Tracy Naess on a Norwegian mountain
Choices Mentoring & Life Coaching logo
My story

I've walked this
path too

Before I became a coach, I was someone who needed one. That's what makes the difference.

Tracy Naess - life coach and mentor

The best coaching comes from lived experience — not just from textbooks.

— Tracy Naess

About Tracy

From lost to leading

In my late twenties, I was outwardly successful and inwardly exhausted. Good job, good relationships, a life that looked right from the outside — but something essential was missing. I didn't know what I wanted, only that something needed to change.

After a period of significant transition — including a career shift, a move, and a great deal of honest self-examination — I discovered the transformative power of quality mentoring and coaching. The right conversations, at the right time, changed everything.

I trained as a coach because I wanted to offer others what I had found: a genuinely supportive, challenging, and compassionate space to figure things out. Over the past 15 years I have worked with hundreds of individuals across industries, life stages, and cultures — and the work still moves me every single day.

I'm based in South Africa and work with clients online worldwide. I bring my whole self to every session — the coach, the human, and the person who has been exactly where you are.

15+

Years coaching

500+

Clients served

12

Countries

The journey

How I got here

Every milestone has shaped the way I show up for my clients today.

1998

First steps into the field

Began working in human resources and organisational development, discovering a deep passion for helping people navigate change and find their potential.

2004

Personal turning point

Faced my own significant life transition — a career crossroads and a period of deep uncertainty. Experienced firsthand the power of quality mentoring to change direction.

2007

ICF Coaching Certification

Completed professional coach training accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), laying the formal foundation for a coaching practice.

2009

Launched Choices Mentoring

Founded Choices Mentoring & Life Coaching, starting with individual clients and quickly growing through referrals. The brand name reflects a core belief: every life is shaped by choices.

2013

Group coaching programme launched

Developed and launched the first Group Circle programme, bringing the power of peer community into the coaching process. Now one of the most popular offerings.

2016

Mindfulness & embodiment training

Deepened practice through advanced training in mindfulness-based coaching and somatic awareness, integrating body-mind approaches into client work.

2019

Expanded to international clients

Moved fully online, enabling work with clients across Europe, North America, and Asia. Completed additional training in cross-cultural coaching competencies.

2022

ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC)

Achieved Professional Certified Coach designation from the ICF — recognising over 500 hours of coaching experience and demonstrated mastery of core competencies.

Today

Still growing, still learning

Continuing to work with individuals and groups, mentor fellow coaches, and write about the topics I care about most: clarity, courage, and living a life that is truly yours.

Credentials

Trained,
certified &
experienced

Beyond the formal qualifications, every credential represents a personal investment in becoming a better coach for my clients.

ICF Member

International Coaching Federation — upholding the highest standards of practice and ethics

Tracy's credentials and certifications
2022

Professional Certified Coach (PCC)

International Coaching Federation

The ICF PCC credential requires 500+ coaching hours and demonstrated mastery of the ICF Core Competencies. It is one of the most respected coaching qualifications worldwide.

2007

Associate Certified Coach (ACC)

International Coaching Federation

Initial ICF credentialing, marking the beginning of a formally recognised coaching practice after completing an accredited coach training programme.

2016

Certified Mindfulness-Based Coach

Centre for Mindfulness Studies

Integrating mindfulness and somatic awareness practices into coaching conversations to help clients access deeper clarity and make decisions from a grounded state.

1997

BA Psychology & Organisational Development

University of Cape Town

Undergraduate foundation in human psychology, behaviour, and how organisations and individuals interact — directly informing the coaching approach.

2019

Cross-Cultural Coaching Competencies

European Mentoring & Coaching Council

Specialist training in working with clients across cultural contexts, essential for supporting an international client base with empathy and cultural intelligence.

2021

Narrative Coaching Practitioner

Centre for Narrative Coaching

Training in story-based approaches to coaching, helping clients re-examine the narratives they carry about themselves and open up new possibilities.

Coaching philosophy

What I believe about
how people change

After 15 years and hundreds of coaching relationships, these are the principles I keep coming back to — the ones that hold up no matter who is sitting across from me.

01

You already have the answers

My job is not to give you solutions — it's to help you hear yourself clearly enough to find your own. I believe every person has an inner knowing that, when accessed, is far more reliable than any outside advice.

02

Honest beats comfortable

A coach who only reflects your thinking back at you is not a coach — they are a mirror. I will be warm and I will be direct. I will challenge you when I see a pattern worth examining, because real growth lives just outside the comfort zone.

03

The whole person comes to every session

Your career, your relationships, your body, your history, your values — all of these arrive together. I work with the full human being, not just the presenting problem. That is where lasting change comes from.

04

Change happens between sessions

Our conversations matter. But the real work — the noticing, the practising, the choosing differently — happens in your daily life. I design every session to send you back into the world with something concrete to act on.

Moment of reflection

Clarity is not the absence of complexity. It is knowing what matters most to you — and choosing accordingly.

Tracy Naess

What I stand for

Core values

These are not just words on a page — they shape how I show up in every session, every message, and every relationship.

Clarity

I believe that when people see their situation clearly — without the noise of fear, expectation, or habit — they almost always know what to do next.

Compassion

Every client I work with is doing the best they can with what they have. I bring real warmth to every session — and never mistake softness for a lack of rigour.

Courage

Growth requires stepping into the uncomfortable. I will always encourage you to go where the answers actually live — not just where it is safe to look.

Honesty

I say what I see. If I notice a pattern, a contradiction, or a story that might be holding you back, I will name it — gently but clearly.

Curiosity

I am endlessly curious about people — what drives them, what stops them, what they are capable of when given the right conditions. That curiosity is the engine of every session.

Integrity

I only offer what I genuinely believe will serve you. I hold your confidences absolutely and bring my full, undivided attention to every conversation.

Free & no obligation

Book your free discovery call

A 30-minute conversation to explore where you are, where you want to be, and whether coaching with Tracy is the right next step — completely free, zero pressure.

30 min

Free call

500+

Lives changed

100%

Confidential

Spots are limited — book yours today

Tracy Naess - life coach and mentor

“Tracy doesn't just coach — she truly sees you. That makes all the difference.”

— Ingrid M., Cape Town

Let's connect

The best way to know
if we're a fit is to talk

Reading about someone only goes so far. A 45-minute conversation — completely free, no obligation — tells you everything you need to know about whether coaching with me is right for you.

I have a limited number of client spots available at any given time. If you are feeling called to reach out, now is a good time.

  • We explore where you are and what you most want to change
  • I share how I work and what you can realistically expect
  • You leave with clarity — whether we work together or not
Choices Mentoring & Life Coaching logo

Tracy Naess

Mentoring & Life Coaching

Helping you find clarity, create balance, and live well — one conversation at a time.

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