Elsa Arend

About

Elsa has lived in Charlotte for 17 years and is nestled in the suburbs of Providence Plantation with her husband, 2 children and Maltese dog. After 23 years working in corporate marketing and suffering two rounds of burnout, she hired a coach who changed her life in such a profound way that she was inspired to become a coach herself. 

She is an experienced ICF credentialed Executive Leadership + Life Coach. Her background spans business leadership positions across marketing, client services, operations and talent management. Elsa is frequently called upon to serve as a speaker on such topics as burnout, emotional intelligence, healthy boundary setting, unleashing confidence, embracing imperfection, and how to assert and use one’s voice.

Drawing from her own professional and personal experiences, she deeply understands the journey from stress and overwhelm to clarity and energy. Using trauma-informed coaching techniques, Elsa empowers her clients to design lives they’re excited to wake up to each day.

Elsa holds a BA in Communications and Journalism from American University. She is certified in several coaching programs including International Coaching Federation (ICF), Transformational Coaching, Heart Core Leadership and YogaHealer.

My story starts with success that nearly destroyed me unfortunately. 

At 35, I was promoted to Executive Vice President at a marketing agency after quickly climbing the corporate ladder. I was leading an entire division, making great money, checking every box society told me mattered.

But my body was screaming. Anxiety attacks, insomnia, hair falling out, and a rare vocal cord condition called spasmodic dysphonia that made me sound like I was about to cry or like a broken record. Not exactly the executive presence you want in the C-suite.

I thought I could power through it. That’s what high-achieving women do, right? We ignore the warning signs, push past our limits, and prove our worth through productivity.

Until my body forced me to stop.

I took six months off, thinking rest would fix everything. 

When I returned to work, I accepted a lower title and salary, convinced I was ready. But here’s what I didn’t understand then: burnout isn’t simply about overworking or over functioning. What really drives burnout are the patterns that keep us trapped, like people pleasing, over giving , guilt, and a deep-rooted belief that our worth comes from what we produce.

After trying many things; therapy, massage, acupuncture, I hired my first coach, Cate Stillman, in 2016. Working with her didn’t just change my life; it saved it. 

For the first time, I learned real self-care and gave myself permission to rest without guilt.
That experience lit something in me. I thought, “How can I become like her and give this gift to others?”

Today, I’m an ICF-credentialed Executive Leadership and Life Coach specializing in burnout recovery for high-achieving women. 

For six years, I’ve been helping women break free from the same patterns that nearly broke me.


What I provide:
 • 1:1 coaching programs (3-6 months) focused on pattern disruption, nervous system regulation, and building unshakeable confidence
 • Intensive VIP days for deep breakthrough work
 • Speaking on burnout, emotional intelligence, and healthy boundary setting


What sets me apart? I’ve been where my clients are. I know what it’s like to achieve everything you thought you wanted and still feel like you’re drowning. 

I understand the unique challenges women face in leadership; the impossible standards, the constant pressure to prove ourselves, the way we sacrifice our health for everyone else’s approval.

I use trauma-informed coaching techniques to support nervous system regulation and deep-seated patterns that traditional approaches miss.