Meet Darlene Taylor | Author, Co-parenting Expert and Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darlene Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darlene, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I see risk as an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and grow in ways I may not even realize I need. I have always been a risk-taker in my personal and professional life. I believe it helps avoid stagnation and can present you with unique opportunities.

I believe my openness to taking risks has contributed to my career, which has continued to change, though I have always focused on helping others. I have been a therapist, personal trainer, nutrition coach, and now a life coach, author, and public speaker. Each of these transitions required me to take a leap of faith. Being willing to take those leaps has opened incredible doors for me and helped me grow as a person and a professional.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I combine wellness coaching with strengths-based development to help people navigate the inevitable transitions in life with grace. I help my clients harness those life lessons to create lasting, positive change in their lives. Though I do provide life transition coaching, my focus is primarily on coaching people who are unpartnered and co-parenting to aid them in developing a cooperative relationship that will benefit their children. My coaching curriculum is taken from my new book, It’s Not About Us: A Co-parenting Survival Guide to Taking the High Road. It outlines ways that co-parents can build a healthy, productive relationship with their parenting partner while practicing self-care and leaning into their innate strengths to help them be better parents.

I transitioned to coaching after years of being a therapist because I wanted to work more with folks who were ready to take action and make impactful and sustainable changes in their lives. In coaching, we are future-focused and pour energy into taking action and creating different results for your life. This appealed to me and has been a great fit for my passions and personality. It was an easy but scary transition because I went from working at a counseling center and having a steady stream of clients, to figuring out how to build a coaching business on my own. It has been a challenge, but one that has been truly rewarding. I have had to be creative, build skills I’ve never used before, and learn when I need to bring others on to help me in areas where I’m not as strong. It’s been humbling, educational, and motivating to start a business and watch it grow.

I’ve also been doing more public speaking, which I love. The ability to connect with people and share my message on a larger scale energizes me in a way nothing else does. I love hearing how the book and the lessons people take from it are impacting their lives. I want to help people think about co-parenting in a new way, to help families get to a place of healing and health for all of the members, and speaking provides a way to do that. I want people to know that your family can survive divorce and come out better than okay on the other side. I want people to feel empowered to create the kind of family they want to have and not buy into the idea that they have to be enemies with their co-parent, or that there will always be animosity. We all want peace within ourselves, in our relationships, and in our families. That is what I try to help people achieve through all of my work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Cincinnati has changed so much from when I first moved here in the late ’90s. The downtown area, which we call Over the Rhine, or OTR, was pretty desolate then, but it has become a wonderful place for food and fun and it’s now one of my favorite parts of the city.

If I were showing off Cincinnati to a friend who had never been before, I would definitely start by showing them the iconic sights of downtown, like Fountain Square, the Cincinnati Museum Center in Union Terminal, and Music Hall.

Findlay Market would also have to be on the list because it is not only one of the best farmer’s markets you’ll ever see, but there is often an event happening that makes it even more fun. There are countless amazing restaurants and bars, like Nada or Soto, and the famous Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse.

One of my favorite things is the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, which is the second oldest zoo in the country. For some history, I would want to make sure we visited the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center and then get a taste of Cincinnati History at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

And a trip to Cincinnati would not be complete without trying our chili. We would have to go to both Skyline and Gold Star so my guest could determine which is better (and have their own say in a long-standing local debate).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shout-out to my mother, Dorothy Taylor. Since childhood, she has been a shining example of balancing building a strong family while simultaneously having great career success. She was never afraid to take risks or shoot for positions that other women or African Americans hadn’t held in her organization. Seeing this success was such a motivator to me and helped me believe that there really was no limit to what I could achieve. She also was the perfect balance of tough and supportive. She always pushed me to be my best but also let me know that it was okay to fall – as long as I got back up stronger. That has served me well in my career and in my life in general. My latest endeavor was writing my book and she was extremely supportive throughout that process. Her belief in me made me less afraid to put my story out into the world, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Website: www.darlenetaylor.com

Instagram: @thedarlenetaylor

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/coachdarlenetaylor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedarlenetaylor