Lauren Zander

A pioneer in the personal coaching field, Lauren has led thousands of individuals, from teenagers to CEOs, on a path of personal discovery using the methodology she has developed over the past 15 years; The Handel Method™.

Concerned with the issues of global warming and human impact on the environment, Zander held the prestigious post of Earth Fellow at the UN Development Program’s Global Environment Facility. During this time, she also began exploring personal development education. She signed on at one of the country’s first personal development corporations, where she coached individuals and led seminars. Her coaching methodology was successful with her private clients and she later developed a coach-training program to school other would-be coaches in the techniques of The Handel Method™, which led to the creation of The Handel Group®.

With nearly two decades of experience and a client list which includes hundreds of individuals, groups, entrepreneurs, couples, families, and executives at BASF, Sony BMG, NYU Medical Center, and The New York Times Company, The Handel Group guides people through their most challenging and vulnerable stages in life. Through an engaging, edgy and truthful conversation, which first confronts and then inspires, Lauren is able to help people strip away the psychological or emotional burdens that hold them back.

One of Lauren’s most ambitious dreams was to impact higher education by creating a curriculum that addresses how a person can lead a powerful, fulfilling and happy life through a focus on Personal Integrity®. Toward that end, Lauren is currently in her fifth year teaching a popular and groundbreaking course at MIT called Designing Your Life. She starts teaching her new course “Leading Your Life” at Stanford Business School in 2012.

Lauren recently had the honor of moderating a roundtable for the White House Office of Social Innovation at Stanford University, and in December, 2011 gave a TED Talk at the renowned TEDx Women’s Conference in Amsterdam called “No one is coming to save you: becoming your own hero.” She has been featured in the New York Times, the BBC, Forbes Magazine, Marie Claire, SELF and writes a monthly column for the Huffington Post and Bottom Line Magazine. She authored the weekly “Coaches Corner” column for Businessweek from 2008-2010, and is a contributing expert on Dr. Drew’s television show Lifechangers. She lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband of 12 years and her three wonderful children.

“I had my first meeting with Lauren Zander at the recommendation of a friend and business associate, who I think very highly of. I would not have gone on my own, and I was not enthusiastic about the idea of meeting with a “Life Coach.” However, when I met Lauren my skepticism disappeared instantly. Lauren was nothing like what I had expected. Her approach was brutally honest, but her personality was fun and creative in a way that was so engaging that it took me by surprise. What made the strongest impression on me was her incredible gift for insight. After asking me a few questions, she discerned things about me which I had not even considered, but which rang so true when they were said, that I couldn’t believe that they had not been common knowledge before. It was a moving experience, which helped me to honestly identify the things that are most important in my life and how best to focus on them. Working with Lauren has been incredibly engaging and strangely comfortable, even when the things that she says and the actions that she recommends are not comfortable at all. It doesn’t take long to realize that even her most uncomfortable assignments, create incredible satisfaction when they are achieved. The comfort comes from knowing that what you are working toward is the truth, and that your most sincere goals are now taking priority, that they cannot be put on the back burner, and that you have an astute and objective conspirator working with you toward your own success. Once Lauren helps you to put together a plan for achieving your dreams and not just being distracted by the day to day things that come up at random, it is very liberating. My work with Lauren helps me to maintain the perspective necessary to follow my dreams honestly and without distractions or excuses. Her bare-knuckled attitude is an incredible asset, keeping me honest with myself as we move down the road to success.”

Chris Dell’Olio President, Master Mind Artist Management