“The master key of knowledge is, indeed, persistent and frequent questioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What experience do you have, what training have you done, and what certifications do you have to support being a life coach?

  • Master Coach Training – Certificate of Completion: Mastery Level Coach Program (CMC)
  •  Master Coach Training– Completed Proficient Level Competency Practicum (CPC) 
  • Coaching Groundwork Advanced – Certified Competent Coach (CCC) 
  • Positive Psychology – Certified (ICF core competency and IAC approved) 
  • Psychology of Values – Certified (ICF and IAC approved study in spiral dynamics)
  • Ethics in Coaching – Certified (IAC and ICF approved)
  • Elite Mentor Coaching for High Achievers – Six months coaching with Julia Stewart – a founding member of the IAC and President of the School of Coaching Mastery (SCM)
  • All of the above Trainings, certifications, and practicums were completed at School of Coaching Mastery –an IAC and ICF approved prep school 
  • Certified Prepare & Enrich Facilitator
  • Advocacy Training -Certified Advocate - Domestic Violence - CADA - Mankato, MN 
  • Accounts Manager - Consultant to Thomson-Reuters working primarily to sustain and grow their customer base with the Census Tracs Plus (CTP) software for HMDA and CRA applications to the banking industry. (Feb. 2012 - June 2014)
  • National Banking Sales Manager - Consultant to Business Information Technologies, Inc. - worked with sales and marketing, third party relationships and customer service to help acquire and sustain customers as well as vendors in the banking software division.(Oct. 1999 - Feb. 2014)
  • Bachelor of Science - Clinical Psychology , Minnesota State University
  • Bachelor of Science - Sports Administration, Minnesota State University
  • Educational Foundations -Teaching Techniques - 30 credit hours at Minnesota State University
  • Business, Economics & Marketing - 30 credit hours at Rochester Community College
  • Life coaching perspectives and coaches are not all the same, so it's important to find out what your life coach believes in, where they've trained, how they've trained and what experiences they have that might make them qualified and fit for you. 
  • There is no official governing body that presides over life coaching so a lot of folks criticize the industry and often say that anyone can call themselves a Life Coach. This is actually a very true statement. Because there is no official governing body that gives particular merit to the credentials for life coaching; this can make it seem more difficult to find and feel you are receiving services from someone "qualified". However, that said, it is also misleading to believe that because an individual carries qualifications that include certain letters or abbreviations after their name that they are indeed qualified or fit to assist you with your life. I believe it's a combination of both objective and subjective information; it's important to look at credentials and it's important to look at the person, get a feel for who they are, what they are about and above all, be confident in your choice. If you are training for your life marathon with someone you don't have confidence in, you are training with the wrong coach. Further more,  it's even more important to feel your coach believes in you!

What do you do as a life coach or business coach?

  • As your Life Coach, my main goal is to facilitate your growth and development in your life marathon , raise self-awareness and help you clarify your life situation to achieve your highest potential and have the life you desire. Change is opportunity and greatness comes from seeing what's possible in any situation. I will help you see the beauty and greatness inside you, and discover what's possible when you align your authentic self to your dreams, journey and opportunities. 
  • At Rainbow in the Puddle, we work with high achievers that are ready to move forward and maximize their potential in their personal and professional life situations. What's a high achiever? A high achiever is reading this answer right now; you're here because you're ready to improve your life. You look for solutions instead of focusing on problems. A high achiever is not someone without struggles and problems, it's someone who uses struggles and problems as opportunities.  
  • We honor you as the expert in your life. The most important thing a Coach can do for you is ask you the right questions to help you get your own answers! Our coaching methods foster growth and development to increase awareness, gain clarity and optimize your potential in any life situation. The results are: answers to difficult questions, getting "unstuck", transition to new situations, strategies for success, setting goals, plans to achieve and sustain goals, creating and being resourceful, improved relationships and pursing dreams and taking your business to the top.
  • I believe no one is qualified to be the expert in your life except for you! You alone make choices that affect the outcome of your life marathon and no matter how qualified or unqualified someone is or is not to assist you, you make the calls, you run the race and you have to live with what that brings. I believe in prevention and proactive solutions. I focus on the now and look to the future, to assist you and empower you to run that marathon to your highest potential. I don't dwell in the past or what you've done that may have gotten you stuck but rather what might get you unstuck! I believe that well being is achieved by utilizing a holistic approach to life. My coaching  style is all about you; what do you need and want, and how can I assist you in getting there.
  • As your business coach, I will help you seize your dream as an entrepreneur getting started or work with your existing business to help you improve productivity, employee relations, optimize your management style and get the results you're looking for. More than 80% of businesses report improvement in production by using a coach. Working with a coach means working from the inside out and finding out more about you! Whether it is your personal or professional life that you want to optimize, we will partner to co-create exactly what you want to improve on, grow from and optimize.
  • The most important thing to know about me is that I'm all about using positive life strategies to achieve all that you want and need to enjoy what you have right now. As your Life Coach, I will help you train for the most important marathon you will ever run, called...life!

How can coaching help?

  • Welcome to the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm so glad you made it here.       
  • I've heard this saying, "the light at the end of the tunnel" so many times throughout my life and what I like about it, is that it implies looking forward and seeing a bright that is uplifting, inspiring and moving you to a better place, a better feeling and a better now! There is a feeling that all those struggles you've been experiencing are finally lifting and some wonderful growth and understanding has come from all you've gone through! At Rainbow in the Puddle, we are here to partner with you on your life journey, to help you problem solve, maximize and optimize your life in every way! We believe in looking forward not back; we focus on the now and look to the future.
  • At Rainbow in the Puddle, coaching is all about this light at the end of the tunnel. We help you see it, explore it and use it to the fullest, in all parts of your life!   
  • Hi, I'm Patrice Swenson, and I'd be honored to coach you on your life journey. I think it's important to know some of my basic beliefs about life coaching and what exactly that means to me. For me, an easy way to understand life coaching is to think of how you might prepare for a marathon. You wouldn't wake up one day and be able run 26 miles without training...would you? Of course not! You also can't have someone else run your marathon! You might train for the marathon without help, or you might hire a personal trainer to help you. 
  • I'm excited to meet you and help you see that light at the end of the tunnel. 

How is a life coach different from licensed mental health therapist?

  • Coaching is not the same as licensed counseling or therapy, coaches are not licensed or certified mental health practitioners and we never claim to be, nor do we advocate you using coaching instead of counseling or therapy from a licensed practitioner if you feel you are suffering from a mental illness or addiction.
  • Coaches do not diagnose clients. We partner and welcome all of the helping industry and see our business as collaborative not competitive with other parts of the helping industry. Quite often a client may be seeing a Therapist or Counselor and also working with a Life Coach. Coaching is not covered by insurance companies at this time; the main reason for this is that coaching clients are considered stable, healthy and non vulnerable individuals that are seeking assistance with their life, not assistance uncovering mental illness and or an addiction and or the treatment of a mental illness or addiction. (Insurance that covers any counseling or therapy requires the diagnosis of a mental illness from a licensed mental health practitioner. If a Life Coach is also a licensed Therapist or Counselor, insurance companies still require the diagnosis of a mental illness to process payment).
  •  It is important for you to understand that you and only you are responsible for all of the choices you make. At no time is the Coach responsible for your choices. Entering into a coaching agreement is an opportunity to enhance the well-being of your life or business through a partnership of co-creating with your coach. A Life or Business Coach may offer expert advice in a particular area that is unique to each coach and their background; this is called "consulting". We may consult as part of our coaching agreement.

What are common topics in individual coaching?

  • Transitioning (divorce, separation, break up, retirement, empty nest, new life circumstance)
  • Forgiveness (forgiving yourself or others)
  • Critical thinking skills (coaching will engage and expand your critical thinking skills through more detailed exploration into problem solving, possibilities and opportunities)
  • Communication (personal or professional relationship issues or blocks, connecting, advancing, networking, conflicts, verbal or non verbal barriers)
  • Stuck (not sure why or what might be blocking you from getting what you want or just can't put your finger on something but know it doesn't feel quite right)
  • Fear (working with situations and people that cause anxiety or stress for you)
  • Attitude (feeling off, negative, torn, unhappy, using negatives for a positive outcome, understanding, compassion, perception, intuition, logic, happiness, depression)
  • Career (Finding the job you want, optimizing the job you have, finding your niche, deciding on a career path, assessing your strengths, figuring out goals, strategies)
  • Parenting (time management, optimizing time, creating happiness, stability, structures, behaviors, guilt, confidence, planning, understanding development)
  • Life goals (executing, steps, plans, strategies, development)
  • Balance (cognitive dissonance, finding out what is out of balance and strategies to create balance)
  • Health (weight loss & management, exercise, sustaining wellness, medical issues, holistic care, self care, alternative practices, nutrition, mind/body)
  • Relationships (romantic, platonic, work and self)

What is Rainbow in the Puddle LLC?

  • Rainbow in the Puddle is a provider of life coaching, educating and inspirational services to both private individuals and business organizations.

What format are the services available in?

  •  All services are available in person, online video, email, and by telephone. 

 Can I hire a Life Coach for the entire day?

  • You can hire Patrice Swenson, Life Coach, by the hour, day, week or month. 
  • Travel costs will be added to the hourly rate. 
  • Discounts may be offered to individuals and businesses that request a full day of coaching on site. 

Can I hire you to come to me for the day if I live out of state?

  • As stated above, Patrice will travel to any location and on-site coaching is available for various lengths of time. 
  • The client will be charged for all travel costs in addition to the coaching fee.

What is Rainbow in the Puddle located now?

  • Buellton, CA

What is your privacy policy?

  • All coaching sessions are confidential. 
  • Rainbow in the Puddle does not ever have access to your payment information. We use Pay Pal for safe, secure online transactions.