Kathy Caprino

“I know from where you sit this is the worst crisis you’ve ever faced. But from where I sit, it’s the first moment you can choose who you want to be in the world. Now, who do you want to be?”

These were the wise words that Kathy Caprino’s therapist shared with her when she was laid off from her job of 18 years just days after 9/11. Caprino walked into therapy directionless and broken down, but walked out with an epiphany and excitement.

“From that one fateful conversation, my life totally changed,” Caprino, who went on to get a graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy,  said. “I realized that it was exactly the next step I wanted to take. I served as a therapist for several years, which was truly a life-changing experience.”

However, after several years of therapy work, Caprino wanted to do more. She noticed that women’s professional challenges were not in the national conversation, and yet female professionals were desperately seeking solutions. Caprino decided to bring answers to the table, utilizing her background in coaching. Caprino entered the coaching space, providing women with practical coaching services to help women identify their challenges, as well as the personal and societal forces at play.

Caprino went on to launch a coaching and consulting firm called Ellia Communications. She wrote her book, Breakdown, Breakthrough, and begin teaching, coaching, writing and speaking more about new solutions that would help women thrive in their professional lives.  Additionally, Caprino started a podcast called Finding Brave, which is all about ‘rising up, speaking up and standing up for our lives.’

“The only way we can live the life we’re destined for is to ‘find brave’ each and every day,” Caprino said. “To muster the strength to walk through the fear of failure, fear of judgment and fear of humiliation – and keep doing those scary yet thrilling things that make us proud and excited to be alive, and to be who we really are.”

A  “perfectionist overfunctioner,” Caprino shared that one of the biggest pieces of advice she would give her younger self would be to hold out for her true passions.

“Don’t ever compromise your soul for a paycheck,” Caprino said. “Believe in your great talents and your specialness, and understand what makes you unique and that the world needs your talents and gifts. Don’t ever doubt it.”