CoachAmal's Founder

Assalamu alaykum and Hi!

I'm Amal Stapley, the founder of CoachAmal. and I feel so honoured to have a job that I love doing; coaching women and seeing them making massive improvements in the way they live and perceive their lives and cope with change. It's pretty amazing!

Globe travelled by CoachAmal

Coaching

Following my own experience of being coached through a rough spot and the effect it had on my own life, I went to Canada to be trained as a coach by Muhammad Alshareef of DiscoverULife and AlMaghrib. Since then, I've not only developed my skills through coaching women from around the world - in Western and Eastern Europe, North and West Africa, the Far East and the Middle East, Australia, and the Americas - I'm also continuing my professional development through, among other sources my membership of the Association for Coaching and the Sheffield Coaching Exchange.

Professional and Educational Background

I started my professional career working with people with learning disabilities and their families in the UK and later on in Malaysia through VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas). I have also worked in the fields of Islamic distance education in the States and with Islamic translation and localisation services in Egypt.

As I enjoy challenging myself academically and developing the knowledge and skills that will help to make my dreams and aspirations possible, I've studied a wide range of subjects, including: nursing for people with learning disabilities (RNLD), psychology, business and management studies, internet marketing, TEFL, Islamic studies, Arabic language, counselling, and coaching. One of my major academic achievements was when I was a mature student at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM), where I studied psychology and Islamic studies. I remember clearly applying to study there, and being told by the Deputy Dean that I may “find it difficult” as I “had been out of education for a while”...he didn't realise how much of a challenge he was giving me by saying that! I graduated with the second highest grade in the university for my year, proving that education isn't just for the young!

Travels

During my life, I have lived, worked, and studied on four continents, living in the UK, Belgium, Malaysia, Jordan, the USA, and Egypt – a real modern-day Ibn Battuta! This has given me some amazing opportunities to live amongst people of many cultures and has often taken me into interesting and challenging situations - some good, some not so good, but all of them bringing powerful learning experiences and growth.

Accepting Islam

It was while working with VSO in Malaysia in 1992 that I accepted Islam - much to everyone’s surprise, including mine! But it was a blessing from Allah that has deeply affected my life and the decisions I have made since then.

Coming Home

After 20 years of living overseas, I finally returned home in 2009 and am now settling back into life in the UK. In addition to yet another massive learning curve that I undertook to establish CoachAmal as a business in the UK, I'm also working at the University of Sheffield and am actively involved in the local New Muslim Project and my local community.

I've been married and unmarried, and love being a Muslim, good food, good company, watching the sea, riding on fast motorbikes, making a difference, and making the most of new opportunities and challenges. My latest challenge is my return to my roots from where I'm paying forward what I gained through my life and travels. And thoroughly enjoying it!

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