The Soft Truth
I didn't learn boundaries from a textbook.
By running on empty for years, over-giving until I had nothing left, and wondering why everyone else seemed to manage what felt impossible to me.
If you're here, I'm guessing you know that feeling. The quiet resentment. The guilt for feeling resentful. The exhaustion that sleep doesn't touch.
I help people-pleasers and over-functioners find their way back to themselves. Not through shame. Not through white-knuckling. Through a process that actually works—because I built it from the inside out.
BEFORE
My body kept the score I refused to look at
The tight shoulders. The shallow breathing. The low-grade dread when my phone buzzed.
I didn't call it burnout—I called it being busy. I didn't call it resentment—I called it stress. And I definitely didn't call it a boundary problem, because I didn't think I was allowed to have boundaries. Not really. Not without becoming someone selfish, difficult, unkind.
So I kept saying yes. And I kept shrinking.
After
I learned to trust what I already felt
The turning point wasn't a revelation. It was a surrender.
I stopped treating my exhaustion like evidence of failure and started treating it like data. The tight chest. The shallow breath. The dread before the ask—these weren't weaknesses. They were my body trying to protect me from a life I'd built without my own needs in it.
When I started listening instead of overriding, something loosened. Not all at once—but enough to feel the difference. Enough to want more of it.
That's the work I do now. Not teaching you what I read in a manual, but walking beside you through the same terrain I had to cross myself.
How I Work
The difference is in how we move
Most boundary work starts with the words. I start with your nervous system.
Because here's what I learned: You can have the perfect script, but if your body thinks saying no will get you abandoned, the words won't come out. Or they'll come out shaky and apologetic. Or you'll deliver them and then spend three days drowning in guilt.
So we build the internal steadiness first—the kind that lets you hold your ground without falling apart.
- We map your specific patterns (not generic people-pleasing advice)
- We build boundaries shaped around your actual relationships and capacity
- You test things between sessions—small experiments, real conversations
- We adjust based on what happened, not what "should" work
- Eventually, it stops being something you do and becomes who you are
Credentials
Training that matches lived experience
I'm not just someone who lived through this. I'm someone who studied how to guide others through it.
200+ hours coaching people just like you
ACC - International Coaching Federation
Associate Certified Coach
Wayfinder Life Coaching
Certified Life Coach
CBT & REBT Informed Coaching
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Confidence & Mindset Coaching
Certified Confidence & Mindset Coach
B.A. – Rutgers University
English Literature
Testimonials
What changes when you stop running on empty
"Through her coaching, I learned to trust myself and follow that North Star feeling that kept pulling me in a new direction. Carie helped me cut through all the doubt and insecurity so I could focus on creating a clear, realistic plan to get where I want to go. She's so patient and thoughtful, always giving me space to reflect and figure out what really matters to me. If you're scared to take a chance or make a big move, I can't recommend Carie enough—she'll help you find your courage and your path forward."
Zoar
Market Research
"Working with Carie has been a transformative experience. As an introvert, I struggled with setting boundaries and often found myself falling into the trap of people-pleasing. Carie's compassionate and insightful approach has helped me understand the importance of valuing my own needs while still being true to myself. Her sessions are engaging and filled with practical strategies I can apply in my daily life. I've gained more clarity and confidence. If you're looking to create healthier boundaries and overcome people-pleasing, Carie is the perfect guide."
Ekaterina
Photographer
"Working with Carie has been one of the most empowering experiences in my professional journey. She provided practical tools on work-life balance, setting priorities, time management, and problem-solving—but also a space where I felt truly heard and supported. Because of her guidance, I've gained clarity on my goals, greater confidence in my decision-making, and a deeper sense of authenticity. I've learned to be kinder to myself and to embrace the value of showing up as who I truly am."
Lan J
Scientific Engagement
"Working with Carie has been a life-changing experience. Carie's patient and empathetic approach creates a coaching environment where I feel safe to be myself. I can tell that Carie deeply cares about me and the issues I bring to each session. I feel truly supported to discuss my struggles and dreams. Carie knows how to hold space and ask profound questions that help me address the blocks holding me back. She has helped me face life's challenges with more confidence and resilience which has helped me make sustained changes in my life. I look forward to each session with Carie and I highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a safe space within which to begin making lasting changes in their life."
Cathy
Life Coach/Former Attorney
Ready to make room for yourself?
The starting point is the same whether you choose private coaching, group work, or a single audit session. You decide that the way things have been isn't the way they have to stay.