About me
In addition to my work as a coach, I’m a mum, a wife, and a professional singer (Julia Doyle). I studied Human Social and Political Sciences at Cambridge University before becoming a classical singer, and I now live in Surrey in the UK, with my husband, two daughters, two labradors, guinea pig and tiny tortoise.
I have spent the past 20 years as a professional classical soprano, performing on some of the world's great concert stages, working with outstanding musicians and navigating a career that is both hugely rewarding and, at times, extraordinarily demanding. As a soprano, my working life has taken me all over the world. I've performed in prestigious concert halls, worked with internationally renowned conductors and musicians, and experienced the unique privilege of making music at the highest level.
But behind the performances, the beautiful music and the applause sits the reality of the pressure, self-doubt, vulnerability, people pleasing, and shape shifting which come with a self employed music career at a high level.
What performing has taught me
How to cope with pressure. Performing at a high level means being able to walk out on stage confidently, even when the stakes feel high. Whether it's walking onto a stage in front of thousands of people, performing with an unfamiliar orchestra, or the pressure of the perfect take in a CD recording, singers have to find a way to manage the pressure and be present in the moment. I've learnt that we don't necessarily need to eliminate nerves or uncertainty. We need to understand them, work with them and find ways to stop them from taking over.
Managing the inner critic.
In a profession where our work and what feels like our whole essence is constantly being assessed, it's easy to become our own harshest critics. There is always something that could have been better, another standard to reach, another expectation to meet. Over the years I have learnt how important it is to recognise that critical inner voice, challenge perfectionism and most importantly, to develop a more compassionate relationship with myself.
How does this overlap with my coaching?
I work with clients, especially women, who are often juggling enormous amounts. Who are used to being capable, dependable and high-achieving. Who hold everything together for everyone else, but sometimes find themselves overwhelmed, stretched too thin or wondering where they fit into their own lives.
My experience as a performer has taught me a great deal about the importance of self-awareness, mindset, confidence, boundaries, resilience and self-compassion. These are all things that I bring into my coaching.
But perhaps most importantly, I've learnt that we are not our performance. We are not our achievements, our productivity, the approval of others or how well we manage to hold everything together.
We are humans. Glorious, messy, imperfect humans. We are allowed to pause, take stock and change direction. To have different priorities. To take up space. To want something more. And sometimes, we need a little space and someone alongside us to help us work out what that might look like. That's where coaching comes in.
Whether I'm on stage or sitting with a coaching client, I'm interested in the same thing: helping people find the confidence, clarity and freedom to be more fully themselves. And I'd love to help you do that.
