REALIFE Conversations from the Porch

Hey friend, welcome back to REALIFE Conversations from the Porch. I'm coming to you on a rainy Saturday morning in Central Illinois with something I've been sitting with for a while — and I think it's finally time to say it out loud.  I've been teaching time management for almost ten years. And I think I've been using the wrong word.  The word that keeps surfacing for me — the one that changes the...

Hey friend, welcome back to Real Life Conversations from the Porch! This week’s episode came straight from a real moment in my own life — and honestly, I think it might hit a little close to home for you too. I’m coming to you fresh off a beautiful camping weekend with Farmer Dale, and I wanted to share something I’ve been sitting with: the idea that the little things are never really just about t...

On todays porch talk I'll share a Saturday porch conversation about boredom, asking when I last let myself be truly bored without reaching for a phone, TV, or other noise. While camping in a new camper, I noticed my impulse to fill the quiet with Wi‑Fi, screens, and music, but choosing to stay in the stillness helped creativity come back to life and reminded me of childhood moments when being sent...

After seven years of recording a weekly podcast without missing an episode, something shifted. In today’s episode, Teresa opens up about why she recently stepped back, what she’s been wrestling with personally, and why the message behind her upcoming audiobook feels more urgent now than when the book was first released in 2022. We are living in a world that feels faster, louder, and more reactive...

In this episode, we sit down with our friend and fellow coach, Tim Austin, to explore what it really looks like to navigate a major life transition—especially when it involves calling, identity, and purpose. Tim shares his journey of spending 20 years overseas as a missionary and the unexpected challenges of returning home. What does it feel like to leave behind a place, a role, and a sense of pur...

In today’s episode, we’re having a real and honest conversation about something that doesn’t get talked about enough—the hidden costs of coaching. When I first started coaching, I thought it was mostly about showing up for sessions and having meaningful conversations. And while that’s absolutely part of it, there’s so much more happening behind the scenes. In this episode, Erica and I unpack three...

In today’s episode, Erica and I sat down to have a really honest conversation about a question we hear all the time: Can you actually make money as a coach? We didn’t hold back in this one. We talked about the real journey—from feeling called to help people, to realizing that coaching isn’t just a skill… it’s also a business. I shared from my own experience of building multiple businesses over the...

In this episode, Erica and I talk about the role of the International Coach Federation (ICF) Code of Ethics, and why ethics should never feel like a restrictive set of rules. Instead, ethics are really about love, respect, and protecting the coaching relationship. We explore why clarity with clients matters—from written agreements to how faith might show up in sessions—and how being transparent bu...

In this episode of Real Life Conversations for Christian Coaches , I sit down with Erica Vinson for a real, honest conversation about how technology has changed coaching—and how it hasn’t. We’ve both been coaching long enough to remember dial-in phone lines, paper notes, and simple scheduling. Now we’re navigating Zoom calls, AI tools, automated systems, and more options than ever before. But here...

Episode 371 – Coaching from Rest, Not Rush In this conversation, erica and I  reflect on how our weekly rhythms and internal posture directly impact the quality of our coaching presence. This episode is especially for coaches who want to build a sustainable practice—one that allows space for rest, discernment, and long-term faithfulness. In this episode, we discuss: Why “being always available” of...

As a Christian coach, I’ve wrestled with this question for years: Am I a Christian coach… or a coach who is a Christian? In this episode, Erica and I open an honest conversation about the tension many coaches feel around faith, integrity, and how explicitly to lead with our beliefs in our coaching work. We talk through two frameworks that have helped us personally and professionally: Faith-forward...

After seven years of weekly podcasting, we felt it was time to pause, reflect, and make a thoughtful shift. In this episode, we talk honestly about change—what it is, what it isn’t, and how to recognize when it’s time to realign rather than quit. This isn’t about ending something. It’s about pruning, tending, and creating space for healthier growth. We share why the podcast is shifting to an every...

January often comes with pressure—to reset, to plan, to figure everything out quickly. But what if the beginning of the year is meant to be entered slowly? In this solo episode, I reflect on the year that was, shares my Word of the Year— Quiet Trust —and invites Christian coaches, therapists, spiritual directors, and helping professionals to consider a gentler way of beginning the year. Drawing fr...

As we step into a new year, I invite you as a  listeners into a quieter kind of beginning. This episode features a prayer I originally wrote on New Year’s Eve of 2023—a prayer I’ve returned to again and again. This prayer isn’t bound to one year. It’s a companion prayer for every season. In this reflective episode, I  shares the full prayer and then walk through the heart behind each line—inviting...

This Christmas-week episode is a special re-release from the early days of the podcast. Recorded six years ago, Teresa listens back with fresh ears and chooses to let this raw, honest reflection stand as it is. Through story, Enneagram insight, and an original song written from the heart, this episode invites listeners to slow down, make room, and rediscover wonder in the Christmas story. FREE RES...

As the Christmas season unfolds, Teresa and Erica invite you into a gentle, honest conversation about making room. Drawing from Advent themes, personal rhythms, and real-life coaching experiences, they explore what it looks like to create space on both the being and doing sides of life. In this episode, you’ll reflect on simplicity, intentional scheduling, communication, and making room for God wi...

In this honest December conversation, Teresa and Erica open up about what it means to live into Christmas in whatever season you’re walking through. From grief and transition to joy and renewal, the holidays rarely come wrapped in just one emotion. Together they unpack: Why naming your season matters How joy and sorrow can coexist Practical tools to stay grounded (Rule of Life & OneLife Maps)...

In this solo episode, Teresa invites you into her living room—Christmas tree, snow, and all—to share the sacred story of how oneLife Maps (also known as Listen to My Life ) has shaped her spiritual journey and the REALIFE Process®. She walks through each of the eight maps, explains how they can be used in coaching, spiritual direction, and ministry, and shares the deeply personal story of how the...

In this episode of REALIFE Conversations for Christian Coaches , Teresa and Erica welcome their longtime friend and coach, Elizabeth Simmons . Elizabeth shares how discovering the Enneagram and the REALIFE Process® became a turning point in her spiritual formation, eventually leading her back into the local church as a women’s ministry leader. You’ll hear how she’s using all the tools  of the proc...

In this episode of REALIFE Conversations for Christian Coaches , Teresa and Erica take you behind the scenes of how the REALIFE Process® Coach Certification and how it has grown and evolved over the past several years—from Enneagram Circles and year-long cohorts to today’s streamlined Accelerator Certification. They share honestly about “building the plane while flying it,” listening deeply to the...

In this solo episode, I’ll share a surprising personal story—my first Spartan Race at Fenway Park! What began as a casual “yes” around a dinner table turned into a powerful reminder of courage, community, and growth. Through the obstacles, she discovered four key lessons that also apply to life and business: start small, accept help, draw from past experience, and share the journey. If you’ve been...

Feeling buried in the back end of your coaching business? We sit down with fellow  team membeat the REALIFE Process®  Rachel O’Connell to demystify the essentials: a simple website, a clear lead magnet, and a short email nurture. Rachel shares how an all-in-one platform can streamline websites, email, calendars, payments, and automations—so you can coach from a place of rest, not rush. What You’ll...

This week I go solo to reflect on my 10-week sabbatical and how it reshaped 2025 and even 2026. I share four core lessons, creating rhythms that make rest possible, trusting your team and processes, discerning rather than just deciding, and refusing to journey alone. I open  up about falling back in love with ordinary life on the family farm and the clarity that followed. If you are feeling the tu...

This week on Realife Conversations for Christian Coaches , Teresa McCloy and co-host Erica Vinson sit down with REALIFE Process Certified Coach Julie Loy , creator of the HTL (HEALthy Living) Planner . Julie shares how a season of overwhelm and a simple prayer, “Lord, help me,” led to a Spirit-prompted idea for a spirit, soul, and body planner and a thriving community that practices intentional li...

In Part Two of our pricing mini-series, We get practical about confidence and consistency . If you’ve ever stumbled over your rates, over-explained your packages, or dropped your price in the moment (hello, discount spiral), this conversation is for you. We cover simple ways to practice saying your price, how to pre-frame discovery calls, what to do when an offer doesn’t “go,” and why timing, audi...