Paula Sacco, MBA, CPCC, is a 2018 graduate of the Certificate in Wholebeing Positive Psychology and also holds a certification in professional coaching. She specializes in helping women reinvent themselves after full-time parenting, and her coaching programs guide women to thrive and find happiness. Paula loves building a community of women who transform their lives by focusing on their personal passions and goals. She lives in the Boston area with her family.

What inspired you to study with WBI?
I had been running my coaching business for about seven years, and I was feeling that I wanted to bring more to my coaching. I had heard great things about Wholebeing Institute from other coaches, so I decided to jump right in!

Do you apply your positive psychology training more in your personal life or in your professional space?
Both! On a personal level, the teachings of positive posychology have brought so much to my life. I am more aware of consciously elevating my positive emotions through SPIRE. As a parent, I find opportunities to teach my teenager and college-age children the practices of positive psychology, especially now as they go through the process of finding their way in the world as young adults.

Professionally, positive psychology has become an integral part of my coaching. The biggest change for my business was that I took my Forever Project and created a THRIVE Retreat to Italy. I used Lynda Wallace’s CHANGE model to map it out, and I just returned in September from Puglia with my first group of THRIVE women.

Was there one lesson that particularly spoke to you?
I like to amp up the awe! I notice that I experience more moments of pure awe since the training, especially in nature. That goes along with savoring—we had so much fun on the retreat just savoring, savoring, savoring. It really made a difference.

Did the scope of your life and/or work change after the course?
Definitely. The week in Puglia was so magical that I booked my next retreat as soon as I got home, and THRIVE Sicily 2020 sold out in less than two weeks. It had been my dream for so long to run these retreats, and I’m full of gratitude—and awe!—that I’m actually doing it.

Are you working on any other projects now that implement your learnings?
I’m planning to create local day retreats, and I also just started working with Vesta, a network of professionals that help individuals as they transition through the divorce process. I am also a coach and co-lead for TenWomenStrong, whose mission is to bring this amazing work to corporations.

Find out more about Paula and her work at paulasacco.com.

Learn more about the Certificate in Wholebeing Positive Psychology.