience and a slew of other attributes that came with a college degree, being a mother of 4 sons, volunteering, online writing, and years as a stylist. I went from temp law clerk to educator to campus director to salon manager to executive director while completing a Master’s in English.

We lost our house but paid off our debt, saved money, and purchased a house by the bay. I have my dream car (Mustang Mach – -E), my husband is a TV News Director, and my children are unbelievably successful. Why? I didn’t give up. They didn’t give up. We didn’t give up. We got knocked down, and yeah, our asses hurt. But we persevered. In addition, my marriage is the best it has ever been. And now, I want to help and inspire you to unimaginable successes. Because if you are reading this, you want it and reach it, you shall!

Online Beauty Career Coaching

As an educator and cosmetology school director with a psychology background and years of experience in the beauty industry, I have tremendous insight into beauty careers. I can help you decide if this is the right path for you. One, two, or as many sessions as you like should suffice. However, I am always here as a sounding board. Many students sat at my desk, asking to drop out once they realized cosmetology wasn’t their passion. Unfortunately, this leads to a financial burden on the student if it is a private school and they have student loans.

I must make this clear: I AM NOT A LICENSED THERAPIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST. SESSIONS ARE NOT MEANT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR THERAPY OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. I offer career advice, listen to you, and work on the skills required to be a successful cosmetologist in a career coaching capacity.

Visit www.coachingwithmsd.com for more information.

What Beauty Career Coaching Offers

• Confidence
• Skill Building
• Beauty Career Choices (you can also purchase my book for ideas)
• Career Advice
• Cosmetology School Options
• Short-term Goals
• Long-term Goals

Happy Styling!

Do you want to work in the beauty field? I discuss all questions about the beauty industry in my book, The Future Professional’s Guide to Cosmetology. Email your inquiries to asktheprostylist@gmail.com or call me at 732-800-6416 (during EST business hours). Follow me on TikTok for tutoring and site subscription updates. Coming soon: An online learning platform for cosmetologists preparing to take their state board exams. Online tutoring is currently available, and subscription to downloadable content is underway. Happy Styling!

©Deirdre Haggerty 2024. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. It is unlawful to reproduce this article or any part without the author’s prior written permission and consent.