What Clients Are Saying
Chiranjib Pal
Experienced Finance
and Technology Executive
When I first met with Berna, I was at a crossroad in my career and was feeling a little lost. I was not sure whether any ‘coach’ can really help me. When we had our first session, I realized that I have come to the right person. I thought that the sessions will be like a teacher-student interaction like the setting in academics or coach-player interaction in sports where the instruction flows primarily if not only in one direction. However, she asked me very probing questions that made me think hard about life and where I wanted to go next. I got a lot more clarity as I started to look at things in a 360-degree view. My A-Ha moment was when I figured out that what I want to do in the next phase of my life can be designed with focusing on what really makes me happy and what is in alignment with my interests, instead of just focusing narrowly on a job search.
Her sessions were never prescriptive. We always had healthy dialogues and arrived at the next milestone and the path to reach there. Since I was equally involved in architecting the path, I was more vested to make it a success. Some of the things that we practiced have now become routine in my life, and I benefitted from them immensely. There are some other practices that I am still working on as it is a lifelong learning and growing experience. I am happier, more fulfilled, and empowered in my professional life.
I strongly recommend Berna to anyone who is serious in making a difference to one’s own life and thereby to the life of others.
Peivand Sadat Mousavi
Post Doctoral Fellow Stanford University
I had great experience working with Berna. We connected instantly and her care and passion for me as a “coachee” continued all the way through our sessions. She provides a safe space in her sessions by listening with genuine empathy and asking thought-provoking and non-judgmental questions. She always had helpful techniques leading to a deep understanding and Aha-moments about myself. One of the most transformational experiences I had was when I realized with Berna through a “Wheel of life” exercise that I needed to build up a work-life balance in my life. Berna helped me to set clear realistic goals and continued to be my accountability partner to build healthy habits and invest in my self-care routines. She partnered me in redefining myself in different ways and building my vision as the leader of a science team, becoming the connector who is caring and providing people with the value and the opportunity to learn. Berna’s coaching approach helped me feel empowered to make choices and find techniques that serve me in creating my flow state, working on hard change, building confidence, and managing conflict. Berna’s openness to learn about her coachee and adapt to coachee’s needs are her greatest strengths as a coach. Berna is full of positivity and her positive approach is inspiring for all!
Berk Mumcu
Global Jeep Brand
Senior Manager
Before my coaching experience with Berna, I was feeling stressed and trapped in repeated failures and had no one to trust who could help me manage my discomfort. I was assessing the world through a mechanical perspective and frequently ignoring the human factor in my relationships. Berna created a journey of discovery by asking the right questions at the right time and helped me discover my feelings, become aware of my communication styles, and understand the role of empathy in my daily interactions. Berna made me speak the unspoken reason behind every difficulty. My evaluation of life completely evolved with discoveries and the solid lessons learned. Each session was the perfect opportunity to explore my inner world, understand my patterns, and decide to build upon future habits, which will serve me to act at my full potential. I am grateful for having Berna as my thinking partner who made me visualize where I want to be. I highly recommend her to anyone who feels stuck in life; especially to professionals who desire to understand their behavioral patterns and need to go deeper in their spiritual journeys which will support their success in business life as well. Berna's coaching evoked the healing power of my inner effort to find the flow in life, enjoy every moment of my personal and professional journey, and transform to be the best version of myself.
Ekin Ertemiz Yavuz
Marketing Executive
When I started coaching with Berna, I was frustrated with the barriers I faced in my career. My tone of voice in everyday communication with my colleagues and leaders at work was reflecting my frustration. My feelings were a result of a complex stream of perceptions that I had of myself and my surrounding. My most important takeaway from Berna’s coaching is, “Every complexity usually comes down to a core reason when rightfully questioned.” During the process, my biggest a-ha moment was my awareness of how I interpret being good at work. I realized that it is not always about “being the number one," but it also involves growing to learn from those who ranked above you. One can have a lot of takeaways and build on their experience by appreciating others' merits. Throughout the process, staying true to methodology with strong yet non-judgmental questioning methods, Berna achieved to dispose of my barriers and unlocked curiosity and eagerness to learn. I experienced the power of simple questions with Berna’s calm state. I appreciate Berna’s persistence which leads to actions rather than getting lost in a theoretical mindset. Berna’s energy is a perfect match for people with scattered and fast-thinking minds like mine and who are looking for clarity, focus, and empowerment to overcome various barriers to positive change. Being coached by Berna was a major milestone for me to grow from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. I now see all uncertainties, as opportunities and setbacks show me new ways to move back up.
Asha Ghosh
Urban Program Manager at Yale University; Yoga and Mindfulness Instructor
Berna is an incredibly insightful coach. She asks perceptive questions and listens carefully to every response. She repeats back what she heard with a beautiful articulation of what matters most. I find myself trying to capture what she shares that I expressed! I have appreciated Berna’s approach to helping me find my own inner wisdom, while also holding me to account and staying focused on the goals. I have been working with Berna to bring my multiple interests together into a more coherent path, and she has helped me to transform my approach to be much more effective and to develop a vision that is more inspiring and holistic. She is also a pleasure to work with and extremely patient! I strongly recommend working with Berna on whatever challenges you face, the results will be unexpected and transformative.
Liz Gabriel
Interior Designer
When I met Berna, I was teaching voice and performing. Though I had experienced great fulfillment in those endeavors for years, I wasn’t loving it anymore. Berna’s coaching helped me see my priorities differently and realize I was living in a “status quo” and my passion and direction had faded. I wasn't aware I needed a better “fit” in terms of “purpose" and Berna’s deeper questions created awareness around a need for transformational change. The a-ha moment was when I finally felt free to do music as a source of enjoyment while having clear intentions and goals for a more fulfilling purpose. I gathered the courage to make the transition to pursue a new endeavor that was tucked back into the recesses of my mind for years which I was always good at but afraid to do professionally. So, I started my Interior Design business and I feel fulfillment in both endeavors because they are properly prioritized and balanced. Berna’s strength in coaching, which worked for me, was her soothing but direct and kind of fearless way of asking questions, one upon another, which probed into a deeper part of my psyche as I processed through the changes I needed to make in my life and overcome the fears to make them. I feel gratitude toward her for helping me find a better and more fulfilling purpose after a long season of “status quo” and feeling stifled!
Greg Barringer
Owner
Soul Journeys
Working with Berna Merih has been a great pleasure and extremely helpful. When she and I first began our coaching sessions, in the amid the Coronavirus pandemic, I was feeling very scattered and unfocused. My life was not going particularly well, both in my profession and personally. Berna truly helped me see my priorities more clearly - what’s important to me, what brings me energy and joy - and guided me towards creating achievable outcomes for several projects and aspects of my life. Berna has a gift for helping me focus on what I truly want to change or achieve. She has helped me not only objectively, but she’s also really been there for me through a challenging time in my life. I will always be grateful to her for the work and time we have spent together.
I welcomed my experience with an open mind and a natural curiosity. Our partnership immediately felt trusting and easy. Each session left me feeling motivated and energized.
I appreciate Berna's gentle and trusting approach. I couldn't help but recognize her genuine sense of caring and passion she carries as a coach. Without a doubt, I value the opportunity to have met and worked with Berna.