A lush green canyon with moss-covered cliffs on either side. In the center, a small waterfall flows into a calm river with a rocky shoreline.

I work with people who feel overwhelmed by life's challenges to help them find clarity and direction. Together, we focus on their values, strengths, and purpose so they can move forward with confidence.

What Path of Wisdom offers

Path of Wisdom is a trauma‑informed, restorative coaching practice for people who feel worn out and now want a steadier, more sustainable way to move through life. This includes anyone feeling strain, out of alignment, or who has carried that weight in systems not built for them. Here, you are never seen as broken or in need of fixing. I meet you as a whole person with deep wisdom, and I work to create a space where you do not have to leave any part of yourself, your history, your identity, or your relationships to get support. My role is to offer a safe, respectful space where you can reconnect with your inner wisdom. Together, we quiet the noise of challenge, crisis, and overwhelm, return to what matters most, and look for next steps that feel steady and workable in your life. As we work together, we pay close attention to your emotions, your body, and your relationships as sources of information about what you need, what you value, and what kind of change might be possible. This work often resonates with caregivers, helping professionals, parents, leaders, and people who have cared for others and now feel worn out, out of sync, or unsure how to keep going. I am particularly sensitive in supporting those who are facing racism, homophobia, transphobia, or being under-represented in the places they move through. If your life looks fine on the outside, but feels distant or not quite in alignment, you are welcome here.

  • "Jonathan Strong is an incredibly gifted and talented coach. His presence is immediately calming, and he uses this peace to establish earnest and genuine rapport, which in turn leads to deeply reflective conversations. Jonathan has the incredible ability to intuit an individual's concerns and help them reflect and define the path forward. He doesn't fix their problems for them, rather, he empowers them to own their success! I cannot recommend Jonathan strongly enough; he's an incredible human!"

    Luke A.

  • "Jonathan is a phenomenal coach who has a natural gift for listening and helping people feel heard. His unique ability to ask the right questions to elicit new insights has been very helpful in my journey of healing and self-discovery. His patient guidance has been instrumental in guiding me to tremendous positive personal and professional growth this year."

    Forrest S.

  • A session with Jonathan is so refreshing. I cherish the fact that he truly meets me where I am, wherever that may be, and we work from there. He has a special gift of helping me see things from a different perspective and opening my eyes to new ways of looking at situations or patterns. I always leave sessions feeling validated, pushed, and grateful.

    S. Sall

  • "Jonathan and I worked together during one of the lowest points in my life. Through his compassion, thoughtful questions, and insight, he helped me reflect, grow, build skills, and navigate life’s challenges more effectively. The positive changes have stayed with me even after coaching ended. If you're struggling in this crazy world, I highly recommend working with him."

    Shayan H.

  • "Jonathan provided a mirror for me at one of my most vulnerable times. It was that mirror that became the catalyst for my journey of growth. I will forever be grateful for him meeting me at my lowest and seeing the beauty and strength still within needing to be seen! His process is about moving from external validation to intrinsic motivation. I learned how to face life on its own terms with a sense of satisfaction and visualize what I wanted in life. I will always be grateful for our time working together!"

    Leroy A.

  • "I feel so lucky that I crossed paths with Jonathan. He creates a space where I can be vulnerable and authentically myself while helping me uncover the deeper roots of my thoughts and emotions. His curiosity and compassion have helped me grow, heal, and become more of the person I’m meant to be."

    D. Ornelas

  • "Jonathan is the most grounded and present coach I’ve worked with. I started working with Jonathan when everything in my life was changing. I was navigating health issues, the end of a 20-year music career, and a painful breakup. He is understanding, gentle, and kind, while staying in his lane as he supports you through whatever you’re facing. He never made me feel psychoanalyzed. Working with him changed how I viewed my circumstances and helped me find my power. A year later, I’m better than I could have imagined."

    D. Rueda

How Sessions Work

We start with what is real for you right now: what you have been carrying, where you feel stretched thin, and where things feel out of sync. Our sessions follow a gentle, steady rhythm that fits your life. A framework guides us, but our conversations stay flexible and responsive to what you need most. We move at a pace that respects your needs and never rushes change. Together, we pause to notice emotions, beliefs, and patterns, letting them gently guide your next steps.

How long do sessions last?

Individual sessions are 60-minutes. For the period we work together there’s no fixed timeline. Some people come for a short period of clarity and grounding; others work with me over time as their leadership, work, or life evolves. We regularly pause to reflect and adjust, so the work remains responsive and reciprocal.

How do you approach pricing?

My work is relationship-based, not one-size-fits-all. Pricing reflects the scope, depth, and context of the work we do together, and we discuss it transparently once we’ve clarified what support would be most meaningful for you.

Choose the Support That Fits

We shape our work around what feels most supportive for you. Whether you want a place to begin, steady support over time, or space to pause and reflect, we can find an approach that meets you where you are.

Grounding & Direction

Four-week coaching intensive

A focused place to begin when one concern needs your attention. This option is for anyone who wants a steady, supportive space to slow down, gently explore what's weighing on them, and discover a next step that feels right.

Over four weeks, we may work on:

·       Clarifying what needs your attention now

·       Noticing the beliefs, emotions, and patterns connected to the situation

·       Identifying choices, boundaries, conversations, or practices that may help

·       Leaving with a clearer sense of your next step and what support may serve you going forward

Path of Wisdom

Twelve-week signature coaching partnership

Path of Wisdom offers a three-month partnership with steady, compassionate support as you navigate whatever feels difficult, disconnected, or overwhelming in your life. This is a grounded and safe space to receive focused guidance and learn new ways to feel more grounded and whole, at your own pace. Together, we’ll focus on what matters most to you, notice the patterns that shape your days, and explore changes that honor your relationships, responsibilities, and unique situation.

Over twelve weeks, we may work on:

·      Understanding recurring patterns that leave you feeling depleted, stuck, or out of alignment

·      Developing greater clarity around decisions, needs, boundaries, and difficult conversations

·      Practicing ways of responding to stress and conflict that feel more grounded and intentional

·      Building rhythms and supports that fit your actual life

·      Strengthening your capacity to stay connected to yourself and the people you care about

·   Creating a path forward that feels both meaningful and workable

Deepening the Path

Six-month ongoing coaching partnership

A longer-term partnership for people who want steady support and space to reflect, adapt, and make changes over time. This option suits anyone whose responsibilities, relationships, work, or life changes could benefit from ongoing compassionate coaching. The support is tailored to your needs, not a fixed plan or set result.

Over six months, we may work on:

·      Recognizing patterns of stress and depletion earlier

·      Building more durable ways to respond to changing demands

·      Strengthening communication, boundaries, and relationship choices over time

·      Developing practices that support presence, energy, and meaning

·      Creating a personal framework for meeting future challenges with greater care and intention

For all offerings, we design our work to support you in the ways that feel best for you. Together, we’ll focus on what matters most to you and notice patterns in your daily life. We will create changes that fit your relationships, responsibilities, and situation. Depending on what you need, we might use reflection prompts, somatic practices, evidence-based assessments, practical exercises, or emotional intelligence tools. We will check in regularly to see what’s changing and whether we need to adjust our focus.

Begin with a Conversation

Feel free to reach out, even if you’re not sure where to begin. Our first step can be a free 60-minute conversation, where you can share what’s on your mind and what you’re hoping for, at your own pace. This is simply a grounded space to explore together whether this support feels like a good fit for you.

Areas of Focus

Finding Meaning and Direction

Together, we notice what feels out of sync and explore what has shifted for you. We make space for the challenges parents and teens can experience as they navigate meaning, direction, and values together, with particular care when each person may be feeling or needing different things. We take time to honor your choices and values, and consider small, compassionate steps that help you live in a way that feels more honest and true to yourself. Part of this journey is learning to trust the feelings that tell you when something is no longer right for you, and letting that awareness guide you toward a direction that feels more authentic as you rebuild your life.

Embracing Resilience and Integration

We talk about what you have been carrying, honoring the quiet strength it takes to keep going, and recognizing these burdens as you move from just getting by to feeling more stable. Together, we support your body and relationships, help you notice and understand your complex feelings, and encourage you to care for yourself with honesty and compassion as you move toward a more grounded, sustainable life.

Building Authentic Relationships and Presence

If your relationships feel strained or stretched thin because you have taken on too much, feel worn out, or are trying to hold yourself together, this space is for you. Together, we notice patterns of overdoing and reacting, and practice small pauses and grounding habits that help you reconnect with yourself and others. We explore ways to ask for what you need and set boundaries that honor both you and those you care about. Emotional intelligence guides this process by helping you recognize your feelings, stay connected to yourself during hard times, and respond in ways that are grounded, caring, and respectful to both you and others. In this way, parents and teens can reconnect and stay close to those they love and care about while also caring for themselves and protecting their own well-being.

Transformative Coach, Jonathan Strong facilitating a workshop with clients during an outdoor coaching retreat.
Coastal landscape with rocky cliffs and forested hills, ocean waves hitting the rocks, and a cloudy sky at sunset.

About me

I know firsthand what it’s like to go through hard times. There have been points in my life when everything felt overwhelming and out of balance, and it took patience and care to find my way back to self-compassion, purpose, and connection. My journey has led me into many different communities and situations, from supporting people in crisis and trauma to living and working in places where I sometimes felt invisible. My approach brings together my own healing and years of experience in behavioral health, cross-cultural conflict resolution, living abroad, and leading wilderness expeditions. These experiences help me connect with others in a genuine and caring way. For nearly twenty years, I have supported people facing homelessness, addiction, crisis, marginalization, and generational trauma. No matter where I work, I try to create a steady, respectful space where people can reconnect with what matters most to them. I also understand what it’s like to feel unseen or underrepresented at work and in life. That’s why this practice is here for anyone who is struggling to find their way, particularly people of color and LGBTQ individuals who have faced hardship in places that did not fully recognize them.


Jonathan Strong, coach and facilitator at Path of Wisdom in Portland, Oregon

Why this approach is different

This practice draws on personal experience and years of supporting teens, parents, and communities through crisis, transition, and recovery. It is guided by compassion, safety, groundedness, empathy, and a sense of belonging. Instead of promising quick breakthroughs, we focus on creating a safe, steady space where you are not rushed, and healing and purpose can grow together. Emotional intelligence is part of this work, not as something to perform or polish, but as a quiet, growing ability to understand yourself more clearly, hold your feelings with care, and let your values shape how you live.

At a glance

Complementing my own life experience, this practice is grounded in professional training and ongoing learning:

  • 15+ years supporting teens, parents, and communities through crisis, transition, and recovery

  • Master's in Conflict Analysis and Resolution

  • PCC-level coaching credentials through the International Coaching Federation

  • Certified 6 Seconds Emotional Intelligence Coach and Advanced Facilitator

  • Experience with community leaders, remote Native Alaskan communities, families, teens, wilderness therapy, crisis centers, and transitional living programs

Snow-capped mountain behind a forest with tall trees, reflected in a calm lake with mist at the water's edge.

When you are ready

When you feel ready, book a free 60-minute consultation to discuss what you are experiencing and what kind of support might help you move forward.

FAQ

Contact us

Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. Looking forward to hearing from you!