From Lived Experience to Life’s Work

Author, Coach Kathleen Branigan - a smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing glasses, a black button-up shirt, and black wide-leg pants, standing barefoot against a white wall, holding a closed laptop

The human
behind the
mission

My life is a living lab. I try things out—and share what actually works.

I’ve burned out, pivoted, reinvented: left corporate, earned a master’s in ancient wisdom, walked away from a coaching firm partnership, built my own practice, wrote a book (coming June 2026!), and spent six years vagabonding around the globe.

Letting go of roles, careers, and relationships that no longer fit isn’t easy. Fear, doubt, uncertainty are part of the deal. But here’s the thing: they’re not blocks. They’re doorways. On the other side? Freedom. Awakening. Flow.

If I can find my way through, so can you. Courage is a muscle. You build it with with practice.

Read More of my Story
8 Truths I Live By

But the way I see it: my story isn’t the point. The real magic? It’s what my clients have created.

For the last 20+ years, I’ve helped high performers turn burnout into purpose, and hustle into flow. Here’s just a taste of what that looks like:

Burnout to Purpose

A senior executive reclaimed family time and launched a sustainability app that’s helping families—and the planet.

Authenticity Unleashed

A marketing exec pivoted to craft beer, became a certified cicerone, and along the way found their soulmate and new family.

Passion Reignited

A law firm partner reconnected with the thrill of deal-making and watched their practice take off.

Success Redefined

One high flyer transitioned from corporate to a strategic advocacy organization—and now shines in a new senior leadership role.

Dreams Realized

A think tank leader became a professor at a top university—after being told they were “too old.” Now thriving in a new city and role.

Enduring Growth

Some clients have worked with me for more than two decades—coming back whenever it’s time to realign, lead boldly, or remember who they truly are.

Close-up of Author, Coach Kathleen Branigan's legs wearing black pants and brown hiking boots with red laces standing on green grass in a field.

More About Me

My Story

20+ years ago, everything I thought I knew unraveled. Loss cracked me open and sent me searching for answers:

Who are we, really?
Why are we here? 

Has anyone figured this sh*t out?

I’d grown up Catholic, boxed in by expectations, but knew there had to be more. So I went looking. I studied 3,000 years of wisdom, earned a master’s in religious studies from Georgetown, and dove into everything from philosophy and psychology to mysticism and metaphysics. I worked with coaches, therapists, shamans, and spiritual teachers. If it was (mostly) legal, I probably tried it.

In the end, it left me with one question: So what? How do I transform deep insight into a life that actually works—one that feels grounded, practical, and truly aligned?

  • That’s when I turned my own life into a living lab—experimenting, refining, and asking the questions that now guide my work:

    What does alignment look like in everyday life?

    How do our emotions, beliefs, and body/nervous system—aka, energy—shape what’s possible?

    What is this “inner GPS” so many talk about and how do we use it to create the lives we came here to live?

    Over time I realized there’s a kind of practical magic that happens when you apply these questions to daily life.

    The result for me? I am living a life I never thought was possible. I listen to my inner compass and trust life’s unfolding more—the ups, the downs, the dance of opposites. Some days I nail it. Some days I don’t.

    That’s the practice.

    That’s Earth School.

    My book Into the Flow arrives in June 2026 — join me for the deeper dive!

Professional snapshot: 

  • 30+ years of coaching and business

  • Former partner - executive coaching firm

  • Trusted by Fortune 500 + AmLaw 100

  • Newfield Network Ontological Training | ICF-certified

  • Master Coach | Behavioral Coaching Institute

  • KMCC Certified Creativity Coach  

  • M.A.L.S. from Georgetown University 

  • Certified in psychometric instruments

  • Proven frameworks + science-backed tools

My Experience

Beyond the résumé:
 

  • I laugh more than I grumble (most days)

  • Nature—trees, mountains, streams, animals— is my medicine.

  • I believe in practical magic and the power of deep listening

  • I’m a lifelong nerd for growth, reinvention, conscious manifestation, and making dreams happen

  • I think joy and freedom rise when we are anchored in who we really are

  • I keep it honest, grounded, and real. Life is simple—but it isn’t always easy!

8 Truths I Live By

  1. We’re powerful creators—here to become the fullest, most authentic version of ourselves.

  2. Our inner GPS always knows the way—we just have to listen.

  3. The body is built to move—and when it does, so does everything else.

  4. Nature heals. Period.

  5. Language, energy, and boundaries aren’t just tools—they’re how we design our lives with empowerment, flow, and purpose.

  6. Patterns repeat until we get conscious enough to release them.

  7. Creativity thrives on space, curiosity, and the right amount of structure.

  8. Joy and freedom aren’t goals—they’re what arise naturally when we’re aligned.

Real clients, real shifts:

A repeating pattern of stylized white citrus fruit slices on a black background.

If you’re ready to stop grinding and start flowing, I’d love to help.

Get in Touch
Author, Coach Kathleen Branigan - smiling woman with blonde hair wearing a denim jacket working on a laptop at a desk, with a coffee mug, a pen, a notebook, and a smartphone on the desk.

More stories, more guidance (for free)

The Journal

Complimentary access to my guidance, reflections, and tools. When you’re ready for more personalized support, I’ll be here—click here to reach out.

Explore the Journal

The Microdose

A monthly shot of clarity, wisdom, and science-backed manifestation fuel—without the noise of social media or the overwhelm of a long newsletter. No inbox clutter. Just what works.

(Don’t worry—your data stays with me.)