Meet our Life Strategy Coaches
OUR CORE VALUES
Pursuit of Balance Life Strategy Coaches core values are Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Curiosity, Humility, and Grace
THE JOURNEY TRAVELED
The Pursuit of Balance (POB) Life Strategy Coach Pathway is a twelve month, empirically-based certification program. The training is based on the work and research of Kendra Goheen.
The focus of our training program is to help each POB Life Strategy Coach Intern build confidence and refine their teaching, communication and interpersonal skills, by providing the necessary resources and tools to bring the Pursuit of Balance Program to a broader audience.
Pursuit of Balance Life Strategy Coaches foster learning to shift limiting beliefs and perspectives to inspire positive change and growth.
KENDRA GOHEEN
Founder
Kendra founded Pursuit of Balance in 2016. She is an impassioned teacher driven to empower individuals and organizations alike to understand, address and resolve pressing challenges, while helping to foster progressive learning and growth. Her approach guides individuals to lead a more confident life, while experiencing less psychological, physical and spiritual suffering. She draws upon over 20 years of experience in spiritual direction life coaching, teaching and leadership communication to educate and enable her clients across multiple disciplines and backgrounds. Kendra is devoted to guiding individuals to extraordinary outcomes through her collaborative insights, strategic coaching and experienced intuition.
Kendra is an accredited Professional Lifestyle Coach and Spiritual Director with over 10 years of research and development on patterned psychologies, behavior and suffering. She continually refines and updates her content and practices with a focus on individual empowerment and betterment.
JACOB ANDERSON
Certified POB Life Strategy Coach
Jacob is a certified Pursuit of Balance Life Strategy Coach and graduate student at University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he is pursuing his Masters in Education. Jacob received his bachelor’s in Physical Education and Health in May 2020. He has worked in a variety of settings with the youth including coaching youth sports, teaching elementary physical education, and leading a surf camp for children. He takes pride teaching Pursuit of Balance because of the impact it had on his own life. Jacob was in the inaugural graduating class of Pursuit of Balance.
RACHAEL WALSTON
Certified POB Life Strategy Coach
Rachael is a certified Pursuit of Balance Life Strategy Coach and an AMS Certified Montessori Early Childhood Teacher. She currently leads a classroom of 3-6 year old children at Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School. She received her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and her Master's of Education at Xavier University. Rachael has and continues to work with children in a variety of settings (from homes to different Montessori schools to traditional schools). She encompases the philosophies of both Montessori and Pursuit of Balance when working with young children.
Rachael was in the inaugural graduating class of Pursuit of Balance and is currently on track to become the Head of School with the future Pursuit of Balance Lifestyle School.
HEATHER BALENT
Certified POB Life Strategy Coach
Heather is a Certified POB Life Strategy Coach and a Certified and Licensed Athletic Trainer. She currently lives in Charlotte, NC, and was in the third graduating class of Pursuit of Balance. She earned her Bachelor's in Athletic Training at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and her Master's of Science at Baylor University. She has worked with athletes at UNCW, Baylor, and the University of Tennessee.
Heather strives to bring a feeling of peace and fulfillment to young adults and athletes through the Pursuit of Balance Program and coaching. Her experience unveiled a passion to support athletes and young adults during what can be a critical time in a young person's life, helping them to find their identity and overcome self-limiting beliefs.
JENNIFER SANDERS
Certified POB Life Strategy Coach
Jennifer is a certified Pursuit of Balance Life Strategy Coach and a certified ICF Coach. Her mission is to be a catalyst for others to own their personal power and to live authentically. As a Pursuit of Balance Lifestyle Coach, she is able to coach and support individuals on their journey to live a life that brings them wholeness and peace. She also has many years of job experience spanning Learning and Development, Organizational Development, Human Resources, Information Technology, Supply Chain and Customer Service. Jennifer has coached and consulted with leaders at all levels. She holds a master’s degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from the University of Phoenix.
Jennifer is the founder of Jennifer Sanders Coaching, Heart Inspired Leader. www.HeartInspiredLeader.com
Letter From Our Founder
First off, thank you for taking the time to read how Pursuit of Balance came to be. We are happy you are here. I say “we” because to get to this point at all, it has taken what feels like a lifetime and a village of people that hold this extraordinary vision for change.
Pursuit of Balance is my life passion.
I started my career in 1996 by founding a life coaching company focused on researching patterns of behavior in people during transitional and life-changing events. Specifically, how to achieve peacefulness in the body, mind, and soul during and after these events. It was fascinating to see that the patterns are associated with our reactionary responses to fight or flight and involve extended variations of a grief cycle.
My personal study, research, and teaching has been consistent from the beginning - assisting individuals back to wholeness after life-altering events. My focus is teaching individuals how to access their inherent ability, which aids their process of recalibrating their mental wellbeing. This is my life’s passion.
I have been privileged to witness incredible changes, transformation and miracles happen for individuals of ALL ages. What I was seeing was a consistent pattern. When I talk with people all over the world, and in conversations with family, friends, children, and colleagues… it wasn’t that people were not happy - it was that they were not at peace. They are not peaceful inside.
In 2016, after numerous conversations with the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s student body president and my daughter, who was vice president, about the stress of life on and off campus, that consistent “not feeling peaceful” pattern emerged again. Then, after three suicides happened within a year, I felt I needed to dig deeper and connect with the students. That same year we conducted an on-campus survey called The Happiness Project and it resulted in over 700 responses.
The research showed that people reported being happy - but not peaceful. They felt stress, anxiety, and confusion, to name a few mental or emotional symptoms, which resulted in an imbalanced, not peaceful, individual. In addition, the respondents had no intention of reaching out to a college counselor or to seek help. The stigma tied to mental health and the shame surrounding people knowing you are seeing a therapist or admitting to peers something is amiss was just not an option. This is another topic of conversation around what we have modeled to our children as acceptable to ask for and welcome: HELP.
We found that many needed a new way to deal with life and a way to take back their mental health. The outcome and the conclusion of our research is the Pursuit of Balance Program (POB). Pursuit of Balance came to life.
Pursuit of Balance has since transcended generations, age, race, social status, and title to be the seed of change. The program has received accolades from families, classrooms, and businesses. We have adapted the same curriculum we use with adults for ages 2 and older. The concept and principles of the program are consistent; it is the vehicle to achieve peace and internal change.
This program is founded on lifestyle practices and measured hallmark results. Statistical evidence, testimonials, and continual contact with impacted individuals show us that the program resulted in saved friendships, jobs, marriages, and lives. It has also improved school and job performance, health and mental efficacy, and has impacted individual lives overall by providing a sustainable, thriving lifestyle.
The testimonials we continue to receive both verbally and written verify the impact of this program. I know this to be true, both from what I have witnessed in individuals who have participated in the program and personally experienced in my life. I have spent thousands of dollars on countless workshops, hours and hours of therapy, and time attending many self-help classes, all of which, were “quick fixes.” I was ignoring the fact I needed structure, a lifestyle process for “how to” get out of my suffering. I was stuck in an endless pattern of thinking and believing that I could do it on my own.
Throughout the years, I have listened to individuals battling with their disappointment about not getting the results they hoped they’d gain through various programs, training, and self-help work. This is when I share with them that we have a proven, positive and measurable program that they can count on. Let me show you what will work.
75.68% of participants reported a significant positive increase in happiness upon completing the Pursuit of Balance Program. Many described their current state as “fulfilled,” “happy,” “growing”, and “more grounded.”
I can't help but ask, what more are you willing to lose, what more are “we” willing to lose, who else will we lose, and what is it costing us by not saying YES to beginning this work today. We individually, quite frankly, need to be the empowered change.
Leading the way for this radical change are five certified coaches and over 100 program graduates. To read more about the program and further statistics, please browse our website.
With love and gratitude,
Kendra Goheen
Founder of Pursuit of Balance