Professionals Tamborine Mountain 
For many, an idyllic village like Tamborine represents the perfect way of life, miles from worry or trouble. But even in such a beautiful locale, it can sometimes be hard to see the view past the mountain of life’s challenges. Lisa Barnard of Butterfly Effect Life Coaching understands this, and has dedicated her life to helping others along the path of life. Today she shares with us the amazing transformations she’s seen on her journey of helping free people from the cocoons of their struggles to begin beautiful new lives.
by Kyle Hitchmough
What made you want to become a life coach?
I’ve always coached friends in an unofficial sense, they would come to me and offload and we would go through things. There have been many issues within my family regarding mental health. At the end of it all I was asking “What am I going to do? Where am I going to go?” I was a primary school teacher, a cake decorator, trying to manage all of those as well as a family. I realised it wasn’t what I wanted to be doing anymore, and I looked at other career options that I loved. I ended up looking further into my own struggles which fed into the coaching, since lots of my clients have the same issues.
Where does the name “Butterfly Effect Life Coaching” come from?
When I was little and I would have nightmares, my mum would say to me “Just think of butterflies”. Butterflies have always been a messenger for me throughout my life. Plus, the whole chaos theory, the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings causing a tornado on the other side of the world.
For those who might not be familiar, can you explain what it is you offer here?
What I offer is a one-on-one that can be online or face-to-face, here or at a mutually agreed place. Normally people come because they’re at that place in their life where they’re going “I don’t know what I want. What next?” Lots of mums come and say “My kids have gone to school, now what do I do? What is my worth, what is my purpose?” I also work with people who have anxiety or panic attacks. Some of the key issues that are coming up might be health, career change, relationships, looking at that whole life wheel. We have an initial consultation, which is an hour to an hour and a half then there might be fortnightly sessions, about 45 minutes to an hour. They’re all different.
Can you explain the story behind the tipi where you hold your sessions?
Years and years ago in New Zealand, I found out about a gathering. There was a Native American man called White Eagle who held these gatherings, and he had tipis that a house would fit inside of. There were men and women and children who all sat together and gathered in circle. He did sweat lodges and all that kind of thing and that tracked me off into researching more. I love the stance of taking care of the Earth, taking care of each other, honouring spirit, honouring nature. I decided that the tipi would be an amazing space, circular, holding the energy in. You walk into a tipi and it just has this energy.
What kind of skills do you need to succeed as a life coach?
First and foremost is building relationships with people. Also, listening skills, you need to be able to park yourself to the side so that you can be in a space fully for that person. You need to listen to what they are saying and what they’re not saying. It’s about having curiosity for what goes on for somebody else. I know I talk at the speed of light now, but I used to be very, very shy, massive social anxiety. Now I’m always talking to people. I want to connect with people differently, to create change.
Are there any notable trends in your clientele?
Mostly I am seeing parents. Initially it was mums who had no purpose anymore after the kids have gone back to school, but it has shifted into dads coming as well. The dads tend to be more focused around “I want to be a better role model for my kids,” They’re also looking for a purpose, for something bigger than themselves. That’s who I seem to find I’m working with the most.
As a local, what’s your opinion on the Tamborine area and community?
Love it! People are friendly, you walk down the road and people will wave. They’re willing to help out. Everybody is kind to each other, they’re supportive, and they get involved if there’s anything that people need. It’s mostly quiet, and people are considerate of other people. There’s lots of community-minded people.
Do you have any personal favourite things to do in the area?
Bushwalking, walking anywhere. The Scenic Rim is stunning. If I can get out into the bush that’s where you’ll find me.
What do you think Butterfly Effect Life Coaching really provides to the area?
I think it provides support for people who want to make change. There’s also a side part of it where I put on gatherings for women and teens, to provide community. What I was seeing out in the world is disconnection. You have that connection within maybe local community on a surface level of going along to the Lions barbecue or the markets, but that deeper connection of feeling like you are fully supported, people are not feeling it. That’s definitely a real issue for teenagers. I facilitate discussions around things like self-care, self-love, courage, making friends, all those kinds of emotional intelligence things. We do that once a month for teens and once a month for women. It’s a place to come and talk and feel supported and realise that everybody else is experiencing what you’re experiencing.
What do you enjoy most about doing this?
Connection and celebrating the wins for people. When you have a client message you “Oh my god, I never thought I would do this again” or “I never thought I would feel this way again,” it totally fills my cup.
What’s been your most memorable moment from your time doing this?
Mainly it’s the time when your client says “I don’t think I need you anymore.” This job is not to keep people coming again and again, it’s when they find that spark in themselves and know that they are worthy, that they are good enough, and that they can achieve anything that they want to achieve.
Butterfly Effect Life Coaching
204-214 PALOMINO RD, TAMBORINE, QLD 4272
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