My Story
“I wish I knew how to have more courage and live the life I really wanted.”
For over a decade, I heard this statement daily, or ones just like it. With a graduate degree in clinical social work and a post-graduate certificate in family therapy, I worked in the non-profit sector, counseling cancer patients and their families. Some embraced their illness with courage, optimism and grace, while others struggled. Later, I focused my work on counseling people with terminal illness and their families—a role that isn’t for everyone, yet one I found immensely rewarding.
In the hospice setting, I was confronted daily with similar and profound questions:
- What would my life have been like if I lived it on my own terms?
- How did I get so distracted from the things that really mattered?
- Why didn’t I do things differently?
Not everyone wrestled with regret. Many faced their final days with peace, having lived a life of purpose, accomplishment, and legacy. I made a commitment to myself that this is how I wanted my life to unfold.
As my career evolved, I transitioned to the operations side of healthcare. While I loved the business aspect, especially within a mission-driven organization, the bureaucracy was exhausting. With the unwavering support of my amazing wife, I took a leap of faith and left healthcare over 20 years ago to start my own real estate business.
Entrepreneurship was both liberating and terrifying, a roller-coaster ride of emotion and adrenaline. Impatience is a trait of mine, and although things started slower than I wanted, I excelled. I won several industry awards and recognitions early in the game. Over time, I found myself coaching within one of the world’s largest real estate firms, helping agents grow their businesses and navigate their journeys. While their issues differed from those in my healthcare days, their challenges were just as real:
- How do I develop the mindset & grit to persevere when I get tired, and things get hard?
- Why do I care so much about what people think of me?
- How do I become more innovative and flexible in my approach?
- How do I grow my business without damaging my relationships and personal life?
- How do I find a way for my business to make a positive impact in my community?
Working with entrepreneurs has been a particularly satisfying chapter in my career. Comparing it to my earlier clinical work, I see many similarities. In each situation, real people strive to make the best of their circumstances with the knowledge and skills that they have. Far too many of them feel unprepared for the challenges life presents, yet they do the best that they can. It was while working in the real estate space that I heard a little voice inside my head growing louder, nudging me to do more.
Now, as I enter my 60s, I’ve decided to answer that call. Welcome to ThriveActive™ Coaching Solutions. I bring over 30 years of experience to the next phase of my professional journey. I’ve combined my insights as a psychotherapist, coach, and entrepreneur to create the ThriveActive™ Framework—a blueprint for personal and professional growth that leads to a life of greater clarity, confidence, purpose, and fulfillment.
I invite you to join me on the path towards a more ThriveActive™ life. It would be a privilege to walk alongside you as you pursue your best way forward. Embrace The Journey!
Entrepreneurship was both liberating and terrifying, a roller-coaster ride of emotion and adrenaline. Impatience is a trait of mine, and although things started slower than I wanted, I excelled. I won several industry awards and recognitions early in the game. Over time, I found myself coaching within one of the world’s largest real estate firms, helping agents grow their businesses and navigate their journeys. While their issues differed from those in my healthcare days, their challenges were just as real:
- How do I develop the mindset & grit to persevere when I get tired, and things get hard?
- Why do I care so much about what people think of me?
- How do I become more innovative and flexible in my approach?
- How do I grow my business without damaging my relationships and personal life?
- How do I find a way for my business to make a positive impact in my community?
Working with entrepreneurs has been a particularly satisfying chapter in my career. Comparing it to my earlier clinical work, I see many similarities. In each situation, real people strive to make the best of their circumstances with the knowledge and skills that they have. Far too many of them feel unprepared for the challenges life presents, yet they do the best that they can. It was while working in the real estate space that I heard a little voice inside my head growing louder, nudging me to do more.
Now, as I enter my 60s, I’ve decided to answer that call. Welcome to ThriveActive Coaching Solutions. I bring over 30 years of experience to the next phase of my professional journey. I’ve combined my insights as a psychotherapist, coach, and entrepreneur to create the ThriveActive Framework—a blueprint for personal and professional growth that leads to a life of greater clarity, confidence, purpose, and fulfillment.
I invite you to join me on the path towards a more ThriveActive life. It would be a privilege to walk alongside you as you pursue your best way forward. Embrace The Journey!
Hal Benz
Hal Benz is a licensed clinical social worker, and a seasoned business performance / life coach based in northern New Jersey, where he lives with his wife of 33 years and their two cats, affectionately named after folk singers Harry and Tom Chapin. He holds a master's degree from New York University, a post-graduate certificate in family therapy from the NJ Center for Family Studies, and a certificate in non-profit organization management from Seton Hall University. He also holds 2 additional licenses in NJ as both a real estate broker-associate and a real estate trainer. Outside of his professional work, Hal cherishes his roles as a husband and father. He’s an avid reader, passionate gardener, and an amateur BBQ pitmaster on a mission to smoke the perfect Texas-style brisket. Hal is committed to living his best life every day and making a positive impact on the world around him.
Hal Benz is a seasoned business performance and life coach based in northern New Jersey, where he lives with his wife of 33 years and their two cats, affectionately named after folk singers Harry and Tom Chapin. Outside of his professional work, Hal cherishes his roles as a devoted husband and father. He’s an avid reader, passionate gardener, and an amateur BBQ pitmaster on a mission to perfect the Texas-style brisket. Hal is committed to living his best life every day and making a positive impact on the world around him.