Meet Jesseca Tighe | Career, Life & Leadership Coach

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

Hi Jesseca, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I worked in mental health for over 10 years, even through graduate school. After graduating with my Ph.D. in psychology, I continued to work in the field. I switched to working as healthcare executive and worked in senior living for 13 years. However, I became burned out by the grueling schedule and constantly being on-call.

It was my normal commute, made longer now because of highway construction. But that day wasn’t normal. It was a turning point. I was a stressed-out, burned-out healthcare executive. I was on my way to a job I grew to hate. I was driving too far for too long, I was on-call 24/7/365, dreaming of taking vacations I could never schedule because I was “too busy,” thinking of all the moments I missed with my son and family. I saw a man driving past me in his work-van with a logo on the side. He looked happy, not miserable like me. He was singing, smiling, and looking happy. I noted the logo of the HVAC company on the van as he drove past. In my mind, I wondered what the company was like, what his boss was like, and how long it would take to get my HVAC license, when it hit me. I was willing to do anything else. I had enough. It was a small moment, but it was a big one. I knew that I had to get out.

As I planned to exit my career, life decided for me. My main symptom of burnout was illness. I would get repeated infections and stay sick for weeks or months. That winter, I contracted COVID for the third time and E. coli poisoning at the same time. I was so sick I couldn’t work, and I quit my job. I was sick for months, unable to move from the couch.

During that winter, three close friends from the industry died. My favorite boss in my entire career died of complications from alcoholism. I had no idea he even drank. A week later, a close colleague died of a heart attack, leaving behind a teenage son and a fiancé in remission from cancer. He was my age. Not two weeks later, another executive committed suicide.

I realized what would happen if I went back to the harsh environment I was in. Stress is serious. I knew from my healthcare experience that stress has adverse effects on the body and mind. I started taking drastic steps to heal my body. I practiced wellness like it was my job. I saw doctors, naturopaths, healers, and breath workers. I journaled, took sound baths and saunas, meditated and detoxed. You name it; I did it. I was all in. Slowly, but eventually, I came back to myself. When I could talk without having a coughing fit, I started working again. This time, however, I started working for myself. I wanted to help people heal and transform, so I jumped in with both feet, hired a business coach, and started my own life coaching business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am not someone who takes the easy path. I’m a no-pain, no-gain kind of girl. Hence, the Ph.D. and switch to executive leadership. I’m fueled by challenges and hard work, but I’ve learned there is a limit. I used to think the only way to be productive was to speed ahead and work harder, faster, and longer. Over the years, I’ve learned to slow down and really assess my situation. I can still fall into workaholism, but I catch myself more quickly. Now I see that rest and recovery are just as important as periods of intense work.

My mission is to help professionals to heal so that they can overcome pain and overwhelm, build emotional resilience, and feel more balanced, calm, and in control of their lives and careers. Together, we focus on how to stay calm in stressful situations, build self-confidence, set healthy boundaries, and prioritize their own well-being without guilt or shame.

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?
I’m a native to Colorado, growing up in Grand Junction and moving to the front range for college. In my old hometown, there’s nothing like a day of wine tours in Palisade and a hike up the Colorado National Monument. I love taking flatlanders up to the mountains – hiking in Estes Park or driving along Trail Ridge Road in the summer. Denver proper is home to a million sights and experiences. There’s something for everyone! I love to head to the Denver Zoo or Denver Natural History Museum and then lunch downtown at a boutique restaurant. The Colorado Springs area is wonderful as well. I love taking my son to Great Wolf Lodge. We also love to go up the Cog Railway to Pike’s Peak, hike around and check out the shops in Manitou Springs. For camping, our favorite place is Great Sand Dunes National Park in May or early June, when the water still runs down from the mountains. We also love to see the beauty of Royal Gorge National Park from the gondola over 1000 feet above the river.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My wonderful husband and son.

Website: https://www.soulutionsforhealth.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseca-tighe-426623141/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083854606821