About Me

I’m Rachel Picton, an experienced leader, academic, and coach with a career spanning senior roles in higher education and the health sector.

Over the past two decades, I’ve held leadership positions that required me to navigate times of significant disruption, uncertainty, and change. From shifts in higher education policy and funding models, to the unprecedented challenges faced by the health sector, I’ve seen first-hand how even the most capable professionals can feel destabilised when the ground beneath them shifts.

I have gone through two voluntary redundancy processes, set up my own high street business, my own strategy consultancy business, lived overseas, transitioned from a clinical career to an educational leadership one, worked across board leadership and charity governance and brought up 3 wonderful children, navigating all of life’s challenges along the way. I feel well equipped to understand the seas of change and the need to keep on finding a way forward in whatever circumstances come our way.

Through these experiences, I’ve learnt that clarity of purpose, confidence in one’s own value, and the ability to take intentional action are vital not just to survive but to thrive.

I was awarded the title of Professor for Academic Leadership, an honour that didn’t follow the traditional research route, but recognised my commitment to shaping education, developing others, and driving positive change. While I very rarely lead with the title, I’ve learnt the importance of acknowledging and celebrating our worth, something I encourage my clients to do too.

But please always call me Rachel. It is the person and not the title that matters the most.

Today, my coaching practice is informed by this blend of rigorous academic insight, leadership experience, and a deep understanding of human development. I bring empathy, challenge, and structure to support my clients in navigating their own challenges and stepping forward with clarity and confidence. I take my role as your coach very seriously. This is an important step for you, and it needs to be for me also. My commitment to you in this process that we will engage in together, is that I will always try to bring my best self to our interactions. That won’t mean that I have everything worked out in my own life at all times, but that I will keep on investing in my own continuing professional development, drawing on support and professional networks and being the best coach, I can be.

Specialism

KNOW YOUR WORTH. PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

I help ambitious, thoughtful people reconnect with their value and translate it into meaningful action. I love nothing more than seeing others thrive and reach their potential.

Over my career as an academic, clinician, leader, and mentor, I’ve sadly seen how often amazing, capable colleagues undervalue themselves, hesitate to make bold moves, or feel stuck in patterns that don’t reflect their true worth. My coaching practice is built to change that and hopefully together we will see you get the outcomes you desire...and deserve.

Together, we’ll uncover what matters most to you, strengthen your confidence, and make sure you’re putting your worth into practice: in your work, your leadership, your potential next steps and your life in general.

In addition to my many years of coaching colleagues and friends using my Certificate in Coaching, I have completed a Diploma in Transformative Coaching with Animas.

Animas trains people in psychological-based, transformational life coaching. It is conversational in its delivery and uses a powerful combination of the psychological, humanistic, integrative and holistic approach so that the outcomes can be truly client-led.

I use various tools and techniques as might be relevant to the conversation. This might include digging deeper into metaphors, using a timeline process, reviewing the wheel of life, exploring values but most importantly creating a safe space for you to talk, reflect, be silent and find a positive way forward.

I want you to leave our sessions with your head held high, knowing your worth and putting it into practice. My clients can testify to this and nothing makes me happier than seeing their results.

Keywords

Leadership, Imposter Syndrome, Value, Worth, Career Transition, Early Career, Life Challenges, Retirement, Redundancy