Jennifer Ironside appears at first glance to be a bubbly whirlwind.
She is often dressed in her favourite colour – pink – and it matches her energy and effervescent personality to a tee.
Jennifer wasn’t always as outgoing as she is today.
Her father has epilepsy, a condition that she found confusing and frightening when she was young.
As a very young child she was very shy and would hide under the bed when visitors came to the house, or hide behind her mother when they were out.
It wasn’t until her later primary school years that she became more outgoing.
She left school when she was just shy of 15 years of age after completing Year 10. She attended a pharmacy guild school and got a job in a pharmacy.
“I loved working in retail and then I moved to Brisbane and got a job at David Jones and became one of the star retailers of the time back then,” she says, laughing.
She says she always felt driven to help and support people, particularly women.
Jennifer discovered the power of neuro linguistic coaching during the breakdown of her fourth marriage.
“It’s a devastating experience, having your heart broken,” she says.
She first married at 18 but this marriage broke down three years later.
Jennifer says the pathway to the transformation in her life has been dark and she had to challenge beliefs that were driving factors in her life.
“When I got married the first time I was 18 and I thought I knew better than everyone and everything.”
“There was a belief in me that I needed a man, a strong man and one that would control me.”
When her fourth marriage failed she realised she had to examine her beliefs and this led her to discover neuro linguistic coaching.
“Having to face myself was huge – and the day that I did, everything changed.”
Like many people who experience relationship breakdowns, she felt shame, remorse and grief.
Slowly, she picked herself up and moved to Beaudesert.
“Literally neuro linguistic coaching has transformed my life.”
“When you communicate in a way that is powerful, things change.”
One thing that is striking is how open Jennifer is about the path she has followed.
Her book ‘Real Women, Real Stories’ is a snapshot of several women’s lives, including Jennifer’s.
The image of people who coach others is often squeaky clean, but Jennifer’s openness lifts other women up with the empathy she has, no doubt a product of her own experiences.
Today, Jennifer is a neuro linguistic coach and runs women’s groups.
“My big dream is about creating a community of housing for women who have lost everything and giving them the skills through neuro linguistic programming to rebuild their lives – because it is never too late.”
