We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Grace recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jessica, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I found that my purpose is and always has been centered on people, relationships and communication. It is something that has been in my heart, soul and gifting since day one. The way that has looked in every season of my life has looked different, but it can all be summed up in a phrase I have used since my childhood, “I love to love people”. It is my favorite thing to love, encourage and advocate for people. In my formative years this meant spending time with my family, mentoring and being a fierce friend. This led me to walk through some very difficult and trying seasons, in particular my relationship with my mom. We have worked through, lived through and walked many different paths and journeys, so that has led me to my current career and purpose which is being a mother-daughter relationship coach. My mom and I have a great relationship and we have chosen, time and time again, to grow, work-through and figure out all the different growing seasons and transitions and maintain a relationship through it all. Throughout the years, my mom and I have received countless comments and questions about “how do you keep your relationship so happy or still intact?” and I want others to know how we did it and continue to do so. We are going to be real, honest and raw, welcome to the kind of coach I am, and I love being a place of encouragement and hope for those walking through different or difficult situations with their mother/daughter.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a mother/daughter relationship coach. This means that I work with both mothers and daughters to help them have happier and healthier relationships with each other. This relationship can be one of the sweetest and one of the hardest at the same time. Throughout different life seasons, it can be difficult to keep relationships intact, ensure support and have fun, so I work with my clients on how to communicate and thrive during these transitions. Together we work on understanding personalities, communication styles, personal histories, love languages and relationship expectations. Most of the time when I work with people, it is very freeing for them to realize they are not alone, and that they are not the only ones who think that talking is the same thing as communicating.
My favorite part, or what is most exciting to me about working in this industry is the fact that I get to be each person’s advocate. That I get to support them, pray for them and be a sounding board. I use my academic training (Master’s in Applied Family Sciences) and make the research accessible to everyone. There are tools and resources out there, but they lack simplicity. Life is busy and people want to start working today on this important relationship and too often the available resources are too complicated. Through my coaching and other resources that I provide for free, check out my website, I have developed different tools for mothers and daughters to connect and communicate more effectively and have a happier relationship. I have done this by simplifying theoretical and neurological development research so mothers and daughters can get a better understanding of what each one is bringing to the conversation during these different transitions they are walking through.
As far as my style of coaching and communication, it is very real, honest and empathic. I know what it feels like to have important relationships feel tense and unsure and I want to meet people where they are at while also giving them tools to see growth and change in those relationships. I am a bubbly person who loves Jesus, so that definitely comes out in my coaching as well. I usually have a cup of coffee in my hand and will always be honest with my clients. I am FOR my clients, whatever they bring to the table is what we are working on. I don’t want anyone to ever feel the way I did in some of the relationship tension seasons I have walked through. I don’t ever want my clients to feel alone or hopeless. Together we develop specific solutions, real-life strategies that create lasting results. I get excited and love working with those who need my help, it gets me up in the morning and is my greatest privilege.
Wanting FREE resources? My website has articles, pdf downloads, and even more resources are in the works behind the scenes, so make sure to keep checking back. You can work with me directly, I have a few coaching spots open right now, and if you follow me on social media, you will get a very real and honest account of who I am. You will meet my mom because we love to hang out AND then I get to meet and get to know you! I love connecting with people, so feel free to shoot me a dm and let me know you found me!
If you ever want to collaborate or support each other, please reach out to me, I have some workshops coming up this summer/fall (2024) they will be online and in person. If you have any specific topic or question about a situation do not hesitate to reach out. I would be so excited to connect with you.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I am actually going to talk about 4, hehe – you get an extra one just because! So I actually teach this to my clients and have resources about this on my website. But I think one of the biggest things I wish I would have known sooner is something that I call the L.O.V.E. method. Which stands for: Listen, Observe, Verify and Explain. I didn’t realize that these were skills that I implemented in my conversations with my mom until someone was asking me how we communicate clearly with one another.
If you are just starting your journey with communication skills and wanting to implement something TODAY, this is an excellent place to start.
Listen: To her, to you, to each other – you have to hear what the other is saying, whether or not it is something you want to hear.
Observe: Watch each other, we show so much, but we are often looking down at ourselves, laptops or phones, look up and observe
Verify: Don’t assume you know what the other is saying, showing, or telling you, ask, be curious, and make sure you understand what they are telling you.
Explain: The other will not know what you are thinking, feeling or needing without you explaining it to them and the reason behind it, that is your job.
If you start implementing this, you will notice a dramatic shift in your conversations and in yourself because you will have a clear understanding of places you need to work and start implementing this strategy.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
So this question I am going to just answer when it comes to my mom, but my parents have both been wonderful and have been married for over 30 years. Just had to make sure you knew my dad was amazing too!
Okay, so two things come to mind, my mom showed me value and was willing to grow.
First, she instilled and continues to instill value in me. I didn’t and to this day don’t doubt if my voice or my person has value. Growing up, she would listen to me, love me and intentionally seek to understand my side of the story when misunderstandings would arise. I never hesitated to tell her something because I knew she was safe and for me. She communicated to me through her words, questions and actions that I have value and my voice matters. She did this by taking my thoughts, opinions and different perspectives into consideration. She didn’t shut me down, she let me challenge her and we would figure out a solution together.
Second, she was willing to grow and change along with me. It is one of the biggest pitfalls I see in my coaching. Parents who think they can “be who they are” and that their children have to adapt to them. This is not how any relationship works. My mom showed me as I went through different seasons and continue to do so, that we will always find our footing and get back to equilibrium. It doesn’t mean that we don’t ever have to work through something far from it, but it does mean that we know the other person is “in it” no matter what it takes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jessicagracecoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicagracecoaching/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jessicagracecoaching
Image Credits
Abby Lynne Photo
