Member Spotlight: David Kobelin, PCC
Helping People Rediscover Who They Are
By Della Shaw, PCC, ELI-MP
David Kobelin, PCC, founder of ClarityCoach, describes himself as an Identity Restoration Specialist who helps people rediscover who they are and move forward with clarity and purpose. He describes his work as “helping people develop transitional intelligence” so they can embrace the next chapter of their lives with confidence.
He works with executives, ministry leaders, and people navigating significant life transitions — career shifts, retirement, loss, relationship changes, caregiving responsibilities, or other defining moments.
The Path to Coaching
As a pastor and trained counselor, he spent years in his ministry helping people navigate life’s challenges. He would counsel and offer guidance that seemed clear and practical. People left inspired but returned unchanged.
“I knew exactly what they needed to do,” David said humbly with a bit of tongue-in-cheek. “But they just weren’t doing it.”
He heard about coaching and decided to explore it, and it fundamentally changed how he worked with people.
It taught him to trust that people can find their own answers when given a safe space to reflect, explore, and grow. Rather than providing answers and taking responsibility for others’ change, he learned to trust them to identify what mattered most to them, plan their own actions, and take ownership of the outcomes.
That shift also deepened his ministry. Rather than telling people what Scripture said they should do, he learned to help them wrestle with what it meant for their own lives. Coaching gave him a way to create space for their reflection, discernment, and personal ownership—allowing people to connect faith, values, and action in a more meaningful way.
The Power of Becoming Yourself
As a trainer with Awyken, an ICF Level 1 faith-based coach training program, David has another opportunity to witness coaches' transformation.
One of the lessons he teaches is one he learned himself: stop trying to become someone else’s version of a coach.
“When I first got trained, I wanted to coach exactly like my trainer,” he recalls. “I wanted to ask the same questions and follow the same approach.”
Over time, he learned that although coaching is grounded in shared principles and competencies, each coach brings a unique presence and style.
His advice to new coaches: You don’t have to have everything figured out at the beginning. Don’t become overly anxious about finding the perfect niche. Trust the learning process. Trust the coaching process. You’ll begin to discover who you help best and who is most attracted to you. Learn to be you — trust that your unique voice as a coach will emerge with practice.
Faith as a Source of Renewal
Faith remains a central source of renewal and perspective for David. Through coaching, ministry, and teaching, he is passionate about helping people discover greater clarity about who they are, what matters most, and how they want to live.
Outside of his work, he enjoys worship, cycling, swimming, and investing in meaningful relationships.
Looking ahead, David is excited to expand the reach of coaching and help more people experience its transformative power.
Connect with David
Website: claritycoachme.com
Email: [email protected]
New Member Shoutout: Ramona Miyagishima
Ramona Miyagishima describes her work as ‘helping people come home to themselves.’ Through her coaching practice, Thrive Tribe Coaching, Ramona focuses on mindfulness-based life coaching that integrates emotional intelligence, communication, and tools to help clients stay grounded amid life’s chaos. “It’s not just meditation and mindfulness,” she explains. “It’s learning to navigate challenges, communicate better, and stay centered when life feels overwhelming.” What excites her most is helping people discover who they really are, empowering them to grow into their full potential and lead fulfilling lives with purpose and joy.
Throughout her career as a paralegal in the U.S. Army and Navy JAG Corps — first serving on active duty and later as a civilian — she found herself increasingly drawn to listening, guiding, and helping others navigate life’s transitions. “I’ve always been that friend people came to and said, ‘Can you work through this with me?’” she says with a smile. “Even before coaching, I was the one who wouldn’t take the first answer — I knew there was always something more to uncover.”
Ramona holds a Master’s in Psychology with an emphasis in Life Coaching and is working toward ICF Certification. She loves psychology and understanding why people do what they do, but she chose the coaching path instead, saying,
“I didn’t want to diagnose people; I wanted to help them move forward. Therapists start with a diagnosis. Coaches start with a dream.”
Originally from a military family, Ramona has lived around the world and now calls Jacksonville home. She says her sense of belonging has less to do with geography and everything to do with connection.
“It’s not the place. It’s the connections with people and the community you build. That’s what makes you stay.”
That same belief guides her coaching—helping clients cultivate connection, belonging, and stability from the inside out.
When she’s not coaching, Ramona finds joy in her family, her children, and the simple rhythms of daily life. “Watching my kids thrive inspires me to take care of myself — so I can keep showing up for them and for my clients for years to come.”
Connect with Ramona:
Website: http://www.thrivetribecoaching.org
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: ThriveTribeCoaching
