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  • About
  • Work with Kate
    • Business Coaching
    • Leadership Coaching
    • Half-day coaching intensive
  • Courses & groups
    • Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Workshops
    • The Confidence Course
    • Free Monday Talk & Meditation
  • Retreat
  • Writing
    • Blog
    • Kate’s books
    • Free resources
  • Contact
  • 0 items
Write your stories, discover yourself

HALF DAY 1:1 DISCOVERY SESSION

Feeling stuck about how to move forward in your life?

Isn’t it interesting that life and career planning is something we often push to the bottom of our ‘to do’ lists? Yet nothing could be more important than working out what you want most from your life, your business or your career. A discovery session is a half-day personal retreat with Kate.

Join Kate for a half day 1:1 ‘deep-dive’ discovery session

Join Kate for this personal half-day session to identify your strengths, your values and your idea of a great life (or a great business). We’ll also uncover your limiting beliefs and the ways you self-sabotage. You will come out of the session with an action plan for moving beyond these barriers.


‘My discovery session with Kate was literally life-changing. I liked how Kate aimed to find out about me and what I was hoping to get out of the session before we had even met.  The session was to help me articulate exactly what it is that I want to do with my art and illustration business and to help me transition out of the 9-5 corporate pay cheque. Kate has the tools to extract the information you have within you and the ability to present it back to you in a way that makes sense.  After the meeting, I left feeling empowered and that my dreams can come true, and I had action steps for direction to make it a reality.’  Tina van den Broek, The Food Artist


In your discovery session we will:

  • explore your strengths and values.
  • clarify your passions and interests, then identify how you can bring these together in your business or career.
  • uncover your limiting beliefs and methods of self-sabotage.
  • gain a clear understanding about why you’ve been stuck and gather insights into how you can move beyond those obstacles.
  • create specific and measurable personal and professional goals.
  • take away an action plan to create immediate change.

Where is the session held?

Discovery sessions are held at Kate’s home in Mount Martha. Many clients make this time part of a personal retreat, adding accommodation at one of our favourite local Airbnb’s and a visit to Peninsula Hot Springs. Please let us know at the time of booking if you would like our recommendations.

Times

The discovery session includes three and a half hours of intensive personal workshopping commencing at 9.30am and finishing at 1.00pm. Please contact us for next available dates. Please note these places book out quite quickly so there is often a waiting period.

Fees

Half-day session – $895 (option available to pay in two instalments)

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‘What I gained from spending this time with Kate was immeasurable. I felt completely relaxed with her, enough to speak openly about matters I was finding difficult and confusing – within the first thirty minutes she had me pegged! Her exercises were incredibly valuable and something everyone should do regularly to remind themselves of what they believe is important. Kate refocused me, helped me make some decisions I had been struggling with and gave me tools and resources to continue my learning and development. I knew I had her undivided attention for the duration of the session and that she was purely focused on helping me. The combination of discussion and meditation was ideal and the environment in which our session was conducted was serene and beautiful. Thank you, Kate.’ Shannon

Total-Balance-Melbourne

Included in your discovery session

Your session includes a range of exercises including defining your values, brainstorming your version of an ideal life and uncovering your limiting beliefs. We include morning tea (although we won’t stop working) and three and a half-hours of one-on-one time where it’s all about you. If the weather is good and you feel inclined, we’ll take a walk around the garden so you feel the full benefit of the beautifully serene environment.

What to bring

Once you make your booking, we’ll send you some preparatory paperwork to complete before your discovery session. Please allow at least two hours prior to your session to complete this. We recommend that you also complete a strengths test prior to your session which will incur an additional fee of approximately $20 AUD.

Wear comfy clothes and come along with a sense of open-heartedness, some courage and the willingness to really tune into your intuition.


‘I attended a half-day session with Kate over six months ago. I found her to be warm, caring and very intuitive. She knew more about me than I knew of myself.  Kate has helped me grow and feel grounded in mind and body. She has an extraordinary view on a range of things and I can say without any hesitation that she is very good at what she does. I hope to do another session with Kate in the future where I share with her experiences of wonderful change in my life, giving a great deal of credit to her. Thank you.’ Danielle, Melbourne


‘I recently did the discovery session with Kate and found it an invaluable experience that went beyond my expectations. I have always struggled with recognising my strengths and overcoming behaviours that have stopped me from achieving what I want and finding my purpose. The session with Kate gave me clarity and I learnt a lot more about myself that I don’t believe I would have discovered on my own. Kate has a caring nature and an amazing ability to read people. The session really opened my mind to my true self, I feel I have found my purpose and how I change my behaviours and use my strengths to achieve my goals. I left the session feeling inspired and mindful. I recommend the discovery session to anyone struggling with reaching their goals and wanting to discover their purpose.’ Ella


‘I don’t know how you manage to say everything that needs to be said in such a new, clear and fresh way. You really find a way to cover so much of the human experience. Today’s discovery session was really eye-opening for me and certainly gave me clarity. I look forward to being proud of myself because I am living in alignment with what feels authentic and true to my natural calling.’


‘I’ve just experienced the profound effects of a Total Balance discovery session and would highly recommend this experience to anyone who is creating and growing a business enterprise or making changes in their personal and professional life. Kate James offers an enjoyable, uplifting and powerful coaching session in a serene, nurturing and beautiful environment. Creative time focused on your plans, needs and goals – this inspiring few hours resulted invaluable insights and action steps, providing time to self-review and recalibrate.  Kate offers useful insights and resources and I look forward to continuing this creative and practical journey with her over the next few months.’ Catherine


Is a discovery session as effective as ongoing coaching?

We work on the same content in a discovery session as we cover in approximately four sessions of coaching. The benefit is that you get to do all of the work in one day so it’s a deeply focused experience.

If you decide you would like ongoing coaching after your session, you’re welcome to book an appointment at your convenience.


‘My discovery session with Kate was such a valuable experience. The main focus of the session was to help me clarify my vision for what my psychology practice “would look like” and what steps were needed to take it to where I want it. I was a little worried this sounded a bit nebulous but Kate was right on the task and we had a wonderful few hours of creative exploration, goal setting and an opportunity to look at things a little differently. I found this session both inspiring and nurturing. I left our time together feeling engaged and that my vision for my private practice was possible. I am very grateful for this experience with Kate and will look forward to working together again in the future.’ Jason


‘The transformation of how I was feeling from the start of the session to the end of the session was amazing. My reason for seeing Kate was to help determine my next career move. Working with Kate has helped me identify a direction to move into and the steps required. But it’s not only my career that requires changes; I also need to tweak my personal life. Kate helped me see the “whole” picture.  I’m now in the process of setting some key goals, which are the foundations to the next exciting chapter in my life, one that is filled with love, fun, tenacity and self-respect. Thank you Kate!’ Karen


‘I’d first seen Kate when she ran a meditation workshop at a retreat I attended. Her calm manner and positive energy spoke to me so when I was at a career/life crossroads and finding it hard to find clarity I booked a discovery session. I was looking for a holistic approach and a life plan, not just a career plan and that’s exactly what I got. Kate has a way of understanding people so she can work with them in exactly the way they need. From start to finish the whole process was a pleasure. It’s a few months down the track now and instead of procrastinating as I have a tendency to do I’ve implemented a number of actions from the session. Go me! And thanks Kate.’ Anita


‘Thank you for the discovery session this morning. The whole process of doing the strengths tests beforehand, the reflection in order to fill in the questionnaires, then spending a few hours with someone focusing purely on my needs has been totally indulgent and amazing. You are an excellent listener who has carefully guided my thinking and pulled it all together in the resources you have just sent me. I have always been my own ‘ analyst’ or ‘friend’, along with my partner, but to have someone else listening properly, without judgement, to what I really think/ feel/ want has been wonderful. I feel I have a real platform to launch my next 50 years ( or more!).’ Alison


“I came across Kate’s website by chance when searching for coaching. I was immediately drawn by her work and what she was offering. My life has turned a big corner after my discovery session with Kate. I was feeling very lost, unmotivated and in a very negative state of mind about my present and future professional life and my life general. After 10 years of successfully running a business in Australia, I become a full-time mum and my life changed direction. I was struggling to find out what I was really passionate about and which direction I wanted to go after my career gap. Kate worked with me in a very powerful and honest way that helped me to leave the session empowered and with a completely different outlook on my future. She helped me to realise my true potential and to work with what I know and am very good at. At the moment I am working on my new own business, and am very confident about my choices.  Kate is very professional, wise and grounded and when working with you she is fully present and committed to you.” Audrey


‘The discovery session was extremely beneficial as I’m at a point in my small business where I need to focus more on marketing but I’m also hamstrung by limiting beliefs and self-sabotage. We spent quite a bit of time exploring these limiting beliefs and ways I can overcome them. The meditation and the values mapping also helped bring it all together and the clarity I felt when we finished up was more than I’d had for a long time. I left with some very achievable action steps and have already begun implementing them. I would highly recommend the discovery session for any small business owner looking to make some changes.’ Lisa


‘Wow – it’s only been two weeks since we met, and I am already “living” many of the positive steps I visioned in my discovery session. I was amazed how you gently stepped through the many parts of my life and your warm smile that encouraged me to accept “me”. I will always think of our time together as special.’ Clare

 

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After your session

Most clients take a day off work to attend a discovery session. Try to allow a few hours after your session to be alone. We’ll be covering a lot of content so you’ll need some time to take it all in. And you might feel a bit weary afterwards.

If you’re coming from interstate, please ask us about local accommodation.

In the days and weeks after your session, you’ll have clear action steps to take (we’ll have worked these out during our session) and we offer the option of single follow-up sessions.

More questions?

Get in touch if you still have questions or to find out about next available dates.

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My end-of-year wish for you, your loved ones, and for all of humanity is greater peace. 🙏
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After writing the first article about overfunctioning, so many women have reached out to say, ‘this is me’ and ‘what can I do about it?’.Later this week, I’ll be sharing an article about breaking the cycle of overfunctioning, but first, I thought it might be helpful to remember why we do this and why it can be such a hard pattern to break.Scroll through the carousel for quick tips, or read the full article (the link’s in my bio). And keep an eye out for the new article later this week where I’ll share more about doing things differently.This is something I’m working on myself, and I have to say that even with awareness, I don't find it easy. Those long-held habits can be hard to shift but when I can catch myself and go a little more gently, it makes the world of difference to how I'm feeling. ✨#overfunctioning #personaldevelopment #mindfulcoaching #selfkindness #selfawareness #wellbeingjourney #womenwhothinkdeeply #innergrowth #mindfulnessmatters #doinglessfeelingmore #confidencecoachmelbourne
When I was taught to meditate, over thirty years ago now, the advice was very rigid. You had to practice twenty minutes, twice a day or you might as well forget it. For so many people who learned, this ended up being off-putting and often not realistic.These days, there are so many different approaches and it's much more flexible – which is exactly what we need.Almost everyone I work with is short of time, but they're still keen to be mindful. And the reality is, you can achieve this even in just a few minutes.In its simplest form, mindfulness is really about two things – paying attention and non-judgement. When you start there, you realise you can practice in so many small ways and the impact can still be incredible.You don't need to head off on retreat (although it is pretty amazing) or block out huge amounts of time to simply tune in and pay attention.Try one or more of these small pauses today:▫️ Drink your tea, coffee or water with your full attention. Slow it right down and notice what you taste, smell and feel – bringing a sense of appreciation.▫️ Take five long, slow breaths. Pay attention to extending your out-breath to engage your parasympathetic nervous system.▫️ Before you send an email or make a call, pause and think about your intention. What matters most in this interaction?▫️ When you're at your computer or using your phone, notice your breathing. It often becomes more shallow (or we hold our breath without realising).Small moments of mindfulness really do make a difference. A few simple pauses through your day can bring you back to calm, clarity and presence. 🙏#mindfulness #presence #selfawareness #mindfulliving #mindfulnessretreat
© Kate James 2025

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We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands we live and work on, the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

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