Episode 162: Interview with Julie New

Description

Our latest conversation features an interview with Julie New, a personal recovery coach.

Julie transitioned from a long career in nursing and midwifery into coaching after experiencing the benefits of coaching herself. Consequently, she founded Changes Forever in 2006, specializing in grief, the trauma of sudden loss, and personal recovery. Additionally, Julie describes personal recovery coaching as support for navigating major life changes, especially traumatic events such as bereavement, divorce, or illness.

The expertise she has developed in this area has led her to write two books on the subject: "Who are the Flowers in Your Garden", and "The Grief Garden Path". And to further support people suffering from the effects of grief and loss, she started a Bereavement Cafe in Bedfordshire.

Her expertise is not only based on learning; she has much experience of loss. Indeed, Julie names these losses as the biggest challenges of her life. She has seen the passing of two husbands and her brother. The conversation led to a moving admission that the death of her first husband, who she had divorced, was the hardest challenge of all. It caused her to break her daughters' hearts by telling them the news.

Happily, awards have proved a positive in Julie's life. She has won an Enterprising Women award and is a finalist in the Best Businesswomen Awards 2025. She went on to describe the entry process and the reasons she found it so illuminating.

For anyone who has experienced loss in their life, this will be a discussion that may offer a new perspective. Basing her coaching on garden metaphors focusing on flowers and other plants, many have benefitted from her support over the years.

{1:27} Julie's transition from nursing to coaching.

{5:03} What personal recovery coaching means and what it entails.

{6:41} Everyone's journey is different.

{10:38} Julie's books on recovery.

{16:28} Julie's Bereavement Cafe.

{18:56} Coping with grief.

{21:31} A third book - on relationships.

{22:54} Julie's biggest challenges.

{27:28} When awards appeared on the radar.

{29:48} Entering the Best Businesswomen Awards 2025.

Connect with Debbie at: https://thebusinessawardsshow.co.uk

https://bestsmeawards.co.uk/