ABOUT

SABRINA FRANCIS

FOUNDER | COACH | SPEAKER | LEADER

BSc | PgCert | CertHE Psych. | ICF member

my story…

For most of my life I felt I was living a double life. Thankfully I’m no longer in that place. Underneath my calm exterior, lived constant self-doubt and anxiety. I found relationships and communication a challenge, it found it hard to trust people and was always kept my guard up. Whenever I found myself out of my depth I couldn’t ask for help, and so I often didn’t get it. Looking back through my life, I realise I’d learned to expect rejection, blame, criticism, and to be let down by people around me. To cope I became fiercely independent, and avoided getting close to anyone.

I grew up in chaotic and unsettled household. When I was at school I kept people at arms length, and checked out as often as I could. Often going for walks in lessons, not turning up at all, or sneaking out the back door. All I really wanted was some help; someone to notice and to listen. In class, I was forever daydreaming, I was bored and couldn’t wait to get out. The path I was on almost cost me my happiness, until I realised the knight in shining armour I’d been waiting for was me. I turned it around, just in the nick of time.

As soon as I could choose what I wanted to learn, I chose people! I was inspired to take up a course that included studying the body, the mind, what keeps us healthy and fit, and how to help incredible human beings perform at their best. I was so excited to build the knowledge and skills to help me and the people around me to be happy, healthy, confident and successful… It was perhaps a bit of an oversight that it was in fact a sports science course and, although I liked to be active, I wasn’t particularly sporty!! 

But I loved it! I met some great people. I soaked up knowledge like a sponge, I excelled, I grew - despite always feeling like an imposter! I continued along this path, to finish my Sport and Exercise Science degree at Loughborough University and trained to be PE teacher.

I spent ten great years teaching and seven leading my team; passionately passing on the same valuable knowledge and skills to the 14-19 year olds in my care. Despite hating school in my youth, I was determined to be the teacher that I’d wanted for myself. Someone who cared and took the time to ask the important questions whenever I could.

I loved the people I worked with. Yet following many changes, I found myself again feeling disillusioned by the education system. It was time for a change. I qualified as a Personal Trainer, but was unexpectedly selected to work alongside an incredible team of people, under the guidance of a top Consultant Psychiatrist, Professor Steve Peters. This was a huge honour for me, as his Mind Management Model had such an impact on me personally and professionally, as well as many others in life, business, education, elite sport and health.

For two years I was illuminated and able to share the inner workings of the human mind and the psychological skills that we can all develop to reach our highest potential.

To further expand my skills and understanding I studied Psychology, and completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Personal and Business Coaching. As a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) I maintain high standards and ethics of coaching.

As someone who loves to learn and grow, it’s been both enjoyable and challenging to balance my work, my relationships, my studies and start my own business. It takes time and hard work, many ups and downs, but it all comes together in the end.

As the founder of Mind Set Match, I’m both privileged and humbled to be able to help people lead a life they love, by working together in a thought-provoking and creative process, to inspire change and maximise their potential.

At home, you’ll find me spending quality time with my husband Blake and our two cats Bella & Nero, with close friends and family, eating great food and reading books. I like to find time for morning yoga, meditation and exercise. And when I can get away from it all, I love to ski and scuba dive - obviously not all at the same time!

Learning, loving and growing always ♥