nicole bensen
Nicole Bensen
These are a few of my favorite things!
What do baking, red lipstick, and spreadsheets have in common?
Hello, I’m Nicole Bensen—a happiness ambassador, traveler (when we’re not in a pandemic), facilitator, Positive Psychology coach, veteran Google employee, wife, mom, pet-owner, and life-long learner—and I’m delighted you’re here.
My expertise comes from years working at fast-paced, Silicon Valley companies; I know what it’s like to spend all day in strategy and planning meetings, to put out fires, to go through performance reviews, to hire the right people, to manage a team, and THEN (take a breath) play email catch-up and do core work at night.
About Nicole
My last role in Corporate America was managing a wellbeing program for executive women. While doing this dream job at a dream company with a dream partner and two kids, my life was perfect on paper, yet I ended up experiencing burn-out myself. Ironic, no?
I’m using my 20+ years working in Silicon Valley and my background in adult learning, development, and training to share the tools I've personally used to get to a healthier mental and emotional place.
My mission is both to live, and encourage and support others to live, a more meaningful, connected, and happy life.
The San Francisco Bay Area has been my home for nearly four decades, so if you need a local’s recommendation for anything, just ask. I live with my husband, two daughters (and a son joining us in December), and two cats. I love red lipstick, the sound of rain, baking macarons, and rocking a good themed outfit (bring on the holiday prints!).
group program
Online
coaching
One-on-one
#IamRemarkable
Free workshop
retreats
Global
workshops
Corporate
One-on-one Positive Psychology Coaching: We’ll meet for 50 minutes weekly or bi-weekly (your choice) and work together toward achieving a goal you have (or helping you discover what that goal is if you’re feeling stuck). My methods are based in empirically-validated techniques for assessing and developing potential, identifying and overcoming obstacles, and supporting you to achieve greater levels of success.
My signature group program, “Next Level You,” gives simple, actionable tools to busy, overwhelmed, stressed-out people who want help in increasing happiness and resilience, overcoming Imposter Syndrome, and feeling worthy beyond accomplishments.
Corporate facilitation: My most-popular corporate workshop, “Increasing happiness, resilience, and success,” is 90-minutes of simple, fun, research-backed ideas. I’m also happy to talk about custom workshops for your group’s needs. Previous teams have used my workshops as a lunch-and-learn, an offering during wellness week, manager forums, and for team meetings and onsites/offsites.
“Your content could not be more timely for so many of our managers both personally and professionally and it was lovely to see everyone respond to you - those who know you and those who don't. Thanks again for sharing your scientifically grounded approach to what really makes our worlds spin and for giving us more tangible resources to support ourselves and our teams.”
- Nina, Staffing Manager at Google
“Your session was just what we needed and was timed so perfectly to close our year. It almost felt indulgent during the 90 minutes yesterday. Thank you for your passion about this and leaving us with tools to use. We are all better for it!”
- Julie, People Operations Director at Google
Recent feedback:
Watch this page for global wellbeing retreats for women once we’re traveling again. Picture luxe accommodations and wellbeing activities, like enjoying the spa, cheese-tasting, chocolate-making, and learning about self-compassion.
I am a volunteer facilitator for #IamRemarkable, a Google initiative empowering women and underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. Connect with me to chat about one for your group.
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I'll be in touch as soon as I can. If you haven't heard from me in three business days, that means there may have been a submission error, so feel free to email me directly at nicole@tentaclesandtea.com.
