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  • About
  • Coaching
    • Life coaching
    • Business Coaching
    • Leadership Coaching
    • Half-day coaching intensive
  • Workshops
    • Compassionate Conversations
    • Write Your Life Stories Workshops
    • The Confidence Course
    • Free Monday Talk & Meditation
  • Speaking
  • Retreat
  • Resources
    • Kate’s books
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • 0 items

About Kate James

I’m Kate James, an author, coach, mindfulness teacher, and guide for women ready to create meaningful, sustainable change.

It’s likely that you’ve spent years (maybe even decades) doubting yourself. Being the person you believe others want you to be. Over-functioning and high-achieving or over-thinking and procrastinating. Feeling like an imposter, people pleasing.

So focused on being who you think you should be, that you’ve lost sight of who you really are and how you want to be.

I’ve experienced all of these things, and to be honest, sometimes still do, but I’ve also learned about mindfulness, positive psychology, self-compassion and equanimity (which is really just a fancy word for balance).

I’m here to help you find the middle ground. The balance between making peace with you are and the courage to change old unhelpful habits so you can live with more clarity, confidence and presence.

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Kate James, author, life & leadership coach

Over the past two decades, I have gathered more than 6,000 hours of coaching experience and many hours of meditation teaching.

After gaining my PCC level coaching accreditation from International Coach Academy in 2002, I was one of the first coaches in Australia to achieve a PCC accreditation with International Coach Federation.

A year after starting my business, I became one of the early teachers of ‘mainstream’ meditation in Melbourne. These days, I share my meditations with a global audience on Insight Timer and each week, I host a live session with around 200 meditators from around the world.

I have trained in mindfulness, Positive Psychology, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindful Self-Compassion and Internal Family Systems. Some of the authors I love most are noted here.

Kate James is an author and life coach supporting women.

How can I help you?

If you’ve found your way here, it’s likely you’re ready for change.

My work will be right for you if…

  • you want to move away from the voice of self-doubt and start to trust your own inner wisdom
  • you’re ready to let go of over-planning and perfectionism and start moving forward
  • you’d love to worry less about what others think and focus on what matters most to you
  • you want to feel confident to start or grow a small business you believe in
  • you want to feel grounded and confident in your ability to lead others
  • you’re ready to believe in your ability to be creative or intuitive
  • you want to feel lighter and more present in your relationships
  • you want to feel more at peace and in tune with yourself

Why I do what I do

 I believe that each of us has a unique set of gifts to offer the world and
my aim is to help you discover what yours are.

I’m passionate about helping people to live more mindfully – to be more self-aware, more conscious of our choices and behaviours.

I’m committed to making a difference through my work and more broadly by contributing to causes I believe in.

I’ve learned from many great teachers and worked with some brilliant coaches and I love sharing the things that I’ve discovered.

My top personal values are inner harmony, kindness and generosity, connection, contribution, freedom, creativity and courage.

Kate James: in my personal life

In 2017, my husband Chris and I made a tree change to a small acreage on the Mornington Peninsula, which had been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. We’ve spent the past 8 years renovating our 80’s style farmhouse and restoring a very run down garden. We now share our home with our daughter and grandson.

When I’m not coaching, teaching, writing or weeding, you’ll find me meditating, walking the local bush tracks, practising yoga, gardening, cooking, taking photos, paddle boarding, reading and babysitting my grandchildren, Oscar, Milla and Clover.

I’m very much an introvert but I love spending time with close friends (and not so much, going to parties). Each year I try to do something that takes me out of my comfort zone. This year, I’m learning to sail a small dinghy off the beach so I can spend more time on the water.

kate-james-coach

“Kate listens with an open heart, cuts through the rubble of self-doubt and practises non-judgement.”

Stepping Stones Program

Giving back

As well as caring for the natural environment and supporting organisations that value diversity and inclusion, I contribute time and a percentage of income to a range of not-for-profits that focus on the wellbeing of women and children.

Read more about current causes I support here.

What people are saying about Kate James

CH, Lawyer, Melbourne

CH, Lawyer, Melbourne

‘Hi Kate, it’s a while now since I’ve seen you, so I hope you remember me. I came to see you in the first half of 2005, when I was working at a big corporate law firm and trying to work out what to do with my life – primarily in a career sense, but, of course, that led to all sorts of other questions. As you may remember, with your encouragement I eventually applied for a different role which fit much better with my personal goals and values. I was so ready to change directions, but I just couldn’t find a way to do it without that support. And the conversations that we had and the resources you gave me – the questions about values and the books you referred me to – were so helpful then and are still helpful now. I really value the experience of working with you, it has made me appreciate the choices I have so much more and realise that whenever I feel like I’m not where I want to be, I can do something to change it.’
Grace, Queensland

Grace, Queensland

‘My thanks to you for your career coaching guidance and direction over the past six weeks. You have provided me with the focus and tools to think deeply and broadly about where I am at and what I want to be and given me insights that have shone a light on what I need to do and how to go about it. It has been a truly rewarding learning experience.’
Dennis Danaher, Director Danaher Legal

Dennis Danaher, Director Danaher Legal

‘I’m a lawyer and I approached Kate for career coaching to seek direction about my future practice. Kate was fantastic. Together we worked through the ideas and workshopped the different career options available. From our discussion, I decided to start my own law firm which was something I previously had not fully considered. I have not looked back. Through this process, Kate offered advice and assistance from the preparation of the business plan and projected earnings to advising on the branding of the business. Without her assistance, I would not have achieved what I did in such a short space of time. Highly recommended.’
Leader, Sydney

Leader, Sydney

‘When I began career coaching sessions with Kate, I was at a very low point in both my personal and professional life. Kate’s thoughtful guidance has proved to be a turning point. She created an environment of complete trust that allowed me to provide information that was at the heart of the matter. In response, Kate was both kind and firm, as required. Her personal follow-ups created a clear set of practical action items, without losing sight of longer-term life goals. I have now emerged from my darkness, and Kate’s advice continues to guide me toward a more positive future. I strongly recommend Kate James to join your own personal team.’
Executive, Melbourne

Executive, Melbourne

‘I can’t recommend the coaching sessions with Kate James highly enough.  I was very sceptical about them before starting – imagining they would be full of corporate psychology jargon.  But in fact, I gained far more from them than I ever imagined, on both a personal and professional level.  The career coaching sessions are interactive, conducted in a warm and positive manner that encourages honesty and self-reflection, and are extremely practical in focus.  Their great strength is that they focus on your whole life and the way you live it, not just on your role as a manager.  I’ve learned a great deal both in terms of how I lead my life and how I perform in management, the one informing the other.  This holistic, down-to-earth approach has been the most helpful and realistic career counselling I’ve ever had.’
total balance books

Writing

In 2014, I fulfilled a lifelong dream when I wrote, and had published my first book, Believe in Yourself and Do What You Love. Since then, I have written several other titles including Be Mindful and Simplify Your Life, Change How You Think and Be Happier Now, Create Calm and Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life.  Two of my books were listed in the top-ten best-selling personal development books in 2017. Believe in Yourself and Be Mindful have also been released in the US.

My latest title, Quietly Confident was released in 2024.

Meditation

Meditation

I was first drawn to meditation in my early 20’s and almost a decade later, finally enrolled in a course. For over 30 years now, I have had a daily meditation practice and I credit this with changing my life. Meditation is about more than just creating inner calm – it helps you to see yourself with greater clarity, connects you with your intuition and helps you to see where you’re not being true to yourself in life.

These days, my guided meditations are freely available on the Insight Timer meditation app, home to over 30 million meditators around the world.

Organisations Kate James has worked with

I’ve spoken at conferences for The Body Shop, Serious Women’s Business, Flying Solo amongst others. Clients include Origin Energy, University of Melbourne, Latrobe University, RMIT, Sensis, Freehills, Middletons, Mallesons, Phillips Fox, Bolle, IBM, Aviva, Coles Myer, Tabcorp, CSIRO, Linfox, Toyota, Cadbury Schweppes, Urbis, Macquarie Bank, ANZ, NAB, Bank West, Clemenger, CHE, George Patts, Ogilvy, BWM, Village Roadshow, Department of Transport, Department of Human Services, Department of Sustainability & Environment, Department of Justice, Financial Ombudsman Service, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Whitelion and Kids Under Cover.

What’s it like to work with Kate James?

Clients describe me as kind, intuitive, supportive and compassionate. These are the qualities that matter to me. I’m a gentle kind of coach and my approach sometimes feels a bit like therapy. In order to move forward confidently, it helps to understand your old patterns so you can avoid falling into them again. I’ll share resources and ideas when it’s helpful, but mostly, I’m interested in listening to you and helping you to draw out your own ideas.

If you can spare the time to travel from the city, I see clients in my home office on the Mornington Peninsula. Or alternatively, I work from people from all over the world over Zoom.

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A few weeks ago, I shared a post about the hidden patterns that show up when we don’t feel good enough. Then last week, I wrote about how exploring our life stories can help us understand ourselves better and give our lives greater meaning.Quite by accident, I’ve just come across a piece of research that brings these two threads together and confirms something I’ve felt for a long time: writing our stories can be transformative.Each of us carries an inner narrative that explains who we are and what’s possible for us. But sometimes that story is skewed or outdated – especially when it tells you you’re not good enough. Rewriting your story isn’t about fixing or changing yourself. It’s about seeing yourself more clearly and holding your experience with greater truth, clarity and compassion.While working on a writing exercise for my Life Stories facilitator training, I stumbled across this old photo of my family. I was around seven years-old and we’d just moved back to Sydney. I was at a new school and hadn’t yet made friends. It was a pretty lonely time in many ways, but after writing, I came to see it very differently. It was when I learned to love spending long hours on my own. Immersing myself in novels, playing alone at the local playground, and learning to love the stillness of nature.Finding that photo helped me see that chapter of my life very differently. Not so much as a time of aloneness but rather, a time of discovery.That’s the power of writing our stories: it gives us the chance to look again and sometimes, to see ourselves and our lives in a completely different light.I've included a link to last week's article about some of the benefits of story writing in my bio. Have a read and try the tips I suggest to help you start writing your stories. ✨#narrativeself #writingtowellbeing #selfworth #womenwhocoach #confidencecoach #lifecoachmelbourne #mindfulleadership
This week I’m sharing an excerpt from a wonderful poem by Andrea Gibson, titled ‘The Lifegiving Benefits of Befriending Our Mortality’. It’s a beautiful reminder to live more in the present moment. You’ll find the full piece on Andrea’s Substack (I’ve included a link below). ✨“But I did not meet this life until I met its brevity. Did not meet my voice until I knew every word could be my last. I did not know what prayer was until I started praying for what I already have. but this is what I know for certain–warming up to the idea of a promised tomorrow is the surest way to give today the cold shoulder. I whisper the words my therapist said years ago, The only thing we have control over in this life is where we put our attention.”Read the full piece here: https://open.substack.com/pub/andreagibson/p/benefits-of-befriending-our-mortality?r=2dpij&utm_medium=ios#livinginthemoment #mindfulliving #gratitude #slowdownandbreathe #hereandnow #groundedinpresence
Do you have a place that brings you immediately to stillness?For me, it’s anywhere in nature, but my favourites are the top of a mountain or a place with a view of the sea.There’s something about a wide open sky or an endless horizon that feels completely grounding and calming.In those moments, I don’t need to achieve or fix or figure anything out. I can just be. I try to carry that same stillness into my workdays, but it’s not quite the same as being in one of those magical places.Where do you go to feel grounded? And more importantly, do you make time to be there? It’s an effort sometimes but always truly worth it. Maybe something you can plan this week. ✨#stillnesswithin #natureheals #findingcalm #momentsofstillness #innerpeace #slowliving #mindfulpause #totalbalance
Lately, I’ve been exploring the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) ways our “not good enough” stories show up in daily life.As well as causing an overly active inner critic, they can appear as perfectionism, procrastination, overworking, people-pleasing, self-sabotage and comparing ourselves to others.These patterns, and the behaviours that accompany them, often feel completely normal. Sometimes they seem helpful or even protective. But underneath, there’s a subtle or even subconscious belief: “I’m not enough as I am.” Most of us fall into several of these habits from time to time, but you might notice that one or two are your familiar defaults when self-doubt creeps in.This week, see if you can catch yourself if you're over-functioning or feeling stuck. Pause. Take a breath. And choose just one small step that leads you in a different direction. ✨#youareenough #quietconfidence #selfworthjourney #buildingconfidence #notgoodenough
After some time away, I’m finally returning to this space. I have missed connecting with you here.I’ve been navigating an autoimmune condition which surprisingly, has turned out to be as much of a gift as a challenge.It has made me really slow down and focus on my wellbeing. Like many of us, I’ve had a tendency to overcommit – which is probably why I’ve been teaching mindfulness all these years: as much as a reminder to myself as a gift to those I teach.I’ve spent time reflecting on why we do these things, which has inspired plenty of research, a whole lot of writing and insights that have been helpful for me and I hope for you too as I share them.While I’ve been dealing with this small health issue, the world is also having its own kind of reckoning, and both of these things have given me a reason to pause and consider what really matters.Here’s what I’ve been making time for:✨ Slower mornings, always with time to meditate and walk in nature.✨ Deepening my connection with creativity. I’ve just finished training as a facilitator in writing our life stories. I’ll share more about this soon.✨ More time for journalling and writing.✨ Moving more slowly and gently. I know this sounds like such a small thing, but since becoming a mother over three decades ago, I have had a tendency to rush through my life. ✨ Being aware of my need to rest, which means setting healthier boundaries.✨ Deepening my connection with meditation which has meant writing and recording some new tracks. I’ll share these on Insight Timer in the coming months.✨ Taking the pressure off myself socially, but making time to do restorative, gentle things with dear friends and family.I definitely don’t have it all figured out yet but I am listening more carefully to what matters – and for now, letting that be enough.If you’re on a similar path of slowing down, healing and reprioritising, I’d love to hear how you’re travelling. What have you found most helpful? ✨#autoimmunehealing #slowliving #mindfullife #womenandwellbeing #meditationpractice #creativehealing #natureheals #writingtoheal #insighttimer #lifeinbalance #cradlemountain📷 by @chrisjamesphotos ❤️
Uncertainty has been a consistent theme in my life at the moment. With clients, friends, family and even for me at a personal level.I feel hugely grateful for mindfulness practices during times like these and I’ve also found the following five steps to be helpful.1. Find pockets of certainty, wherever you canTidy the house, sort your finances, clean out your wardrobe, organise your paperwork, plan your meals for a week. Making the small things around you feel ordered and beautiful will help you to feel a little more at peace.2. Appreciate the things that make your life beautifulOne of the things I became aware of while we were on holiday in Tassie was how much natural beauty was around us every day. Try engaging your sense of gratitude with every meal you eat, every friendly encounter, every interaction with nature and every opportunity you have to experience or engage in creativity.3. Make time for practices that are genuinely soothingIf meditation isn’t your thing (and it isn’t for many people), try a different form of mindful relaxation. On a recent Insight Timer Live we explored this topic together and came up with dancing, singing, reading, walking, yoga, pilates, gardening, playing, sketching, painting, skiing, paddle boarding, surfing. The most important thing is that you make time for whatever it is that brings you some calm. 4. Acknowledge your feelings and offer yourself compassionMake room for all of the emotions – the fear, anxiety, worry, sadness, anger, frustration and powerlessness. Notice where you feel those emotions in your body and offer yourself genuine compassion.5. Make peace with uncertainty, as best you canWe won’t feel uncertainty every day but it’s likely that we’ll experience it often in our lives and we’ll probably always find it difficult. Remind yourself that nothing will stay the same forever and you’re strong enough to handle this. ✨
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” Nelson Mandela ✨
A follow on from last week’s post about aspiring to simplicity. I’m on holiday in Tasmania where I was lucky enough to live for ten years. Yesterday, as we drove through the countryside, I was struck by a lovely memory. At around the age of 12, I spotted many abandoned little cottages, very much like this one. I knew at the time that the simple beauty was all that I would ever want and need in my lifetime. A humble home surrounded by plenty of nature. I had a picture of myself planting a garden, reading by the fire, writing at a little wooden desk and baking in an old fashioned kitchen. Maybe one day having my own children and sharing my love of nature with them. Almost 50 years later, it’s still all of these things that fill me with joy and give my life meaning. I think most of us knew ourselves well at that age yet often, we lost trust in what we believed in and started shaping ourselves to please other people. Can you remember what it was you dreamed of? ✨
An invitation to go a little more gently this week. To let go of some of your striving. To notice the things that you already have. And to make sure that you really do treasure them. ✨💛
© Kate James 2025

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