Hi, I’m Judy Krings, founder of CoachingPositivity, LLC, a coaching business centered around helping successful people like YOU become even more successful.
As we coach, I go with you on an exciting adventure to unlock possibilities, overcome obstacles, and energize new customized-to-fit-your-needs success solutions.
I named my company to honor one of my heroes, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, famed positive psychology researcher and author of her renowned books, Positivity and Love 2.0. It was a thrill taking classes from her at MentorCoach, my beloved premier coach training program.
Speaking of MentorCoach, I am also a coach trainer on their esteemed Trainer Team staff.
Here is my short bio:
Judy Krings, Ph.D., PCC, is a uniquely human personal/professional positive psychology life coach and clinical psychologist. She joyfully dove into her coaching career at MentorCoach in 2007. She is proudly MentorCoach trained and certified by the International Coach Federation. She is also certified as a Social and Emotional Intelligence Coach by the Institute for Social and Emotional Intelligence. Her positive psychology trainers have included Drs. Chris Peterson, Barbara Fredrickson, Ryan Niemiec, Todd Kashdan, Robert Biswas-Diener, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Joe Ciarrochi, Caroline Adams Miller, MAPP, and Roy Baumeiester. As well as a MCP Introduction to Positive Psychology trainer, Judy is on the Advisory Board of the MentorCoach Alliance for Positive Psychology.
Judy’s down-to-earth, creative and upbeat coaching style helps you find meaningful solutions to your most difficult problems.
Judy empowers you to maximize your happiness, whip up well-being, and basque in your best self. She is known for her intuitive metaphors and innovative coaching applications. Judy’s energy, humor, and passion set her apart as a coach who truly “walks her talk”. She authentically inspires you to delightfully ignite and have fun maximizing your character strengths. To flourish and thrive, not just survive. She puts heart in helping you and joy in your journey. Her vigilant support fortifies your personal and business relationship-building. With zip and zest, you evolve and problem-solve.
Judy loves to teach positive psychology recipes for success and happiness.
Enjoy sampling these scientifically proven ingredients you need to mindfully assimilate well-being:
- to be flexible and curiously explore and embrace your positive emotions;
- to energize your engagement and love for what you do each day;
- to enhance the quality of your relationships;
- to magnify meaning and find your fun flow;
- and to be open and honest with yourself as you accomplish the security of your finances, the vibrancy of your physical health, and the pride you take in what you have contributed to your communities.
Most importantly, you learn motivational strategies to help you weave these elements, what you truly value, into the tapestry of your life. Add the spice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and your life simmers with even more flavor. Let your savoring begin!
Perhaps you are wondering, “How and why did Judy become a coach?”
Here’s a snapshot of my professional journey and how I transitioned from a private practice clinical psychologist for over 3 decades to a positive psychology personal/professional coach.
My life as a coach truly started when I was thirteen. I began to babysit for two families. Both had two kids. By the time I graduated from high school, each family had sprouted three more kids. Ten kids to babysit for in my five years till high school graduation. Talk about transitions and learning opportunities to help these kids thrive!
I was also a waitress at Dewey Beach, Delaware. I really cut my teeth on social and emotional intelligence. My eyes were opened to diversity. I’d be surprised to get large tips for no reason and studied these generous people. That was balanced with a family with several kids I’d waited on for an hour and a half. They stiffed me and ran out the door. Ouch! It came out of my paycheck, too. But I learned not to turn my back on all parts of life.
Good? My Mom taught me to always look for the good. I learned so much about people. I served mostly kind folks sitting in wet bathing suits, while I skated upon the slippery beach sand restaurant floor. I would still rather be at a beach than anywhere else. And, yes, I continue to learn from observation.
During those early precious years, I learned helping people and serving them was my calling.
When I was sixteen (and humbly my high school top science student), I received a summer scholarship to study science at the University of Delaware. That shifted my whole life on its axis. I gleefully discovered the world of psychology. I was passionately hooked. I still am!
I dreamed of developing a clinical psychology solo private practice. Little did I know it would take over a decade for that dream to become a reality. Many other jobs would be interspersed to add spice to my learning before my doctorate shingle would be nailed.
I never planned any of these jobs, but they were a godsend of survival, all happily plopped right onto my plate.
When I was 21 while I was getting my Master’s Degree at night, I was offered a job to create the first learning disabilities special education class in Baltimore County, MD. It was the blind leading the blind, but I did it. One of the hardest jobs ever, but the life education I assimilated was priceless. After my MA in clinical psychology, I headed into the city of Baltimore and became a school psychologist in mostly ghetto schools. Another dose of reality. I even got mugged! But I loved that job.
My next transition was a move to Germany to work for the Army during Vietnam. An Army ranger and I, answering only to a 2-star general, developed the Army’s first Community Drug and Alcohol Assistance Center, CDAAC.
The only thing I knew about drugs and alcohol I learned growing up with my dad’s WWII PSTD weekend alcoholic binges. But I was so lucky. The Army appreciated having me, the only clinical psychologist at the post, and I was game to learn. I loved every minute of creating that organization. I had never felt so loved and appreciated. The Army in Bamberg, Germany, was a 10,000 membership-strong family. And the most fascinating experience and challenge.
Unexpectedly, when our post was honored by a rare visit from the top USA military leader, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Creighton Abrams, he asked me to brief him on our program. Gen. Abrams has been called the greatest American general since Ulysses S. Grant. I found him to be the kindest, most noble, compassionate man I had ever met. He personified integrity, humility and honor. I was dumbstruck when he asked me if I would come to Washington and work for him!
Curious along with thrilled, I asked him why he would ask someone so young (I was 23) and inexperienced to work for him. He smiled and said, “No one else has ever told me the tell-it-like-it-is truth. Others tell me what they think I want to hear.” Whoa! I thought the truth was my responsibility. I still do. It was a WOW! honor I will never forget.
I respectfully told him I wanted to get my Ph.D. The general gave me his business card and told me if I ever changed my mind, give him a call. And then he gave me a huge unexpected hug.
After I left working for the Army, I did another stint as a school psychologist in MI, saved my money, and finally I went to grad school. The Ph.D. was mine!
Next came a stint as the chief psychologist at a community counseling center in WI. Naïve as all get out, I joyfully bought a book, How to Start a Successful Private Practice. I was on my way! As I look back, I learned business realities the hard way, but sooner or later, my grit (resilient passion that refuses to quit!) rallied.
When I look back, I could never have imagined I would have had so many jobs, and none I was trained nor prepared for. Talk about transitional learning. But I rolled up my sleeves, packed a can-do attitude, and asked my fears to go to sit in the back of my movie theater of life.
While living in 4 countries and 5 states sparked many new adventures and learning opportunities, none compared to having a physically ill son, Sean.
Sean had many hospitalizations and was followed by a crack team of endocrinologists at the U of WI, Madison, until he was 18.
Later, he was also diagnosed with ADHD. Another “Whew!”. I researched and subsequently spearheaded accommodations for Sean and other kids with ADHD. Best of all, I love being able to pay learning forward. Sean’s challenges and me figuring out the next best steps to help him cope, enabled me to assist many parents whose kids had similar concerns.
So that’s a thumbnail sketch of my life before coaching.
But wait. You know I have loved my career, but I realize I haven’t told you WHY I became a coach.
My beloved husband, Ken, was diagnosed with severe genetic heart disease. After many hospitalizations and two dangerous internal heart ablation surgeries, his ticker still did not cooperate. It was imperative we live some place warm in winters to escape Wisconsin’s bitter cold. That was a huge dilemma. How could I leave my lucrative clinical psychology practice? I had no idea where to turn.
Aha! I got a coach. He guided me to Dr. Ben Dean, founder of MentorCoach, the premier coach training program for professionals looking to transition to coaching. The rest is history. Have coaching will travel… All the way to Puerto Vallarta, MX!
Below is my more inclusive bio, maybe more than you ever want or need to know about my professional accomplishments. But if you are a curious soul the way I am, you might want to take a peek.
I would love to hear your story and learn about your life journey.
I thrive on coaching people just like you who have hurdled over challenges to grow stronger, work smarter, and live richer.
I especially enjoy working with motivated people who want to learn to identify and maximize their character strengths.
To work/play through issues about:
- Relationships
- Confidence building
- Fear reduction
- Decision-making
- Personal empowerment
Also:
- Wellness, Well-Being and Flourishing with Grit
- Developing more positive emotions and coping with negative ones
- Conflict resolution and success strategy development
- Career advancement/development
- Life re-designing and realizing dreams
As a coach, I am inquisitive, flexible and love helping you design creative solutions no matter what your concerns. Whether it is listed here or not, I am game to tackle any issue you desire to help you create and live the life of your dreams. I love challenges.
If you are ready to take the next step toward more growth to happiness, well-being and resilience no matter where you travel, I invite you to begin to coach with me NOW!
As I promised, here is my inclusive academic, professional experience, and honors BIO with kind testimonials.
Personally, born in Harrington, Delaware, Judy was her high school valedictorian. “Dr. Judy” received her undergraduate degree from Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, where she received both academic and athletic scholarships and honors. Her Master’s Degree was earned at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland, and her Ph.D. achieved at the University of Ottawa, Canada.
With a professional career spanning four decades, Judy has assisted individuals, couples, families, groups, and organizations.
She has served as a consultant for a myriad of agencies, businesses, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, the military, medical clinics, and hospitals.
Known by appreciative fans as “Dr. Spunk”, Judy created and hosted three radio talk shows, including her nationally syndicated Chicago-based “Dr. Judy Show”. She continues to appear regularly on local and blog talk radio. She also produced and hosted a TV show series focused on coping with mental health issues. Additionally, Judy has aided international disaster relief efforts via TV and radio.
Judy has authored hundreds of professional articles for newspapers, magazines, and organizations, and originated self help and teen advice columns.
A dynamic lecturer, she has delivered keynote presentations throughout her clinical, consultant, and professional career. She continues to enjoy appearing in international tele-summits and speaking at coaching and business forums. Judy also produced, interviewed and recorded international weight loss expert authors for Master Certified Coach, Dr. Carol Solomon’s acclaimed Lose Weight Now…Stay Slim Forever Audio Program.
Charismatic and keenly capable, Judy is a superb coach whose warmth invites clients with challenging issues to map their success strategies and enjoy the journey to happiness and well-being. Dedicated, loyal, and curious, Judy’s coaching hums with a unique rhythm of wisdom and contagious playfulness. I highly recommend her to those seeking a talented, caring coach.
Ben Dean Ph.D.
Founder/President MentorCoach LLC
Judy also authored positive psychology coaching articles for the premier issue of India’s PsyInsight magazine and The Coach Exchange’s (tce) Published! magazine. She also penned a relationship article for tce’s Insights magazine and wrote an ebook on empowering relationships, Rev Up Your Relationship Resilience ~ 7 Positive Psychology Tips to Make Love Last. Additionally, Judy was selected to write a chapter on relationships included in tce’s bestselling book, Insights ~ Collector’s Edition Celebrating Women.
In September 2014, Judy was delighted to be a keynote speaker in New Delhi, India, at the 3rd International Conference on Psychology and Allied Sciences.
She wrote and dedicated her vibrant new positive psychology ebook to honor India: Rev Up Your Relationship Resilience ~ 7 Positive Psychology Tips to Make Love Last.
In 2013, Judy was a featured coach in an article about mantras in the national magazine, First for Women. She also recorded, with Gallup’s Strengths Coach Ambassador, Brent O’Bannon, a positive psychology program for the 2nd International Conference in India on Psychology and Applied Sciences. In 2014, Judy is invited to New Delhi, India, to speak on positive psychology at the 3nd Indian International Conference on Psychology and Allied Sciences. Also in 2013, Judy was humbled when renowned Tom Rath, #1 New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, acknowledged her editing assistance in his latest bestselling book, Eat, Move, Sleep.
In 2012, Judy’s vibrant strengths-infused coaching positive psychology travel memoir book, Photo Adventures in Cuba ~ Unlock Your Power of Positivity, became an Amazon bestseller in both print and kindle. Dr. Martin Seligman’s review, along with that of the esteemed Director of Education, VIA Institute on Character, Dr. Ryan Niemiec, grace the cover.
Dr. Martin Seligman, renown founder of the science of positive psychology, and former President of the American Psychological Association, honored Judy by embracing her acronym “PERMA” for his latest research highlighted in his bestselling book, Flourish.
In 2011, Judy was also honored by Hapacus, a grassroots educational program, dedicated to teaching and training people the scientific principles of happiness, meaning and fulfillment. She was selected to participate on the discussion panel following the premiere showing of the positive psychology worldwide smash hit film, Happy, at the Milwaukee Film Festival. Judy also appears in the film’s promo video.
With her beloved husband, Ken, Judy divides her time living on the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan in Manitowoc, WI, and atop the jungle overlooking the Pacific in sunny Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta, MX. They have three children and four exceptional grandchildren. Judy also cherishes communicating with her adopted family in Nepal. She joyfully met the Hari Aryal clan for the first time in 2011.
Judy welcomes transitions, having lived in 4 countries and 5 states.
An avid gardener and photographer, she also enjoys traveling, reading, collecting psychological cartoons and metaphors, emailing friends, scouring the Internet for positive psychology articles, blogging, Buddhist and Hindu spirituality, and appreciating art. She loves animals and never met a dog she didn’t like!
I met Dr. Judy at a Manitowoc, WI, after she had made a dynamic, inspirational keynote presentation at the “Women in Business Expo”. Her topic was how to discover and maximize your strengths and other success strategies. At the time, my youngest daughter was going through negative emotional times and was being harassed by a girl she thought was her friend. After her speech, Dr. Judy took the time to talk with my daughter. She listened, understood and gave my daughter some brief strengths coaching. She empowered my daughter. I was thrilled to see my daughter follow through and stand up for herself. She is now a senior in high school and is thriving! She is planning to be a teacher. There will no bullying in her class. She listened and learned.
Dr. Judy made a HUGE impact on my daughter’s life with only a brief interaction. I now understand the power of coaching. I had told her much of what Dr. Judy did, but like most kids, hearing empowering words from your Mom is not the same as hearing them from an unsolicited professional. I think about Dr. Judy often and thank the Lord for bringing an angel into our lives in such a brief but memorable moment.
L. G.
Manitowoc, WI.
I met Dr. Judy at a Manitowoc, WI, after she had made a dynamic, inspirational keynote presentation at the “Women in Business Expo”. Her topic was how to discover and maximize your strengths and other success strategies. At the time, my youngest daughter was going through negative emotional times and was being harassed by a girl she thought was her friend. After her speech, Dr. Judy took the time to talk with my daughter. She listened, understood and gave my daughter some brief strengths coaching. She empowered my daughter. I was thrilled to see my daughter follow through and stand up for herself. She is now a senior in high school and is thriving! She is planning to be a teacher. There will no bullying in her class. She listened and learned.
Renate Blennert
Social Studies
Lincoln High School
Manitowoc, WI
Wow! What an amazing, upbeat presentation to my classes. Thanks for sharing your positivity with us. My high school students were talking about your cool presentation for days. They were so engaged and mesmerized. Your scope is impressive! You really opened their eyes to how life-altering Positive Psychology is and how using their strengths can help them live their best self life forever. It was so interested, I took the VIA (Values in Action) assessment, too. Thanks for opening up my kids to their whole new world of exploring their character strengths potential. This new science rocks, Dr. Judy, and so do you!