So who am I?

Hi there! My name is Sharlene Halbert. I’m a Certified Life and Relationship Coach, and a

Growing up, my friends often asked me for advice about their relationships, but when it was my turn, I messed it up. I fell for someone I met at a bar (remember when that happened??), we connected deeply, had a lot of passion, and incredible fun together. We once drove 16 hours on a whim to visit friends, had a meal with them and drove right back!

There was no happy ending, though. When things got tough, we didn’t work through them as adults. Some things we never said, and some things should never have been said. We often stuck to our own opinions even when they drove us apart. So even though I saw a future with him, when I had a chance to leave for a job, I took it.

That’s when I first understood that if you want to make a relationship work, love alone just isn't enough.

I’m Sharlene Halbert, a Certified Life and Relationship Coach, and Wedding Celebrant originally from Australia, now based in Barcelona since 2009.

With a diverse background spanning three continents, many cities and being a 'serial re-inventor' of myself professionally —Occupational Therapist, Simply Music Piano Coach, Music Education and Brain Development educator, Community Advocate, and small business owner of several times over —I bring a wealth of experience to my coaching practice.

My journey has been fuelled by a passion for understanding relationships from a young age. Inspired by my parents’ enduring marriage, I found my calling in Relationship Coaching after years of searching for my next fulfilling career.

With a background in Occupational Therapy and Child Development, a deep understanding of all Life Stages and their impact, Life and Relationship Coaching, and my own experience of life through it's many challenges, and relationships that have always ended with love and respect, I specialise in helping couples navigate the complexities of all life stages, from the beginnings of your relationship to parenthood to empty nest syndrome, and beyond and how these things impact their relationship with their partner.

I'm dedicated to supporting couples like you to build strong, healthy relationships so they can thrive through the stresses of relationship challenges and the other areas of life that impact the relationship.

I support you to find clarity, understanding, and use tools, strategies and frameworks to foster deeper connection and intimacy, improve communication skills, and develop emotional resilience.

I'm also passionate about helping couples start out in their journey together as a Wedding Celebrant/Officiant at destination weddings in Spain. I love being at the beginning of their future together, creating something special and meaningful for their ceremony so they have a clear future that they can continue to re-create as they move forward together.

I'd love to support you both in navigating this journey together, empowering you to create the relationship you desire, no matter the stage of life you’re in. It's never too early to start!

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What is Relationship Coaching?

Relationship Coaching is a forward-focused, collaborative process that invites both partners to deepen their connection through exploration, self-discovery, and intentional action. Unlike therapy—which often delves into past wounds to understand and heal emotional pain—coaching centers on building a resilient future together. It’s less about just fixing what’s broken, and more about nurturing emotional maturity, discovering shared values, harnessing the strengths you already possess and learning about yourself and each other in new ways that give you more choices in how you act and respond. The Coaching process I use, called the 'Activation Method©' is about creating happiness, understanding, and harmony through helping couples, individuals and groups to harness their inner strengths, group insights, and creative and systemic thinking. It combines the talents of Life Coaching with the art of deep spiritual understanding and dynamic teaching skills. Having an Occupational Therapy (physical and neurological rehabilitation, babies and children with developmental delays, people with disabilities/injuries, workers’ compensation and Occupational Health and Safety and working with people in all life stages), my extensive teaching background, along with experience of living on 3 continents and speaking a second language (Spanish) has been the perfect combination of experiences. The addition of my training in Activation Method© Coaching and Advanced Relationship Coaching has added essential skills and deeper understanding for an even more holistic view of people, families and relationships. Through Relationship Coaching, you can craft a future together through emotional maturity, shared values, challenging outdated beliefs, discovery of new perspectives, tapping into your strengths, and developing practical skills. With dedicated practice (which I call “Funties” - Fun Activities), continuous learning, and the supportive guidance by me as your coach, you can transform your relationship. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to turn things around, Coaching empowers you both to navigate challenges with intention, celebrate differences as strengths, and create a dynamic, thriving connection.
How Does Relationship Coaching Differ from Therapy?

There are many types of coaching, but the coaching I use comes from a variety of backgrounds and philosophies: Ericksonian therapy, Strategic family therapy, Human Needs Psychology, organisational psychology, neurolinguistics, psychology of influence, strategic studies, traditions of diplomacy and negotiation, game theory, cybernetics, neurolinguistics, organisational psychology, management psychology, and dozens of other systemic disciplines. Key Distinctions from Therapy Future-Oriented Transformation: Therapy frequently explores past experiences to resolve old patterns, whereas relationship coaching is aimed at creating a clear vision for the future by cultivating new insights and skills. Empowerment Through Personal Change: You can't change someone else, but you can influence them by transforming your own approach. By developing self-awareness and emotional mastery, both partners can contribute to a healthier dynamic. Shared Responsibility & Embracing Differences: Coaching recognises that both partners hold a piece of the relationship’s success. It emphasises building on shared values and strengths—and even celebrating differences—as assets that support and enrich your connection. My coaching comes from belief that certain holistic solutions “snap into place" when a couple's and individuals' needs are met, expressed, and elevated. These solutions actually deliver more benefit for less effort.
What is the Coaching Process?

The Coaching Process is about Discovery, Practice, and Transformation Developing Emotional Maturity and Mastery: A core part of coaching is learning to navigate your emotional landscape. This means developing the maturity to understand and manage your feelings, which in turn creates space for healthier communication and conflict resolution. It’s understanding that you both have valid experiences of what is happening at any given moment, and learning to hold the space for both of your experiences and find how to connect inside that. Learning New Skills & Recognizing Shared Strengths: Coaching is not just about just insight; it’s also about acquiring practical skills; recognising and building on what already works in your relationship rather than solely focusing on what doesn’t. By identifying shared values and strengths, and understanding the deep needs you both have, you can create a more robust and balanced connection. Practice Between Sessions – “Funties”: True transformation requires more than knowledge alone. That’s why practice between sessions—what I call “Funties”—is always part of the process. With knowledge, insights, new understanding, and action, you achieve a ‘superfecta’ that powers real change.
When is the Right Time to Get Coaching?

It’s Never Too Early—or Too Late—to Invest in Your Relationship! Strengthening New Relationships: Coaching can be invaluable at any stage. In a new relationship, it lays a strong foundation, ensuring you both have the skills needed to navigate inevitable challenges. The differences that currently add flavor to your dynamic can be nurtured so they don’t become sources of future friction. Turning Things Around: Even if challenges have taken hold, it’s never too late to begin coaching. With mutual commitment and desire for each other to feel fulfilled in the relationship, the sooner you develop the skills and understanding to anticipate and navigate challenges, the healthier and more enduring your relationship will become. No Shame in Seeking Support: Remember, getting support for your relationship is not something to be ashamed of. We are rarely taught the relational skills needed to thrive, often muddling through based on what our role models did—even when they were just muddling through themselves. Everyone has challenges and you are never alone in what you are experiencing. Understanding that relationships are both personal to you and your partner, AND universal is really empowering and you will feel less alone.
How can we Make the Most out of Coaching?

Creating a Safe and Empowering Space Effective coaching requires a genuine willingness to make your relationship a priority. It calls for openness to self-discovery and a commitment to engaging with challenges as opportunities for growth. Resistance to change is natural, but by acknowledging and discussing it openly, together we create a non-judgmental space where vulnerability leads to strength. In this safe space, both of you can explore new actions, develop empowering beliefs, and ultimately experience a richer, more connected relationship. By embracing responsibility—not blame—and fostering a curious, open-minded approach, Relationship Coaching offers the freedom to transform your connection in ways you might never have imagined. Navigating Challenges and Embracing Growth Conflict as a Catalyst for Growth: All relationships face challenges. It’s not about never arguing or avoiding difficult times—it’s about how you navigate those moments together. Coaching helps you learn to recover from disagreements, forgive, let go, and reconnect, ensuring you stay connected, kind, intimate, and loving. The Coach’s Unique Perspective: As your coach, I can offer an objective view and can spot dynamics you might miss. As the saying goes, “You can’t read the label on the jar from inside the jar.” Bringing curiosity to coaching is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself - being open to ‘what you don’t know that you don’t even know’ can open up new choices in how you and your partner can show up in your relationship. Exploring the Sum of Your Parts: We are more than the sum of our parts. Exploring the diverse aspects of yourself, your partner, and your relationship creates possibilities for growth and a more fulfilling future—whether that means deepening your connection or, if necessary, separating in a way that honours what you once had and paves the way for new love.
Should all Relationships be Saved?

Not all relationships can be (or should be) saved. But giving it committed, intentional effort with new strategies, ideas, realisations, understanding, actions, and tools, you will discover whether continuing your relationship together is possible, and if not, you know you have given it your all. If ending your relationship becomes necessary, coaching can support you to find the way to separate lovingly, how to co-parents successfully (if you have kids) and to respect what you once had while finding a way forward separately. You can move successfully through the emotional experiences of the ending and prepare yourselves for finding new love in the future.
Disclaimer

I am not directly affiliated with Tony Robbins, Cloé Madanes or any of the founders of Strategic Intervention, nor do I own the name. I use the strategies, tools and techniques as a trained Strategic Intervention Life and Relationship Coach to provide my clients with the best opportunities to transform their lives.