Tall Ship Tenacious - Training Ship for both Disabled and Able-bodied people to work together

My experience

I work part-time in fundraising with Spinal Injuries Ireland, which keeps me closely connected to the real experiences of people with spinal cord injuries - and their families.

Through this role, I’ve seen how injury affects not just the individual, but the whole support network. This perspective shapes my coaching: practical, compassionate, and grounded in real life.

I am not a medical or rehabilitation professional - I am a life coach focused on mindset, confidence, and emotional wellbeing alongside your recovery journey.

My own journey – Tenacious Ship

My time aboard the Tenacious Ship - a tall ship crewed by people of all abilities — was life-changing.

It showed me what’s possible when people are supported rather than limited. That experience deeply influences how I coach today: inclusive, empowering, and forward-looking.

(You can read more about this on my About page and Journal)

Disability & Personal Change

Life can change in a moment.


When it does, confidence, identity, and direction can feel lost overnight.

Who I work with

I support:

  • People adjusting to life after spinal cord injury

  • Wheelchair users and those in or post-rehabilitation

  • People whose disability has affected their confidence, identity, or relationships

  • Family members, partners, carers, and close friends supporting someone after injury

You don’t need to have a spinal injury to work with me = you just need to be navigating change and wanting a clearer way forward.

How I can help you

Through one-to-one coaching, I help you to:

  • Adjust emotionally to change

  • Rebuild confidence and self-belief

  • Reduce overwhelm and self-doubt

  • Improve communication and relationships

  • Find clarity, purpose, and next steps

Support for families and carers

Injury changes family life too. I also coach partners, parents, carers, and close supporters to help you:

  • Manage stress and overwhelm

  • Navigate new roles in the family

  • Communicate more clearly

  • Avoid burnout

  • Look after your own wellbeing

Your wellbeing matters too.

Take the next step

If you’re living with a disability - or supporting someone who is - and feel stuck or unsure what comes next,

I invite you to book a free discovery call to see if coaching is right for you.

I’m Stephen, I work with people living with disability - and their families who support them - to rebuild confidence, resilience, and a sense of possibility after life-changing events such as spinal cord injury or major health challenges.

My coaching isn’t about “fixing” you. It’s about helping you reconnect with your strengths, regain clarity, and move forward with purpose.

Disability & Life Change Programme

A structured pathway from adjustment to confidence, clarity, and forward movement

This program is designed for:

  • People living with disability

  • People adjusting to life after spinal cord injury

  • Wheelchair users in or post rehabilitation

  • Family members, partners, carers, and close supporters

  • Anyone whose life has changed through disability or injury

Program Overview (12 weeks – 1:1 coaching)

Weekly 60-minute sessions (online or in person)

I can also offer shorter options:

  • 6-week program

  • 3-month program

  • Ongoing monthly coaching

Phase 1 : Adjustment & Acceptance (Weeks 1–3)

Focus: Processing change and stabilising emotions

We work on:

  • Making sense of what has happened

  • Acknowledging grief, loss, frustration, or anger

  • Understanding how disability has impacted identity

  • Building emotional safety and trust in coaching

  • Clarifying what you need most right now

Outcome:
You feel heard, grounded, and clearer about your situation.

Focus: Confidence, mindset, and identity

We work on:

  • Reconnecting with your strengths

  • Challenging negative self-talk

  • Redefining your identity beyond your disability

  • Building confidence in daily life

  • Restoring a sense of personal power

Outcome:
You start to begin feeling human again - not just “a person with a disability.”

Focus: Moving forward

We work on:

  • Clarifying your goals and aspirations

  • Exploring what a meaningful life looks like now

  • Rebuilding motivation and hope

  • Identifying new opportunities in work, relationships, or life

  • Creating a vision for your future

Outcome:
You feel more hopeful and forward-looking.

Focus: Real-world application

We work on:

  • Turning clarity into practical next steps

  • Building confidence in decision-making

  • Strengthening resilience for challenges ahead

  • Creating a simple personal action plan

  • Celebrating progress and growth

Outcome:
You leave with confidence, direction, and tools you can use long-term.

Special Support Track for Families & Carers (Optional Add-On)

If the client is a family member, partner, or carer, sessions focus on:

  • Managing stress and emotional overload

  • Navigating new family roles

  • Healthy communication with their loved one

  • Preventing burnout

  • Maintaining their own identity and wellbeing

I can offer this as:

  • Individual coaching for family members, or

  • A blended model: some sessions with you and your disability + some with your family.

Phase 2 : Rebuilding Self-Belief (Weeks 4–7)

Phase 3 : Purpose, Direction & Possibility (Weeks 8–10)

Phase 4 : Action & Integration (Weeks 11–12)