Meet the Expert Guiding Your Willful Joy Journey

Jen combines decades of clinical experience with neuroscience-based coaching, supporting women in setting boundaries, reclaiming self-trust, and restoring emotional balance.

Clinical Depth

From Therapy to Coaching: The Willful Joy Difference

What sets my programs apart is a bridge between clinical therapy and results-based coaching. After decades of experience as a mental health therapist, I founded Willful Joy to expand support for women who needed more than a self-help book, but were not looking for therapy. As your coach, I bring a wealth of clinical knowledge to every session. This means you are not just receiving generic advice, but targeted interventions that address the real psychological barriers faced by high-functioning women. Together, we will identify self-defeating patterns. I'll show you how to manage the guilt that often accompanies setting boundaries, and interrupt people-pleasing habits in real time. My coaching programs are structured around neuroscience-based tools that help heal the nervous system as you build new skills, providing practical solutions for busy professionals. Unlike standard life coaching, Willful Joy's approach is grounded in years of clinical best practices and a deep understanding of the issues affecting women.

Meet Jen Starkey

Jen Starkey, MA, MFT

Women’s Empowerment & Emotional Resilience Coach | Therapist | Writer

Jen Starkey is a Women’s Empowerment and Emotional Resilience Coach devoted to guiding women in cultivating self-compassion, healthy boundaries, and a deep connection to their authentic selves. Throughout her 30 years of experience as a mental health clinician, Jen's greatest professional joy stemmed from helping women identify and honor their emotions, speak their truth, and reconnect with who they truly are.

​Her passion for supporting empaths, people-pleasers, emotional caretakers, and those navigating co-dependency stems from both her personal experience and professional expertise. ​Drawing from her own healing journey, Jen brings empathy, authenticity, and wisdom to her work with clients. Her message is, "You are worthy, and you make sense."

Jen’s work is especially focused on high-achieving yet emotionally exhausted women who are ready to prioritize their well-being without guilt and create the life they truly deserve. Through her signature Core-Connection Coaching Program, she helps women reclaim their voice, redefine what self-care means, and embrace their inherent worth.

Beyond her coaching practice, Willful Joy, Jen is a writer, publisher of a local magazine, and co-host of the weekly podcast Therapists IRL, where she shares real, relatable conversations about life, healing, and growth.

Jen Starkey, MA, MFT

Willful Joy Coaching & Consulting

715-571-7185

willfuljoyliving@gmail.com

Women Supporting Women

REAL STORIES, REAL SUPPORT: YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Willful Joy Coaching and Consulting was created from years of conversations with women and a belief that the right kind of support can be transformative. It’s also deeply personal. For 30 years, I’ve supported women as a mental health professional and loved it. But I began to notice a gap: so many women struggle with boundaries, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and the pressure to have it all together. We’re often taught to accomodate, not rock the boat, and not be “too much.” Many of us learn early on that our worth is tied to what we achieve, how much we give, or how well we take care of others. I have personally experienced the exhaustion of perfectionism, the pain of codependency, and the gradual loss of self that comes from prioritizing everyone but yourself. I’ve paid the price of disconnection from the authentic self, and I’ve fought hard to find my way back. While some of these challenges are best addressed in therapy, many women are in a different place. They've already done the therapy or aren’t seeking mental health treatment, but they do want more support than a book, podcast, or social media post can provide. Willful Joy is a coaching practice designed to meet women in that in-between space, offering guidance, connection, and practical tools for building a more authentic, fulfilling life. When you work with me, whether through my group coaching program, my workshops, or my individual coaching, you get authenticity, and accountability with compassion. I bring both professional expertise and lived experience to every conversation because growth happens when we feel genuinely seen, supported, and understood. I'm not just an instructor, but a partner who stands with you as you reclaim your emotional sovereignty. Whether we meet virtually or in person, you'll find compassion, practical tools, and real support every step of the way. You don't have to go it alone.

FAQS

Frequently Asked Questions About THE Coach