An Interview with Danielle

As a kid, and for much of my early life, I’d always been a high-achiever. I got top grades in the class, never got in trouble, graduated with honors, and was a “good girl” who went to church and never questioned that this was what I was supposed to do—until I took my first philosophy class. It was the first time I really questioned my beliefs about God, truth, morality, and meaning, identity, and it rocked my world. I was hooked.

I continued my high-achieving status by earning a B.A. in Philosophy (2004), and being the first woman in my school's history to go directly to a doctoral program and earn a Ph.D. in philosophy. I taught philosophy for many years as a professor.

One of my favorite parts of teaching was talking with students one on one after class who were struggling with everyday issues in their lives. I saw how philosophy helped them sort through questions of who they were, what they knew, and what they should do. I knew I wanted to do more of that, but I was afraid to leave my academic career path. I was afraid of failing.

But then I did fail. Big time.

When my daughter was born in 2015, I went into an anxious, insomniac panic. I’d quit my job, moved across the country from NYC to Portland, and thought I was going to spend a year raising a baby and writing a book. Instead, I spent a week in a psych hospital with postpartum psychosis, and the next year recovering. My entire sense of self was shattered.

I didn’t know who I was, what mattered, or even what was true.

Suddenly all my training in philosophy became utterly practical and urgent. I saw how important philosophy is for helping people in their everyday lives to find grounding, meaning, and a sense of value in the world. So, in 2017 I started my Philosophical Coaching practice, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

I work with people like you, who are high-achieving, well-educated, and who’ve spent their lives chasing success, approval, or impact. Maybe you’re an academic, an executive, a creative, or a caregiver. From the outside, you’re accomplished. Maybe you makes good money. But inside, you feel unmoored.

Lately, you find your wondering: “Is this all there is?” You feel a quiet emptiness under the busyness. A sense of disconnection from your body, your truth, your purpose. You’ve done therapy, but you still feel stuck. You suspect the problem isn’t just personal—it’s bigger than you. You’re tired of trying to fix yourself and still feeling like you’re not enough.

Of course, each person is unique and finds themselves in a different set of set of circumstances. But, I have found that deep down, we’re almost all looking for the same thing. We want to be safe, seen, loved, cared for, and connected.

And most of us have no idea how to get that.

My super power is to listen to your unique story, to ask pointed, probing questions, to understand, validate, and really see you. And then also to help connect your story to philosophy’s deepest universal truths and ideas.

When I ask this question of my clients, I almost always get the answer, “You just go deeper.”

Many clients will also say that when working with therapists, they feel shuttled into a particular treatment model and given cookie-cutter exercises that really only address the surface issues.

Instead, philosophical coaching gets down to the most fundamental parts of being alive: identity, meaning, purpose, truth, existence.

I just go deeper.

Also, I’m not a medical professional, so I don’t operate on a medical model of mental illness and wellness. Instead, I see this as a self-development, educational, or even spiritual practice.

Really, anyone can call themselves a life coach. It doesn’t require any training or credentials. The vast majority of life coaches don’t have a Ph.D. in Philosophy. This education and training makes allows me to deeply understand the issues people are dealing with in a very nuanced and complex way, and I have a huge body of philosophical knowledge, literature, and wisdom to draw upon.

What’s more, I am also a deeply embodied and emotionally-attuned person. I’ve had decades of training and practice in Buddhist meditation, and I am a feminist mother. So I know how important compassion, empathy, and humor are for healing.

Many life coaches are focused on goals and help to hold people accountable. I do that too, but not until we do the investigative work to figure out what’s behind your desires and challenges. Clients tell me that I have an excellent ability to help with both the psychological or even spiritual, as well as the practical.

We’ll work well together if you’re curious, self-aware, and brave enough to ask the big questions. You don’t want surface-level self-help; you want real transformation. You’re not looking for a pep talk—you’re looking for a reckoning.

I expect you to show up with your full, honest self, and to let yourself be seen.

Please know I’m very selective in who I work with, choosing to (gently) turn away people who aren’t suited for my programs and won’t get the results for which they would have signed up for. (It wouldn’t be fair to them.)

My Philosophical Coaching Programs are NOT for those who are in a mental health crisis, in which the physical safety or daily functioning of yourself or others are at risk.

Of course, I work with people who have or do struggle some with depression or anxiety, but if you have experienced trauma or are struggling with a mental health condition, and have not yet worked with a therapist, I will insist that you find a therapist to work with before or alongside your work with me.

If you fall within this category, it’s absolutely OK. We’ve all been in times of crisis at one point or another.

If this is you, I advise you to:

1. Find a therapist that can help support you in crisis on Therapy Den or Psychology Today.

2. Sign up here for my free newsletter and daily Notes from Mother. This free information will get you started towards your goals until you’re ready to work with me.

When you’re ready, call me and we’ll get started. (I’m in no rush and will be here when you need me.)

Another type of person I won’t work with (without exception) is the individual who consistently makes excuses or challenges every aspect of the program. If you are one of these people, I gently and respectfully ask that you not call and I hope you understand why. We’ll probably just not work well together and I wouldn’t want you to waste your time or money. Fair?

The Philosophical Coaching Programs are designed to help you connect with worthiness and meaning beyond your accomplishments. This means we will help you identify and articulate the central story that you are telling about yourself and your place in the world, interrogate and challenge that story, asking questions about it. Where does this story come from? Is it true? Is there good evidence for it? Is it helpful? Does it allow you to be the person you want to be and show up the way you want to show up in the world? Then, we’ll envision and imagine a new story you’d like to tell about who you are and your place in the world, and help you to believe and embody that new story.

So, how do we do that? A Philosophical Coaching program will help you to understand and embody:

1. The differences between thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and emotions.

2. How to identify and articulate our most fundamental human needs.

3. The constant conversations we have with our inner critics and our wounded inner children.

4. The way our beliefs shape what and how we perceive.

5. How our imagined sense of self can keep us limited, stuck, and feeling trapped.

6. Why our culture of isolation hurts us, and how to build community through clear communication and healthy boundaries.

7. How to identify the source of human values and articulate and live into your own most important values.

8. How to have hope and feel effective in a troubled world.

9. How to have an empowered relationship with money, wealth, and the material world.

10. How to set enlivening goals and create habits, processes, and beliefs to meet them.

In short, the Philosophical Coaching Program will help you to connect with your inner wisdom, challenge the status quo, and do what matters most to you.

Yes! A resounding yes! The result of our work is a deeper sense and inner knowing of your own inherent value and worthiness, beyond your accomplishments, so that you can live a life that matters to YOU. I have seen so many clients change their lives, both inside and out, as a result of our work together. See the Client Testimonials page to see more of their stories.

If you work with me, you can expect to feel more grounded, more like yourself, and more connected to what actually matters to you. My clients say they stop hiding, feel confident expressing their true selves, and finally feel seen and understood without being told to “think positive” or ignore hard truths. You'll learn how to trust your inner wisdom, breathe deeper, and move forward with more clarity—whether that means leaving a job that doesn’t serve you, starting a long-held creative dream, having tough conversations with your partner, or simply waking up without dread. Many of my clients have gone on to launch businesses, publish writing, lead workshops, and set boundaries they never thought they could.

Here are the kinds of results you can expect:

• You’ll slow down on second-guessing yourself and start trusting your inner voice.

• You’ll feel more grounded, centered, and connected to what truly matters.

• You’ll loosen your grip on the need to perform or prove your worth to others.

• You’ll gain clarity on major life decisions and feel at peace with your choices.

• You’ll finally act on a long-held dream or creative project.

• You’ll learn how to feel your feelings instead of fighting or avoiding them.

• You’ll make decisions from alignment—not from fear, guilt, or obligation.

• You’ll stop hiding who you really are and begin showing up more authentically.

• You’ll reclaim parts of yourself you’ve suppressed to “fit in.”

• You’ll gain confidence to speak your truth in work, relationships, and family.

• You’ll shift from self-doubt to a deeper, steadier self-trust.

• You’ll redefine your relationship with productivity, success, and self-worth.

• You’ll feel empowered to set boundaries and ask for what you need.

• You’ll have difficult conversations you’ve been avoiding—with clarity and grace.

• You’ll take your work, art, or service seriously—and know it deserves to exist.

• You’ll begin to live in alignment with your values rather than external expectations.

• You’ll develop a more loving, integrated relationship with your past self.

• You’ll feel the joy and freedom of becoming more fully yourself.

• You’ll take meaningful risks that once felt impossible.

• You’ll leave with a felt sense of purpose—not as a goal to chase, but as a way to live.

One client put it simply: “I believed in myself enough to take bigger risks—and now I’m doing things I used to only dream about.” See the Client Testimonials page for more.

Yes, I encourage you to! Please go to the Client Testimonials page and read all of them. See which ones you feel drawn to, either because the person has received the results you want to get too, or perhaps because that person is in a similar situation. Then feel free to email or call them and ask what they got from working with my programs and me.

While every client’s experience is different, many start noticing shifts within the first few sessions—whether that’s feeling clearer about their goals, less stressed, or more connected to their sense of purpose. The results can be gradual, as this work is about lasting transformation. The more you commit to the process, the more you’ll benefit from it over time.

While I can’t guarantee specific financial results, many clients report that the investment in themselves leads to greater clarity and fulfillment, both personally and professionally. The value of this work goes beyond financial success—it’s about reconnecting with your deeper purpose and finding more meaning in your life, which often leads to new opportunities.

That said, how much is a career you love, a deeper sense of confidence and fulfillment, more connected relationships, or greater personal happiness worth to you? What is it costing you to stay where you are?

The On-on-One Philosophical Coaching Program is a six-month program tailored specifically your needs, desires, and goals. At the beginning of the Program, we will determine what particular outcomes you would like to focus on. These desired results may be anything from very concrete, such as “I want to quit my job and find a new one,” to more emotional or conceptual, such as, “I want to have a deeper connection with my values and my wisest self.” In any case, we will choose 1-3 outcomes that will serve as guiding posts for our work together.

Then, we will meet 2 times per month, for 75-minutes each meaning, for 6 months. During these meetings, we will talk, do exercises and meditations, journaling, and visualizations. I may suggest readings for you to do, podcasts to listen to, things to watch, etc. And I may also suggest exercises or “homework” for you to do between sessions so that you can keep progressing towards your goals.

I offer unlimited email support between sessions. You can email me progress you’ve made, questions you have, celebrations or updates, or even just thoughts that you’re musing over.

You will also have access to a shared Google drive, which will contain a Session Reflection sheet where you can post takeaways for each session, and I will post the video recording, activities to do before the next session, and links to resources.

About halfway through the Program, we will revisit our established goals from the beginning to see if we need to make any adjustments, either to the goals or to the focus of our work. At the end of the program, you will have the option to wrap up or renew.

The one-on-one Philosophical Coaching Program is 6 months long. After that, you can choose to renew, and many clients do repeatedly.

Yes! I’ve had clients who have worked with me for years. Each time their program ends, they renew for another one.

A lot of our work together will be you talking and me listening very deeply. I will show a great amount of compassion and care for your feelings, AND I will ask you probing and challenging questions. Sometimes, I will suggest that we do a meditation, visualization, writing exercise, or I will simply ask you to be with the sensations of your body. Every step of the way, I will aim to stay attuned to your feelings and needs and provide what will most serve you in the moment.

You may experiences feelings of excitement, fear, overwhelm, grief, and joy. They are all welcome. There may be tears. They are also welcome. I simply ask you to show up as fully and honestly as you can, and I will do the same.

If you decide you want to work with me, we will confirm that “yes!” with a non-refundable deposit of one half of the first month’s payment. After that, I’ll send you the paperwork, and you can decide if you want to pay for the remainder monthly or upfront for a small discount.

I accept credit and debit cards or ACH bank transfers. If you pay with a bank transfer, the 2% I save in processing fees will go to my Financial Access Fund.

If you have not yet done so, please book a Get Acquainted Call with me on my calendar here. At that call, you can ask any additional questions and we’ll determine if we are a good fit for working together. If we are, you can pay your deposit of one-half the first month’s payment to confirm, we’ll schedule your bi-monthly meetings, and my team will send you to the paperwork you need to get started!

First, if you haven’t yet, subscribe to my newsletter, which gives free you access to Notes from Mother, your daily dose of love from the Great Mother (or, at least, my imagination of her), as well as other of my latest offerings.

Check out my Upcoming Events page for upcoming free or low-cost webinars and talks.

My Blog for past and current musings, and my YouTube channel for a variety of talks and videos.

What you put in will determine what you get out of this program. That said, it doesn’t have to take that much time. I would say that for both meetings and implementation of what we discuss, you should expect to spend about 2 hours a week. Much of that time comes from small little daily changes that only take a few minutes.

Good, sounds like you’re ready to be pulled into your future! The best thing to do, if you have not yet done so, is to schedule a Get Acquainted Call with me on my Booking Page here.

If you have additional questions, just email me at daniellelasusa@gmail.com or call me directly at 971-361-8843 and I’ll be happy to walk you through the different options to see which one will be the very best for you.

I can’t wait to see you succeed and am honored to be the one to help you. Let’s get going!