As a military spouse, Charleta Harvey knows all too well the unique challenges faced by women affiliated with the military, whether they wear the uniform or support someone who does. That is why she started Patriot Woman Coaching, a company in Portsmouth that helps military associated women of all ages and backgrounds to balance military life with their civilian duties.
Harvey, a mother of two who has more than a decade of experience in life and in wellness and executive coaching, comes from a long line of aunts and uncles who served in various branches of the military. She met her husband, Michael, while he was a cadet at the U.S. Naval Academy and she a student at George Washington University in Washington D.C. The couple married in 2001 and soon after her husband was deployed for the first time following the September 11 attacks. Many deployments and change in duty stations followed before Harvey and her family settled in Hampton Roads in 2015. She decided to start Patriot Woman Coaching based in part on her experience with the military, as well as the experiences of girlfriends who’ve been through similar situations.
“I know what it’s like,” she says. “Women have unique wants, needs and fears. I wanted to help address their needs. Women need extra support.”
Patriot Woman Coaching, which is a part of the women’s business collective at The Mustard Seed Place, provides resources and support for veterans, active military women and military wives. Services include life and wellness coaching for women as they transition to civilian life after leaving the military, as well as executive coaching as they seek employment for the first time or reenter the workforce after an extended period of time
“We offer life management support as women navigate the unknowns and adjust to their new normal,” Harvey says. “The executive coaching pathway is about helping them find their voice and where they fit in as they enter the workforce.”
Currently, Harvey has 15 clients, some of whom are local and others from across the country whom she meets with virtually. Harvey, who has been coaching for more than a decade including a three-year stint as a goal coach at the HER shelter in Portsmouth, was also an executive coach for The Honor Foundation, a career transition program for U.S. Special Operations Forces. Currently, she is also involved with the VET Entrepreneur Program through the Metropolitan Business League of Richmond, which provides executive coaching services to veterans and military spouses looking to launch their own businesses. Eventually she would like to hire another coach and expand services at Patriot Women Coaching. Her ultimate goal is to offer services for women at every military base in the United States.
“I’ve set out to provide a service, a support network and an emotional safe haven for women like me,” she says. “I want Patriot Woman Coaching to be a respite for those women affiliated with the military regardless of rank or role and to have an impact on their lives.”
Learn more at patriotwomancoaching.com.
