Jess Klap-Newcomb
Jess Klap-Newcomb is a Transformational Coach, Counsellor and Entrepreneur with her own private practice, which she founded in early 2022.
She tells us that, “My passion is to guide individuals on a path of inner healing which leads to personal growth and empowerment. Originally from New York state in the United States, I have resided in the Netherlands for 17 years. I have lived in various regions of the US and resided in Germany for a short time as well. As a proud mother of two sons and one daughter, my family brings me immense joy and inspiration. I was diagnosed with ADHD in early 2021, and I also have a child who is on the autism spectrum. My kids and I enjoy spending time together by exploring new places, going to the cinema and eating lots of ice cream. In my spare time, I enjoy reading captivating books, nurturing my mind and body through exercise, and immersing myself in music and writing. I also have interests in podcasts, films, museums, photography, spirituality, and exploring new cities and cultures. Before becoming a coach and counsellor, I worked as a social worker/case manager, supporting individuals with a variety of cognitive and physical diagnosis. Witnessing their resilience reinforced my dedication to helping others on their personal journeys.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I was born and raised in upstate New York, USA. While primarily living with my mother, I also spent considerable time on my family’s dairy farm with my father and paternal grandparents. Camping adventures with my maternal grandparents enriched my memories of exploring the Northeast US. I am the eldest among five half-siblings, including three sisters and one brother. During my formative years, I found joy in swimming and expressing creativity. Animals and nature captivated my imagination. Writing emerged as a profound interest in my teenage years, and I envisioned a career in screenwriting. However, life’s twists led me to pursue different academic paths in university. As a young adult, I ventured into travel, volunteering at a youth hostel in Amsterdam and a youth organization in Germany. Eventually, I settled down to start a family, dedicating years to focus on raising my children while still engaging in diverse activities. Some of these activities included tutoring high school students in English and leading an online support group for mothers, consisting of approximately 1000 members.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
After obtaining my social work degree in 2003, my initial plan was to build my career for a few years before pursuing advanced education for graduate and doctoral studies. My aspiration was to establish my own practice as a marriage and family therapist while also teaching at a university. However, life led me on a different path. Nearly two decades later, I decided to return to school to rejuvenate my mental health skills. I joined a two-year graduate program for coaching and counselling in the Netherlands. During my studies, I worked with practice clients, enhancing my skills expertise. Client requests to continue working with me post-trajectory motivated me to take a leap and establish my coaching and counselling practice in 2022. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful my initial dream has come to fruition after all these years. Life has truly come full circle!
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
Presently, I serve as a transformational coach and counsellor, with a focus on areas such as including men’s and women’s mental health support, leadership coaching, spiritual life coaching, and systemic work. Within my transformational coaching and counselling practice, I address a range of topics and themes, including inner child healing, generational trauma, familial and relational dynamics, expat and immigrant experiences, grief and loss, life purpose, faith/religion/spirituality, creative blockages, work-life balance, self-esteem, and body image issues. At the heart of my practice lie two fundamental pillars: authenticity and inner child healing. I’m fervently committed to assisting individuals in uncovering their authentic selves, harnessing the transformative potential of inner child healing. I firmly believe that our inner child acts as a beacon of wisdom, offering meaningful insights for profound healing and pivotal breakthroughs in our life journey.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
Three of my most cherished accomplishments revolve around my three children. They have been my profound teachers, imparting invaluable lessons that kindle self-love and continuous personal growth and development. Parallel to my professional strides, I’ve dedicated 17 years to mastering the Dutch language. My enthusiasm for languages led me to study Spanish for 5 and a half years during high school and university. I intend to rekindle my connection with this beautiful language at a later time. Writing passionately, I’ve crafted a range of creations: stories, poetry, songs, and more. Years of dedicated blogging have enriched my skills, and I aspire to publish my creations in the future.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
One of my most cherished aspirations for our world is a profound shift towards unity, rooted in unwavering love and respect. Transforming lives and nurturing communities begins within us. I envision a world defined by equality, erasing poverty, extinguishing war’s flames, and nurturing our planet with utmost care. A world where competition yields to collaboration, where masks fall, revealing our true selves, unburdened by fear of rejection or hatred. Let’s stride towards authenticity, becoming the change we yearn for. The moment to rise, embody potent leadership, and guide others towards enriched lives is now.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
In my perspective, the realm of women’s leadership holds an indispensable position in the ongoing evolution and advancement of humanity, fostering enduring shifts and profound transformations. History stands as a testament to women’s unwavering ability to harness passion, unyielding resolve, and remarkable resilience, empowering us to dismantle even the most entrenched barriers that seek to confine us. Throughout the pages of history, we have demonstrated our ability to demolish the confines of those glass ceilings that confine us to spaces supposedly not meant for us.
What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Within you resides the potential to manifest every aspiration and fulfill all lifelong endeavors. Refuse to allow external forces to hinder your confident stance and resolute voice. Your wisdom, mastery, and guidance hold the potential to steer forthcoming generations towards healing, expansion, and self-compassion. In today’s landscape, your persistence is pivotal, and your potency surpasses imagination. Courageously stride forward, acknowledge victories, embrace setbacks as growth steps, and persist unwaveringly in realizing your dreams.