About
The name GreenLight came from a moment in Kauai, Hawaii, when I first witnessed the GreenLight Flash.
It is a rare and fleeting phenomenon. As the sun touches the horizon above the ocean, for just a few seconds, it appears to change color, a sudden, startling green. But you can only see it if you slow down and pay close attention. Look away, and you miss it entirely.
That moment became a metaphor for everything I believe about this work. Clarity, inner wisdom, and the truth of who you are becoming don't announce themselves loudly. They emerge quietly, in the slowing down. In the paying attention. In the willingness to be still long enough to see what is true.
We are a culture addicted to busyness.
We are moving too fast to hear ourselves, let alone feel.
The GreenLight Flash is nature's quiet reminder. You cannot rush it. It only reveals itself to those who have stopped and are truly paying attention.
That is the invitation of this work.
What you are becoming rarely reveals itself through effort. It reveals itself through stillness.
So when you think of GreenLight, think of slowing down. Paying attention. Listening deeply to what is most true in you.
“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
mary oliver
I Believe
Life is messy and beautiful.
Tender hearts carry profound power.
Self-compassion and kindness are a must.
Intuition is often a whisper; we can learn to trust it.
The in-between chapters of life are potent times of possibility.
Becoming is a journey and an ongoing relationship; it is not a destination.
Grief is not a problem to solve. It is a passage to move through with tenderness and care.
Why I Coach
When someone holds us in a space of curiosity, compassion, and a deep belief in our wholeness, we find ourselves again and again. We remember who we are and reconnect with what we are becoming.
I believe we already carry much of the wisdom we seek. My role is not to tell you what to do, but to help you listen more deeply to yourself, uncover what matters most, and take your next true step.
I am driven by the belief that a more compassionate and peaceful world is possible — and it starts within.
Michelle M. Olsen Professional and Personal Nuggets
I am a certified coach through the Co-Active Training Institute, with an M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Golden Gate University and a B.A. in Anthropology from Northeastern Illinois University. I have completed facilitation training through the Matrix Leadership Institute and Interaction Associates. I am a certified Grief Educator through David Kessler's Grief Educator Certification Program.
My path to coaching began in 2008 after spending 15 years in the corporate world. This work aligns deeply with my heart and values, and it is a privilege to be trusted with my clients’ vision for their one precious life.
I call the San Francisco Bay Area home, where I live with my husband, two teens, and our vizsla, Ginger. Music is my go-to source of grounding, and dance parties are non-negotiable. I am, and will always be, a student of spirituality, personal growth, and the art of leading with heart. I care deeply about people and this planet, and try daily, imperfectly, to contribute to the world I want to see.
