Barley Birney

When I was Director of Women for Refugee Women, I had the pleasure of being coached by Barley for several months during a particularly challenging period. I was navigating difficult conversations while also planning my departure from the role and seeking clarity about my next steps. I was deeply impressed by Barley’s ability to listen with care and insight, and to offer support that was both practical and emotionally grounded. Over the course of our six months together, I felt increasingly confident and empowered to handle complex conversations, gained real clarity about the decisions I needed to make, and developed a clear, achievable plan for my future goals. Barley is a highly skilled, empathetic, and focused coach, and I would wholeheartedly recommend her to any leader seeking thoughtful guidance and support to achieve their ambitions.

Barley is an exceptional coach. She brings an impressive breadth of knowledge across leadership, psychology, and business, and applies it with real precision to whatever challenge you’re facing. Her insight and clarity consistently elevate your thinking, and she has a rare ability to help you unlock meaningful, lasting change. I recommend her wholeheartedly to anyone seeking a coach who can genuinely transform the way they lead and work.

Barley has been an exceptional coach over the last year - supporting me navigate the dynamics of being a CEO of a small charity; whilst working with complexity. I have appreciated the mix of both pragmatism and expansiveness to the sessions - I always go away feeling revived and can step back into the challenges of leadership.

Barley is a great coach who supported me through a difficult time. Barley helped me to manage my personality better, improve my personal and professional relationships, creating space and confidence to take an important step up in my career.

Barley is an exceptional coach who supported me through a difficult time. Barley helped me to manage my time better, improve my personal and professional relationships, creating space and confidence to take an important step up in my career. Barley has a refreshing communication style which is warm yet focussed, so we achieved a lot together in a short time. To have Barley in my corner was a game-changer!

Working with Barley over the last year has been transformative. She is warm, professional, and highly skilled, offering a flexible approach that gently holds space for reflection. Through her coaching, I’ve been able to consider important aspects of my life - professionally and personally - and make decisions that feel psychologically informed and aligned with my values. Over the last year I have navigated major life changes with confidence and clarity, which feels rare during such a period of transition. I’m deeply grateful for Barley’s support and look forward to continuing our work together. Dr Anna Lipscomb (Educational Psychologist)