Coaching
“I cannot tell you how much you have changed my life and how much you have impacted my family and my marriage. After working with you, I feel more relaxed and grounded as a person, more energized and excited as a professional, and more confident and peaceful as a parent. I know I’m on the right track now and I look forward to flying solo. I really can’t thank you enough.
Kelly Marx
Relationship Manager
Major National Bank
Mother of one child
Alameda, CA
“I highly recommend Marcilie’s career coaching for anyone who is unsure or dissatisfied with their current job situation. I have a tendency to put everyone’s needs before my own, so having the time set aside with Marcilie helped me to focus in on my own needs and wants for a change. She helped bring into focus my core personal values, and how I can use this knowledge in my job search. This sense of clarity along with her tools, support and advice have given me confidence and empowerment to “get out there” and make things happen for the new year!
Estrella Gillette
Creative Director
Mother to one child
Denver, CO
“I did not know what to expect through Marcilie’s life coaching guidance, but I came to her ready for a change in how I was managing my work-life balance. I was not at peace with either zone in my life, and while I thought that blowing up my current work scenario was a requisite to day-to-day happiness, I realize that starting from scratch wasn’t necessary.
Marcilie’s exercises were instrumental to me in grabbing hold of my values and recreating a job experience that was true to the values I hold dear. Through her effective communication tools and assignments, I learned to become more assertive in the workplace and to diffuse the effect of disappointments on my productivity and performance. I also learned to celebrate the good stuff!
The key to my breakthrough was learning to trust myself again. Marcilie helped empower and energize me to move forward with optimism and a renewed sense of value in my core beliefs.”
Kristin Beltran
National Sales Manager
Mother of two children
Oakland, CA
“After coaching together, I see myself differently now. I advocate for myself. I say “no” more often. I’m not afraid of disappointing people and not pleasing them. At the same time I accept the fact that I’m a “people person” and that this is my gift. I make no apologies for taking care of myself – for taking time to rest, play, and be renewed. I no longer see myself as superman. I can’t do everything and realizing that is so freeing. I feel good now, but I know I will feel better as I implement more and more of the ideals my captain and I have agreed on. I will never be the same and I will be forever grateful to you, Marcilie, for helping me get to this point. God has really worked through you to bless me.”
Norwood Square
Children, Youth and Family Minister at San Leandro Church of Christ
Father of two adult children
San Leandro, CA
“Engaging in coaching with Marcilie during a work break/sabbatical, was one of the best investments I have made in myself. The overlap of working with her, during a break from work, was a time of incredible focus to critically look at and verbalize what is really important in both my personal and professional worlds. Looking for work, investigating career opportunities, and now going back to work after a break + coaching, I feel both rejuvenated, but also have a stronger foundation. Through my coaching time, I now have a filter through which I can process all those crazy work/home balance decisions, and feel good about what I am choosing and what I am not choosing.”
Jill Bergman
Director
Healthcare and Facility Knowledge Management, dsk architects
Mother of two children
Oakland, CA
“This coaching exercise forced me to pause, take a breath, and consider what matters most to me and whether my direction aligned with those things. I learned to be more confident in my abilities and contributions (and less concerned with delegating tasks and admitting when I am stretched too thin).
I appreciate that Marcilie pushed me out of my comfort zone by asking tough questions and not letting me explain away decisions easily. That really helped me identify my personal values and develop a clearer picture of where I want to get to in life.
Ryan Opeka,
General Counsel and EVP
Father of 2 Children
Oakland, CA
“I had a hard time going back to work after having kids. There was never enough of me to go around, and I felt overwhelmed, stressed out and inadequate. Marcilie was a lifesaver. She helped me figure out what was most important to me and then helped me flesh out a plan (step-by-step) to get there.
It sounds so simple in retrospect, but when you’re in the thick of it and have lost some perspective (probably because there is simply not enough of you to go around), it really helps to have an objective person outside of your life provide some guidance and support. I’ve learned to put my energy into the things that matter most, and to let up on the rest…. work-life balance has come because Marcilie has helped me recognize the need to care for myself so that I can care for others…
Marcilie is smart, kind, insightful, caring. A genuine soul. I am so pleased that I tried life coaching. And I’m grateful that my coach was someone as full of heart as Marcilie.
Project Director
Children’s Hospital & Research Center at Oakland
Mother of two children
Oakland, CA
“Working with Marcilie has been amazing. I’ve been able to SAY things I’ve never said out loud before. I’ve been able to admit to my fears and anxieties. On the flip side, I was able to express my desires, my goals and my dreams making them real and alive
I think one big outcome for me was realizing that my goals line up with my values. A sense of peace and confidence have been flowing through me ever since. I no longer question whether I’m doing the right thing. I know I’m doing the right thing. I want to inspire
The small investment that I chose to make with Marcilie has paid off and will continue to pay off as I journey toward my destiny. I thank God that I didn’t make excuses for not getting coaching. I’m good. I’m strong, I’m fearless.
Michelle Cooper
Owner
Focused Fit Solutions
Mother of three children
Oakland, CA
“The biggest benefit I got from coaching was moving forward on my professional goals and ending up with concrete tools and results I can use going forward
What I appreciate and love most about working with Marcilie is that she is reliable and consistently supportive and positive. It felt great having someone in my corner, cheering me on, and helping me work through blocks. With Marcilie, I made tangible progress towards goals I’ve been wanting for a long time.
Kristina Bennett
Career Counselor
Help Navigating Transitions
Oakland, CA
“In only a few sessions, Marcilie helped me make a major life decision I’ve been mulling-over for years. She also helped me reconnect with the things that are important to me, which has made all my decision-making, big and small, SO much less stressful. Marcilie’s coaching has helped me worry less and enjoy more! I’m extremely grateful to Marcilie and to the friend who connected us.
Rachel Fleet
Risk Manager at a major European bank
Mother of 2 children
Berlin, Germany
“GREAT NEWS!!!! I was offered a job this afternoon. I cannot tell you how excited I am for this opportunity. I cannot thank you enough for helping me get to this outcome. All our work to help me on the path to my fulfilling career is paying off. I have landed a job at my dream place! It’s funny how about a year ago I began to realize that finding the right job and career was going to take longer than I originally imagined. Then when I got closer to narrowing things down I got scared, which slowed me down even more. Through our coaching calls, I felt inspired and re-focused, and was able to put my fears in perspective. Finally I began to learn to enjoy the journey and accepted that landing a job at the farm might take a long time. And here it is already! Thank you for helping me to make my dreams come true!”
Kelly Knudsen
Educator
Shellburne Farms
Mother of three children
Burlington, VT
“I found my coaching experience with Marcilie to be constructive and to have immediate application to my current situation. After 20 years of working at a frenetic pace in the Silicon Valley, I needed to take some time in a thoughtful and structured way to re-evaluate my talents, values and priorities. Marcilie’s coaching series efficiently offered me just what I needed to fine tune my direction going forward.
CFO, Public Technology Company
Father of one child
Silicon Valley, CA
“After only 2 months of coaching, I have discovered some better parenting ideals. I have developed a better and more relaxed feeling about myself and better thinking (away from perfection and toward greater acceptance of self and others). I have come to believe more that my best is enough. I have opened up some of my time by creating new practices around online shopping and browsing. My stress level went from 7 down to 2 after six coaching sessions. I have more peace, and less worry, and new ways of thinking.”
Tanya Wadley
Mother of four children
Salt Lake City, UT
“Marcilie is a kind, wise, and talented coach that has helped me and many of my friends get through major life transitions and adjustments. She often goes above and beyond, between sessions sending me notes, reminders, and thoughts. She genuinely cares and is flexible and adaptive to her clients’ needs, and for this reason I think has been extremely effective for me. I recommend her every chance I get!”
Professor
Mother of 2 children
Oakland, CA
“Coaching with Marcilie has helped me to better focus on my priorities in life through a balanced approach that both supports me in fully embodying my experiences while at the same time shifting my mental perspectives that allow me to access my own inner wisdom. Marcilie’s warmth, humor, creativity and genuine caring is a wonderful complement to her process-driven goal setting and mapping techniques.
I appreciate and have been impressed time and again with her ability to create the space for personal insights to arise and then capture the essence of new-found knowing to generate actionable steps to follow. This ability is one her greatest strengths as she empowers others to expand their own capacities to consciously create the lives of their choosing while feeling supported and coached in a way that engenders mutual trust and inspiration.
I look forward to each session with Marcilie especially when I’m feeling stuck, beat up or challenged by circumstances as I always move into a space of greater clarity, mindful focus and optimism for what I know I am capable of now taking on. With Marcilie’s guidance, I have learned to identify key values that can now inform and align my life’s choices to my purpose and feel more closely connected to my unique gifts in a way that removes a lot of fear and confusion out of everyday decision-making. It’s clear there’s a hell of a lot of work to do ahead, and now I embrace the challenge knowing I have such capable support at my side.
Victoria Bocash
Twitter: vbocash
Designer / Creative Collaborator / Visionary
Owner, EVVERGE
Mother of one child
Burrillville, RI
“Thanks to you, I finally feel like I’m equipped to face the daily challenges of raising my kids. I’m amazed at how the simple tweaks you recommended have put me on the path to developing happy relationships with them. I feel like I’ve really turned a corner as a Mom. Most importantly, you made the journey fun and meaningful.”
Jenny Dixon
Part-Time Marketing Consultant
Mother of three children
Palo Alto, CA
“My wife and I were having difficulty with my son, her step son. The raising of my son created a lot of stress on our relationship. This was the ONLY area of stress. I knew we needed some tools to help us overcome this situation. I read Positive Discipline and it aligned with many principles that we believed and held true. Nonetheless, I knew I needed a laser approach and not a shotgun to help us improve our situation quickly. I reached out to a few coaches and chose Marcilie because I thought we could relate to her the most. In a few coaching sessions we learned and applied communication tools and attitude adjustments specifically to our situation that when implemented made our relationship with both our children much better. Much less frustration and NO arguments anymore. The tools continue to be used and our family dynamic gets better with each passing day. If you are considering using Marcilie as a coach because you are experiencing frustration in with your children and know that the problem is staring you in the face when you look in the mirror, don’t hesitate. DO IT!”
Jeff and Stefanie Palmer
Parents of two children
Fairfax County, VA
Parenting with Positive Discipline Classes
“Positive Discipline is an amazing platform from which to parent — its approach is balanced, fair and respectful to all members of the family. I feel grateful to have been introduced to it and wish I had exposure to it earlier. I truly felt calmer after reading the first chapter of Jane Nelsen’s book, “Positive Discipline,” which was the basis of our class. Marcilie is a brilliant educator — she is positive, a clear thinker, and highly organized. She’s mastered the subject matter and presents both the theories and applied usage of Positive Discipline with just the right balance.”
Jill Lindenbaum
Mother of 2 children
Piedmont, CA
“Today was possibly the most useful 90 minutes of my life. Really just so helpful as a parent, and as a teacher/professional, I was blown away by your efficiency and engaging-ness!”
Sarah Wheeler
Mother of 2 Children
“Marcilie is a great resource on Positive Discipline. I took her class because I wanted to be a better parent and learn new ways of disciplining. I came away with a solid understanding of the principles and some really good techniques under my belt. I also love that she’s easily accessible via email for questions, has a great resource page and that she lets you take the class again for free! I’d highly recommend her.”
Corinna Lu
Mother of 2 children
San Francisco, CA
“Marcilie is an incredibly skilled facilitator who will help give you the tools to implement the positive discipline parenting approach. I had read about it before and tried to parent that way but found myself floundering and bouncing back and forth between being permissive and frankly, angry, that my kids were walking all over me. This class gave me so many tools to improve my relationships with my children and I think it will have a long-term impact on my parenting. I know I will continually consult the resources she provided (my binder is like a bible now!)”
Chiara Garonzik
Mother of 2 children
Los Gatos, CA
“Positive Discipline offers great tools to help you connect to your child and to parent with love. Marcilie knows her stuff! She is well prepared, uber-organized, and really entertaining. As a teacher of small children and a mom of two boys under six, I found my time in Marcilie’s class to be truly life-changing. Every week, I left excited to try out the tools, tips, and tricks learned in class and looked forward to going back for more. Routine Charts transformed our mornings and Family Meetings increased the household love. Everyone could benefit from looking at their parenting and trying to improve. Marcilie gives parents the tools to improve and brings the Positive Parenting philosophy to life!”
Sara Hampton
Mother of 2 Redwood Day Children
“I loved the opportunity to learn more tools for being a better parent and to reflect on my own parenting. The tools really work and helped me be a more effective communicator with my children. Marcilie is so great at framing the longer-term perspective of parenting and how to establish a respectful relationship between parent and child.”
Pari Schacht
Mother to 2 Children
San Francisco, CA
“I would recommend this workshop to a friend because it’s helpful and not threatening or judgmental — and a lot of parenting advice is!”
Class Participant
“Definitely recommend this class highly. Some of the best money I’ve ever spent.”
Class Participant
“. . . your passion and dedication to this subject came through at every moment. You are a talented and engaging teacher, and my only regret was that we couldn’t have continued the conversation.”
Class Participant
“I had a break-through with my kids after the class!”
Class Participant
“Literally changed my relationship with my child.”
Class Participant
“Marcilie is non-judgmental, affirming, and a superb role model at positive discipline — the short class inspired me to read the book.”
Class Participant
“I enjoyed every class, very impactful. Didn’t want the classes to end!”
Class Participant
“Marcilie is an amazing, warm, and down to earth teacher. She taught positive discipline with such grace, and I aspire to be like her. I look forward to implementing the positive discipline tools that I have learned.”
Class Participant
“You can’t put a price tag on being a better parent and having a happier home. Marcilie is an incredibly skilled facilitator and I’m so thankful to her for everything she taught me! Everything I learned I can implement immediately.”
Kate Ciungan
“The content of this workshop is very helpful for parents with kids of all ages. It contains knowledge that I know and I want to use for my parenting but it gave me the skills to apply it every day.”
Mariana Hernandez
“Magical! Thank you!”
Class Participant
“This was good “therapy” for me and my wife, doing the class together and learning how to appreciate each other (and respect) more. Thank you!”
Class Participant
“I love Marcilie! She’s so down to earth and knowledgeable. I loved that she shared her personal experience, it make it very easy to relate and to feel she’s talking about you. Thank you, Marcilie!”
Class Participant
“Both content and facilitator were excellent. I feel hopeful again after feeling frustrated, angry, and resigned for so long.”
Carys Steers
“The material was presented in an engaging, fun, organized manner. I feel that I have tools for the day to day challenges parenting my 3 and 7 YO children.”
Ryan Horn
“Marcilie, you offer a balance of strong boundaries of class expectations (ie., begin and end on time) and a non-judgmental acceptance (kind) of all thoughts, suggestions, and shares.”
Redwood Day Parent
“My relationship with my son has already improved.”
Class Participant
“This class far exceeded any expectations about what a parenting class would be like, and is essential for any parent.”
Enzo Smith
“. . . you were clearly knowledgeable while authentic and vulnerable in a way that makes it easier, as participants, to feel safe to talk about a topic that we all feel kind of vulnerable with. . . really nice job!”
Class Participant
“I got tangible tools and saw immediate impact.”
Class Participant
“Bottom line: we have less yelling in the house!”
Class Participant
“Encouraging, motivating, and refreshing!”
Class Participant
“A very valuable session. The content was exactly what I wanted with a mix of scientific content, advice, problem solving, and group support.”
Class Participant
“Marcilie is excellent — she knows the material really well and presents it in a way that’s engaging and entertaining.”
Class Participant
“This is a very helpful class because the content and facilitation is great, and the learning / sharing via other parents’ stories is also very helpful and affirming.”
Class Participant
“Marcilie is super down-to-earth and uses real life scenarios that place parents into the minds of children creating a profound sense of respect and empathy for the stages children go through in difficult situations.”
Class Participant
“Take both mini-series! They are both important.”
Class Participant
“Well-paced! Engaging! Tools to keep engagement high, motivation high and retention high were executed really well!”
Class Participant
“Our home became increasingly peaceful throughout the four weeks of class with Marcilie. As mine and my husbands mindsets started to shift we started to look at our kids behavior through the lens that they want to behave well, something is getting in their way and I have the tools to help them overcome it. Four classes have helped make our home remarkably more peaceful, and I even put her skills to work in the workplace!”
Nicole C.
Mother of 3 Children
“I am thrilled to have found Marcilie and her amazing positive discipline class! My husband and I feel so blessed to have three beautiful children who are less than 4 years apart and while it’s so much fun, it’s also far more challenging than we ever expected. Before Marcilie’s class, I would wake up each morning with the best intention of being a kind, patient, and understanding mom. By 5pm each evening, I was over it all. Over the whining, the boundary testing, the stubbornness, I was done. I have Marcilie to thank for reviving my patience with my children. Her class reminded me that my children are trying to do the right thing and at times variables get in the way. It’s brilliant-she helped me lead with empathy and curiosity, instead of accusations and assumptions. She also taught me that “teachable moments” come when everyone is calm and open to discussion. This was a huge eye opener for me, I am not going to effectively teach and help my children when they are emotionally off balance. My oldest son had a tantrum the other night and in the past I would have lectured him and kept at him until one of us broke. I tried one of Marcilie’s tools, instead of lecturing I sat on the floor and quietly asked him if he would like to be held. It was amazing, he was still crying but came over and sat on my lap. I rocked him until he calmed down, which was a minute later at the most. After he calmed down we were able to quietly talk and it made all the difference in the world. I would recommend this class to anyone and everyone-parents and child educators alike. I feel so incredibly thankful that I found Marcilie and although my husband and I are far from “perfect” parents, we feel so much better equipped to handle the challenges and emotions of our wonderful children.”
Kendall G.
“This class is a must for all educators, parents, counselors, and anyone who is working with children. Marcilie’s class format was engaging and she made two very significant points that as a parent I consistently use. The first point is both people have to be on level headed to engage in a decent conversation where there will be any resolution. Timing is everything! My six year old daughter now tells me, “Let’s calm down and then talk.” Our relationship feels more loving and less tense. Using solution-focused problem solving with empathy allows children the capacity to solve their own problems. Don’t we all want to have children who grow up and our great problem solvers? Most of all Marcilie’s class has been invaluable to my professional career as a marriage and family therapist where I work with many hostile families. Perhaps, the most memorable take away from Marcilie’s class is “Kids do better when they feel better.” As a therapist, I try and remind frazzled parents to look for other reasons for their kids unwanted behavior. I would highly recommend this class!”
Rachel C.
“With two spirited young boys, I was delighted to find Marcilie’s ‘Positive Discipline’ course. I was up against consistent whining, complaining, kicking and hitting and didn’t know what to do. Through Macilie’s course, I learned about how I can help teach the kids to be confident, kind children through positive discipline versus yelling which could certainly create a downward spiral and cause them not to be confident, kind or feel loved. Because of Marcilie’s great tips, I created a ‘Wheel of Choices’ and printed a bunch and put them around the house. When the kids are acting up, we find alternative methods for their endless energy – ripping up paper, stomping their feet, etc vs. having a time-out which gets them more worked up. I reflect on my class notes often and have a great toolbox of ways to tackle parenting challenges because of Marcilie’s great teachings. I highly recommend the class to parents, teachers, relative and other caregivers.”
Berit S.
“We found ourselves increasing yelling at our three little angels in a desperate attempt to restore some semblance of order to our admittedly chaotic home. But as our decibels increased, compliance only decreased. We’d worked ourselves into a rut. We took a positive parenting class with Marcilie with a view to breaking the cycle. We weren’t expecting much: What can you do, realistically? But we were extremely satisfied with the results. The instructor was knowledgeable, organized, professional, and presented well to us and a variety of others with similar or very different needs. We came away each night with something to think on, and over time, have successfully integrated several of her tools into our daily routine. Yes, it’s a work in progress — our family and our parenting skills. But we learned how not to contribute to the downward spiral, and when we’re focused, have some concrete tools that have really improved the quality of life for our family. We’d highly recommend this class for pretty much any parent.”
Greg S.
“I would recommend this workshop because it is essential for a loving, encouraging relationship with your kids (and partner!) Facilitator was amazing! Intuitive, helpful, patient.”
Vinny Poddatori
Redwood Day Parent
Parenting with Positive Discipline Speaking Events
“Marcilie’s parent education workshop was one of the best we have organized. In just an hour and a half, she was able to deliver the key messages of Positive Discipline, while still allowing ample time for practice, questions, and feedback. The parents walked away with a clear understanding of how to be both kind and firm in their parenting, and specific strategies that will help them get there. I also really appreciated how well Marcilie managed the time and agenda. I would HIGHLY recommend Marcilie to schools looking for an interactive, thorough, and fun introduction to Positive Discipline.”
Britta Pells
Early Childhood Director
Chinese American International School
San Francisco, CA
“On Behalf of GMIS parents, Thank You for that wonderful presentation last night! Teachers came up to me and said they found it to be “encouraging,” “motivating,” and “refreshing” to have Positive Discipline education. The Montessorians are big fans of Jane Nelsen! The interactive presentation made a big impact on the parents and they are asking for more.”
Christina Hsia,
Parent Education Night Coordinator
Global Montessori International School
Berkeley, CA
“Thank you so much for offering your wisdom and insight to Habitot parents in your recent Positive Discipline Workshop! I thought your workshop was wonderful! Your approach, your affect, your timing, your openness and communication style are all stellar. Personally, I appreciated that you were so understanding of the struggles of parenting toddlers in an extremely non-judgmental way. I loved the parent/child role play, and I thought it was wonderful to give people the somatic experience of parenting/being parented through that that exercise. I appreciate that you took time for individual questions and gave people the chance to support each other by making suggestions for each other when they asked specific parenting questions. I thought the timing was great, and the list of tools were very helpful. I felt lucky to have you here. Judging by the amazing response, you have positively impacted many families as well. You are a gift! I hope to work with you in the future.”
Rachel Kadner
Parenting & Community Partnerships Manager
Habitot Children’s Museum
Berkeley, CA
“I would highly recommend taking one of Marcilie Smith Boyle’s Positive Discipline classes. The classes are not only fun but also very encouraging. Parents feel supported and not alone in their discipline challenges. There is time to discuss and practice basic skills/challenges needed to discipline kindly but effectively. You will leave with a toolbox of skills to use at home. Whether you are looking for a parent class or doing some individual work with Marcilie you will not be disappointed.”
Gena Lawrence
Founder/Administrator
My Own Montessori Preschool
Oakland, CA
“Marcilie lead a Positive Parenting workshop for Rockridge Little School parents. Marcilie’s fun, engaging dynamic style was perfect. She was able to relate to our parents in a supportive meaningful way with humor and empathy. Parents felt comfortable to share their challenges and ended the workshop feeling inspired and empowered. Everyone left feeling eager to try some of the new approaches that were presented.
The workshop was so useful that I decided to invite Marcilie to come back for our teacher in-service day.”
Holly Gold
Director
Rockridge Little School
Oakland, CA
