The Story Beneath the Work
Every decision, conversation, and turning point begins with a story — often one we’re not fully aware of. These stories shape how we lead, communicate, and respond to change.
I help leaders uncover the narratives that guide their choices and give meaning to their work.
My practice sits at the crossroads of narrative coaching and strategic communications — helping leaders find the through-line between their inner story and their outward impact.
Your Story in Motion
Narrative Coaching
Everyone carries unspoken narratives — assumptions, patterns, and inherited scripts — that shape how we show up in the world. Narrative coaching brings those stories to light. It’s not about fixing or optimizing; it’s about understanding the inner architecture of how you make meaning and how that meaning guides your choices.
Together, we slow the pace. We listen for what’s shifting — in your role, your relationships, or your sense of self — and begin to re-author how you move through change. The process is both grounding and expansive: clarity deepens, confidence steadies, and presence becomes less a performance and more a natural way of being.
Recent clients have:
• Reframed long-held narratives that were shaping how they led and made decisions
• Found renewed clarity and confidence during moments of transition or uncertainty
• Developed a leadership presence rooted in authenticity and impact
Communications Advisory
Every story has an outward expression — the way it’s shared, embodied, and felt by others. In my advisory work, I help leaders bring language to what matters most, so their words carry both clarity and integrity.
Drawing on two decades as a strategic communications advisor and my training in narrative coaching, I bring a dual lens to this work — one focused on the organization’s broader story, the other on the leader’s evolving sense of self. Together, we shape language that holds both: steady enough to guide others, supple enough to evolve through change.
Recent clients have:
• Translated complex ideas and strategic shifts into language that inspires and aligns others
• Gained confidence in navigating pivotal decisions
• Strengthened their ability to communicate with clarity, credibility, and emotional resonance
About Mary-Brennan
Narrative Coach and Communications Advisor
For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and leadership, helping executives and teams navigate complexity and change.
Trained in Narrative Coaching and with a background as a communications advisor to CEOs and C-suite executives, I bring a dual lens to my work: one focused on strategic clarity for organizations, the other on reflective space for personal growth. This blend allows leaders to find their voice, articulate it with confidence, and inspire others through both presence and language.
While I’ve always called myself a writer, coaching helped me re-author my own personal story as well. With a degree in Creative Writing and years in communications, I had long dreamed of writing a book, but never dared to try. Through Narrative Coaching, I rediscovered my creative roots and embraced this dream with renewed purpose. I’m now halfway through my first novel, inspired by the same process of exploration and growth I share with my clients.
I share reflections on narrative, coaching, and creativity on Substack.
“It has always been a happy thought to me that the creek runs on all night, new every minute, whether I wish it or know it or care, as a closed book on a shelf continues to whisper to itself its own inexhaustible tale.”
Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Testimonials
Let’s Begin.
Book a free call to explore how we can work together.
Typical engagements include:
• Narrative Coaching: Three- to six-month partnerships that explore the stories shaping your leadership, your decisions, and your impact.
• Communications Advisory: A blend of coaching and narrative strategy to help you find your voice and prepare for high-stakes events, transitions, or public moments.
• Ongoing Partnership: Flexible, long-term support for leaders navigating continuous change, multiple initiatives, or evolving leadership challenges — a space to reflect, refine, and sustain your story over time.
Every engagement begins with a conversation. We start by exploring what’s shifting — in your role, your organization, or your story — and what you most want to bring into focus. From there, we shape a path that fits your needs.
Sessions are conducted online or in person (in Prague).