Are you trying to stay positive, but struggling?
It's time to build your mental fitness.
Hi, I'm Dr. Lara Wallace.
As a Positive Intelligence® coach, I can help you change how you speak to yourself for a hopeful, happier, and less-anxious life!
Mental Fitness for Caring People Who Want to Pursue their Passions and Live Harmoniously
Build powerful habits for a positive mind, and in only two months, you will free up time and mental space for your wellbeing so that you can live a fuller, sustainable life and enjoy improved relationships with yourself and others!
Why people need a Positive Intelligence® coach
Research-Backed Tools
Stay focused on identifying and decreasing your negative thoughts by systematically increasing your positive thoughts.
Positive Habit Building
Building one muscle at a time towards self-command is how you will build new neural pathways to form lasting positive habits.
Individual Support
More of a friend than a teacher, a coach gently guides you towards self-actualization.
First-Hand Advice
The best guide is someone who has already made the journey.
I am excited to share with you the techniques I've learned over the years
that have brought me much happiness and time to pursue my passions.
Lara Wallace, PhD
My name is Lara Wallace, I am in my late forties, living in Athens, Ohio. I am a Positive Intelligence coach.
Lara Wallace is a coach, teacher, entrepreneur, cellist, climate-solutions and nature enthusiast, mother of twins, and martial artist who believes that everyone has the responsibility to uplift themselves and their community so that we can effect positive change for current and future generations. She has spent her professional career empowering others through education. Specifically, she helps climate solutions and sustainability professionals to speak effectively and confidently, graduate students to communicate their research to a variety of audiences, and caring people like you who want to live your passion for a fulfilling life without the self-imposed stress. More importantly, she knows that the answers to your problems are within you--and she will guide you towards those answers. As a PQ® Coach trained in Positive Intelligence®, she is qualified to guide you through the PQ® core foundations program, which you will access using the PQ® app, and is based on the research and best-selling book, Positive Intelligence, by Shirzad Charmine.
Early Stages
My journey into self-help began as an undergraduate student when my path towards becoming a concert cellist was cut short thanks to injury. Completely lost and unsure what to do, I began training in martial arts, switched my major to Spanish, and travelled abroad for the first time. It was in this period that I was introduced to yoga, herbal medicine, shamanic journeywork tools, and meditation. While these practices and a number of self-help books were instrumental in my personal growth and healing, I longed for ways to bring such growth and peace to my community. As well, my deep connection to nature and growing awareness of how prevalent and destructive monocropping and the extraction-based, fossil fuel-driven economy is to the planet led to a sense of powerlessness as eco-anxiety crept in. Inspired by local business leaders in Athens who led healthier ways of bringing people together for social and environmental justice, I strove to join them. Gathering together people of different nationalities and socio-economic backgrounds through events at my teashop, Pangaea International Tea and Coffee in Athens, was a short-lived start.
Career Start
With my Masters in Linguistics and PhD in Cultural Studies in Education, I forged a 17-year career at Ohio University, listening deeply and helping people from a variety of nationalities and fields of study to communicate effectively. Between the "restructuring" plans of OU administrators and the whispers of a coming pandemic, it was time to move on. I worked day and night to launch English for Sustainability--my business--while finishing my last year as faculty at OU and helping my elementary school-aged daughters with their online learning, burning myself out after a year. I tried counseling, and returned to healing practices to pull myself out. Yet, the anxiety remained. All of that changed when a colleague from Cornell asked me to join her in a coach-training program called Positive Intelligence (PQ®). Life still has its challenges and we are in dire need of climate solutions, but I have been handling these challenges and worries with such ease and flow. Best part? I began coaching people in Positive Intelligence® in January 2024, and now serve the Athens community and beyond.
Services
Workshops
Sometimes we just need a small breakthrough to start changing our mindset for the better. Workshops are a great way to open our eyes and take an easy step towards positive change.
Sign up for PQ® information for messages about upcoming workshops delivered to your inbox.
Sign up for more information on future workshop opportunities, tips, and PQ® info.
Saboteur Discovery Call
When you unmask your "Saboteurs," you deepen your awareness of the negative impact and true cost of your negative thinking habits. By understanding how your Saboteurs undermine your happiness, you can begin to recognize and reset your reactions before they take control.
PQ®-Powered Private Coaching
In your coaching session, Lara will lead you through the PQ® process of discovering your own wisdom within in a gently guided introspection to help you problem-solve and get unstuck. When relevant, she will offer her own ideas from her broad experience and intuition. A session summary is available upon request.
PQ® Core Foundations Program
The best solution, of course is to build your PQ® through a combination of daily practice, understanding of how to rewire your brain for better habits, and enjoying the support of a coach and community who share your values and goals.
Sign up for PQ® information for messages about upcoming cohorts delivered to your inbox, or contact Lara if you are ready to start now.
What if everything in your life has brought you to this moment for a purpose?
In this 92-minute workshop, you’ll be gently guided through reflection on your life’s chapters, exploring them at your own pace to gain clarity about your next steps.
You’ll have the opportunity to share insights with the group, if you feel comfortable.
Focus on what feels most meaningful to you, and you'll set intentions and identify actionable steps to move forward with confidence and hope.
Missed it?
Watch the replay! 👉
What You'll Need:
Notebook or journal
Pen or pencil
Kristina's experience with the workshop:
"I took a workshop with Lara Wallace today, learning about “Positive Intelligence”. It was a refreshingly proactive approach to self knowledge away from self sabotage. I am checking it out further because I enjoyed how “unheavy” it was while not being toxically positive or bypassing."
"I loved how today’s workshop effectively addressed an overview of our entire lifetime of joys and struggles from the clarity of a bird’s eye view. It allowed me to see all the truths without getting caught in the stories and reactions. This approach allowed me to acknowledge my truth as I see it in this moment, revealing rhythm and patterns over decades. Lara’s intuitive and informed guidance allowed me to avoid the pitfalls of attachment and judgement of the varied truths. Lara created an informal and light hearted atmosphere that was safe, respectful and masterfully curated to fluidly respond to individual’s needs. Lara wove heady internal explorations with breathwork, qigong exercises and even snacks LOL to manage any emotional reactions or energy disassociations that came up as we traversed decades of our personal histories. She coached us expertly to modulate our awareness and non attachment/reactivity to the highs and lows of a fully explored life. Lara anticipated any needs so skillfully, slowing things down and helping to move things through as needed, which created a deep sense of safety. The workshop just made me want to explore this work further."
Kristina Snow
(Workshop Attendee "Your Meaningful Life"
Please note that you will need to provide your own snacks in the virtual version, and that qigong exercises were only for the in-person event.
Otherwise, this transformative 90-minute workshop is the same.
Here's How Mental Fitness Training Can Help You
Mental fitness is your ability to stay positive, and taking clear, focused action when needed, even in the face of challenges.
The trouble is that when we are under too much pressure or go down negative spirals of anxiety and stress, we call on the same survival mechanisms we have been using since we were young. These are not always helpful. In fact, they can be quite damaging in the long run, habituating us to a stress response to get us through this and the next (and the next and next) situation.
When you build your mental fitness, you are more able to recognize the moment you are going into a destructive survival habit, and redirect it to a more positive reaction that puts you on the path of ease and flow--even in the face of major challenges. Be your own hero and create a non-toxic space for your self-talk!
Strong Mental Fitness Helps You With:
How you treat and talk to yourself
How you react to others
How you respond to situations
Specifically, strong mental fitness can help you to:
Reduce anxiety and overwhelm
Stay calm
Be kind to yourself
Be patient with others
Improve self-control
Stop self-destructive habits (like skin and fingernail picking, eating unhealthy foods)
Improve relationships with loved ones
Have easier relationships with people who seem difficult to get along with
Remain hopeful and helpful when eco-anxiety rears its ugly head
Testimonials
In between a full-time nursing job, I homestead and have 3 children (ages 16, 14, and 5), animals, and orchards. I grow and preserve food, too. So, when I get home, I have a lot of chores--which can get overwhelming and frustrating. After taking the PQ core fundamentals with Lara, I am able to find more joy in the present moments, no matter what chore-- big or small--is at hand. I still fall down in my challenges at times…but I get up faster and with less damage. I feel like the PQ Foundations emotionally detangled my feelings and helped to organize it all neatly in my brain. The challenges in life now feel manageable– including my stress!
Karen Carlson
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
Last week, my next-door neighbor's house burned down. When my dogs alerted and woke me up, the back of the neighbor's house was fully engulfed in flames. The houses here are pretty close together, so it was scary.
Previously, I would have been completely overwhelmed; all the stress, fear, and anxiety would have stuck together and turned into a big, unstoppable mass and I would've been paralyzed and unable to think clearly about what to do. Instead, to my surprise, I was able to keep a cool head. I made sure we were safe, checked to see whether anyone had called 911 (someone had, firefighters were on the scene), and amazingly, did NOT have any panic attacks. I had a few intrusive thoughts but was able to calm them and they never got out of hand.
Alexandra moyer
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
This program provided such an insightful framework that allowed me to identify emotional barriers and help move through them. Honoring my brightest potential, mostly reminding me of it, I have a renewed outlook and am uplifted, tapping into serving and building my highest self. I am grateful for Lara’s gentle and supportive demeanor.
Renee Ripple
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
We all have issues and need to be able to share them. In our PQ pods, we committed to bringing each other up-- not tearing each other down. Lara helped our discussions stay on track in a friendly and polite way. She shared information without lecturing us. She is a good listener, making sure that everyone has the chance to share. I love that Lara created a safe space for us to be honest with ourselves and each other.
ABBEY CROUSE
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
This course has brought some much-needed self-discipline back into my life. While it was a big commitment for 6 weeks the tools and resources that I received were absolutely worth the work. This course has helped me to find my voice during difficult conversations and to help me look at the world through others' eyes and find hidden gifts in challenging situations. Overall, I highly recommend 10/10!!!
Amanda sharrai
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
SH
(WORKSHOP ATTENDEE, "Stop the spiral")
I was feeling unfocused and stressed about my business and income, so I reached out to Lara for a coaching session. I expected to walk away with a list of new income-generating ideas, but what I got was so much more. Lara helped me see that I didn’t need to do a ton of new things but that I already had everything I needed right now to grow my business and bring in more income. She shared really practical advice for building on what I’m already doing and implementing new strategies. Her blend of Positive Intelligence coaching, Human Design, and personal insight from our friendship made the session feel so specially tailored to me - I felt so seen! Lara brought humour, kindness, and total presence throughout the session, making me feel supported and never judged. In just an hour, she completely shifted my mindset. I went from feeling stuck in a hopeless place to clearly seeing all the good things I had going for me and the possibilities ahead. I left feeling more optimistic, motivated, and with a much clearer sense of direction. I literally got straight to work right after the session, after months of feeling stuck. She was incredibly generous with her time, and I can’t recommend her enough!
Jamie Pei
Harrogate, UK
Coach / Phd trainer
(PQ® Coaching Client)
Recently, I was checking in on an elderly neighbor after we had severe weather. When I called her, she was totally distressed. One of her cats had gone missing, and to top it off, she worried that she may have had a stroke. After a brief moment of "oh shit!" panic, a story that you shared in an email popped into my mind. I thought to myself: ...stay calm, evaluate the situation, and ask more questions. Soon, we realized she wasn't in physical danger, and I helped her use Facebook to find the cat. In the story you shared, "instead of panicking and freaking out, letting her heart keep racing as her survival brain showed her exaggerated futures of despair, Paula stopped." It worked for me, too!
I helped a friend and all was better.The story you shared really helped me a lot.
WENDY
(WORKSHOP ATTENDEE & on PQ INFORMATION MAILING LIST)
There is SO MUCH to be thankful for, but sometimes, our negative thoughts don't allow us to look on the bright side of things. I would like to thank you for taking your time to help us find our ways. I admire you for being brave enough to overcome difficulties and doing so MUCH for other people. You are a great human being, Lara!
Paula figueroa
(workshop attendee)
I'm grateful to you, Lara, for sharing this knowledge because it reinforces empowering tools I've learned, but often forget about in moments of stress. I'm grateful for everyday lessons to remind us to slow down, breathe, get in touch with the body and choose again when the negative thoughts overwhelm. Somatic practices have been very healing to me, personally. I am grateful for all the lessons!
Karen R.
(workshop attendee)
Lara’s coaching felt like a genuine, easy conversation! I really appreciated how naturally she tackled my concerns, offering practical direction and support to get me moving forward.
Akiva S.
PQ® Purpose Coach and Numerologist – providing unseen insight to help find your sweet spot
(PQ® Coaching client)
(Chatting informally several weeks later...Here's the abridged version:)
I think your presence and coaching is kind of a force multiplier for PQ. If we hadn't had the initial intensive with you--if I had tried to do it all by myself--I don't know that I would have been so successful. You are a really good coach!
Alexandra moyer
(PQ® Foundations Graduate)
WENDY
(WORKSHOP ATTENDEE--LIGHT MEDITATION)
Pricing
Workshops
Free*
*Some might have a small fee.
Variety of Formats
Offered Seasonally
Join Mailing List to Stay Updated
Saboteur Discovery Call
Free
Sign up if you're serious about self-actualization.
Saboteur Assessment from PQ®
60-Minute Zoom Call
Coach-Guided
PQ® Core Foundations
$995*
*Special pricing available if needed.
8-Week Program
PQ® App Access
Coach-Facilitated Community
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Positive Intelligence?
Let’s start with what it is NOT. Positive Intelligence is not some wishy-washy, feel-good, saccharine faith-based system. It is not woo woo (and I know and appreciate the woo, as someone with a deep interest in unexplained phenomena, non-western healing modalities, and other ways of knowing).
Instead, PQ® is a research-backed mental fitness program that was developed from Shirzad Charmine’s synthesis of studies in neuroscience, cognitive behavioral psychology, positive psychology, and performance science that is designed to build your capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive mindset. It can help you approach life with peace of mind, improve relationships, and enhance your performance. Charmine’s research is summarized in the NY Times best-selling book, Positive Intelligence.
Is the PQ® Core Fundamentals a 6-week or an 8-week program?
The program is 8 weeks. We spend the first week getting to know the app and our pod. The next 6-weeks are for PQ® skill building in the app. The 8th week is a celebration of your accomplishments and an introduction to applications of PQ® plus your free trial of GROW.
When is the start date for the the PQ® Core Fundamentals?
Lara offers 1 cohort per season. You may pre-register at any time after speaking with Lara (to ensure that the program is a good fit). You're encouraged to pre-register as soon as possible to save your seat. These dates are tentative.
Winter 2025: February 3-March 30
Spring 2025: March 24 - May 18
Summer 2025: July 7 - August 30
Fall 2025: October 27 - December 20
Is PQ® Core Fundamentals like a regular class? I’ve been out of school for a while…
No, the 8-week PQ® program is not like any class you have had in traditional school, especially pre-Covid. While we meet once weekly as a pod, you'll do the rest of the program privately on your own time. There are many different ways to learn–through the videos, reading, talking in our pod, and connecting with the larger community in the app. Much of the learning is experiential.
How much of my TIME will the PQ® Core Fundamentals take?
Clients are often surprised by how little of an interruption to their day the PQ® activities are. There are multiple tasks, and you have flexibility regarding when you complete most of them. The only set time you have is your weekly 1-hour pod meeting during the 8-week program, which will take place on a Monday or Tuesday.
Everything else takes place in the app, and the app will send you notifications so that you can stay on top of your commitment. If you do the work as planned, most of it is in short, 2-minute bursts so that it is not overwhelming or too uncomfortable. The other tasks during the 8-week program include:
Watching a 1-hour video sometime between Saturday and Monday
Completing 15-minutes of daily practice in the app between Monday and Friday:
a. Listen to the 2-minute daily focus in the morning, b. complete three 2-minute Coach Challenges throughout the day, c. complete a brief reflection in the evening, d. maybe do some PQ® reps in the gym
Reading the NY Times Best Selling Book, Positive Intelligence, or listening to the audio book
What's a pod?
Your pod is a small group of up to 5 people who are taking this program with you and Lara at the same time.
If you want to make your own pod of 3-5 people, get started early. It often takes people between 3-6 months of lead time. You can start by sharing this website with them. Once everyone in your pod agrees on which cohort to join, contact Lara with your interest. She will want to talk with each person to make sure that the program is a good fit before anyone commits.
What is the PQ® Gym?
The Gym is in the app. There are a variety of exercises (PQ® reps) for you to do whenever you need an extra boost–before an important meeting, or a potentially tense discussion, for example. They are in 2-minute, 5-minute, and 12-minute chunks so that you can customize them based on what best suits your mood. As you do your PQ® reps in the gym, you will see how charged up your PQ® battery is. The higher the charge, the more easily you will be able to handle whatever challenges come your way.
How much does this cost? Money is tight.
How much are you spending on self-help or self-care activities that help you cope for a few hours? How much are you spending on alcohol or other substances to calm your anxious mind? Many people spend more money on quick fixes than you will spend to change your habits and mindset through the PQ® Core Foundations program. If you do the work, it works. In fact, if you show up to every pod meeting and do all of the assigned work in the app and do not show an increase in your PQ® muscle in the app, I’ll refund you.
The 8-week program costs $997. It is possible to pay in installments if necessary (50% must be paid upfront). If you are unable to afford the $997 for the 8-week program, please get in touch with me as I do have special rates and I am open to barter. Know that YOU are worth investing in. And your investment in my services will help me to continue bringing PQ to our loved ones and communities.
Is the PQ@ Core Fundamentals a group program or an individual program?
The 8-week program works best when you can join a pod–a small group of up to 5 people.
If you are a private person who will feel less able to share in pods where you don’t know everyone, please consider sharing this opportunity with a few people you already trust so that you can be in a pod together.
It is possible to do this program individually, if necessary, although there are no special rates available for individual programs.
Please read the question above--"What's a pod?"--for more information.
I’m introverted. How intense is the “people-ing” in the PQ® Core Fundamentals?
You will meet with your pod once weekly for an hour over 8 weeks. While we will be discussing our understanding and experiences of each week’s material, pod members are encouraged to share for an equal amount of time, and no preparation is necessary. It’s not as intense as some of my introverted clients initially feared it would be. In fact, it’s often laid back and calming–yet invigorating.
When is the best time to do the PQ® 8-week program?
This program works best when you incorporate it into your daily life. You must be able to prioritize your work in the 8-week program, so do not take this if you are absolutely overwhelmed or incapable of getting onto an app daily and meeting weekly with your pod.
If you are generally in a positive mental space, this program can help you keep that sage feeling without getting completely thrown off when life throws its challenges your way.
If you are burnt out, hopeless, clinically depressed to the point of being unable to do anything, it’s better if you seek therapy and wait to do PQ® once you are feeling able to focus.
Who should take this 8-week program?
If you are seeking more peace and calm, if you wish to have more control over how you react to life’s challenges, and you are willing to do the hard work of stretching and growing, this is for you.
If you want to help yourself so that you can better help your family, friends, clients, and community, this is for you.
To do this well, you must be able to commit to doing this 8-week program like an A or B student.
You must also be open-minded and willing to recognize some of the more difficult ways that you have been reacting to the world. Looking your Saboteurs square in the eye can be a humbling experience, especially if you–like most of us–have the habit of beating yourself up, despite your kindness and compassion for other people, plants, and animals. Lara will help you, and your pod will help, as long as you are willing to share vulnerably in this safe space.
What is your role in this, Lara?
I will be your pod facilitator, your personal cheerleader, your accountability nudge, and your sparker of insight. I’ll share PQ® reps that are not included in the app so that you can expand your practice. I will also serve as a coach, guiding you from the side instead of talking at you. This app-guided program will feature weekly video lessons and daily practice activities led by the founder of Positive Intelligence, Shirzad Charmine. If you choose to GROW, you will also have the opportunity to attend live monthly sessions that he leads.
Is this therapy?
No. This is not therapy. But it is therapeutic. Positive Intelligence is an operating system that will help you introduce more ease and flow into your life through a combination of knowledge and practice. Specifically, PQ® will help you to identify when you are self-sabotaging, and will give you tools and practice strengthening your ability to shift away from self-sabotage towards self-command so that you can face your daily challenges with a sage mindset.
I’ve experienced Trauma. Will we explore this in PQ®?
No. We will not be opening “the trauma box” in PQ®. You will not be spilling your guts. You will only examine and share what you wish. While what you learn in PQ® will help you to manage your reactions to daily challenges and even equip you to handle potentially traumatic situations with more calm and clarity than you would have before, we will not be dealing directly with your trauma. Past clients have found it beneficial to work with a therapist for processing their trauma.
I have been diagnosed with ADHD. Can I still benefit from this?
Past clients who were diagnosed with ADHD who have been able to prioritize completing the daily requirements of the 8-week program and who have consistently done their work in the app have benefited greatly from this program. Those who have been unable to prioritize the work, stick to a schedule, or consistently work in the app have not experienced much of a benefit.
The bottom line is that if you do the work, it will work.
After I finish the 8-week PQ® Core Foundations program, what’s next?
You will have a 2-week free trial of GROW, which is also available in the app. Because you are moving from skill building and neural pathway development to application of Sage powers, GROW is self-paced and customizable. It allows you to continue learning and building your PQ® muscles.
Lara will give you details later of what else is next so that you can continue working together, if you like. More to come!
Get In Touch
Email: lara@english4sustainability.com
Office: Athens, Ohio, USA
Email: lara@english4sustainability.com