More Things to Know!

What are your qualifications to coach me?

I began coaching more than 30 years ago as part of my martial arts teachers training. I continued in my early coaching career in the film industry by working with emerging writers and filmmakers as a professional story editor. During my 20-year teaching as a writing teacher and professor, I have developed a coaching-based instructional practice for working with diverse individuals and groups of people at every level of education and expertise. I am a recognized internationally for using writing, conceptual design, and creative thinking in personal and academic development. I have thousands of hours of experience designing engaging programs up to 60 hours in length for professionally, linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse individuals and small groups. I also have thousands of hours of supportive contact, during which I have instructed, coached, and mentored individuals and small groups on a wide range of personal and professional interests.

Are you certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)?

No. I have dedicated many years of my life to full-time educational degrees that are directly relevant to my coaching practice. While an ICF certification would certainly be beneficial if I moved to coaching full time, certification from a top-tier institution is extremely expensive. Investing in an ICF certification would force me to raise my coaching rates in-line with certified executive coaches, which is beyond what my existing clients (whom I love) can comfortably pay.

My own education, professional training as a researcher and educator, and the experience of having both been and worked with coaches myself for many years, allows me to offer my clients the best experience I can deliver. I also spend dozens of hours each year engaged in professional development to keep abreast of new ideas and cultivate my own teaching, consulting, and coaching practices.

Can I schedule a one-on-one consultation with you?

Yes! You can reserve an individual hour of my time for a one-on-one meeting at my sliding scale rate ($165/hour). Email me at patrick@discoverypoint.media and I will send you a reservation link. When you pay for your reservation, please be sure to fill out the questionnaire so that I can make the best use of your time. One-on-one meetings are an opportunity for you to ask me questions related to my areas of professional interests and experiences and I will respond with best answers I have available at that time. If you wish to talk through a potential project that interests you, this is a good place to do it. This is not a coaching session, event, or appearance. Also, if you need to talk to me about something related to CUNY, please contact me there.

What if I was your student? Can you coach me?

If you are a previous student of mine who is still currently enrolled at CUNY, you can meet with me during my official CUNY office hours. I am there to assist you however I can in my capacity as a faculty member — just make an appointment through my work email. If you are a former student of mine who recently graduated from CUNY (within 2 years), I am happy to help you as part of my professional commitment to emerging professionals— just reach out to my work email to set up a time. If you have been out of school for at least two years, are ready for coaching, and I can determine no conflict of interest exists with my official CUNY responsibilities, yes, I can coach you through DiscoveryPoint. Reach out to me at patrick@discoverypoint.media and we can talk about whether this is the right next step for you.

Do you offer a discount because I am part of “X group”?

No, and believe me, I’ve thought about it. If I could afford to, I would do this work for free, but I can’t. And, at the end of the day, what I want most is to do the absolute very best job that I can do for you, which means charging a fair rate. I don’t need to make a huge profit, but I do have to cover the cost of my expenses and the investments I’ve made in being good at what I do. Right now the number that I need to charge is $165/hour. That is the number that allows me to focus 100% on your needs while you are with me. For other work, the rate I charge is determined by the estimated cost of my time and other necessary expenses. Also, by charging my full rate every time, I remain motivated and committed to making sure what I do is valuable and useful to the people I work with.

Do you offer referral bonuses or discounts?

No, but I love it when good people bring other good people into my life. It’s a sign of trust and a genuine connection with a interesting and engaging people make my life better in every way. But, more to the point, I also have to turn down more work than I take already. I am a professor, and a program director, and those remain my primary professional obligations. I only have the time for a handful of clients each year, so while I am always looking for like-minds and kindred spirits, I’m never “looking for work.” If you believe my talents and experience may meet your needs then I am honored, but I have to be selective about who I work with because of my professional commitments.

Do you do invited events and appearances?

Yes! And I’d love to come to your group (virtually or in-person) and talk to you as well! My basic engagement rate for local and virtual appearances is $500 per hour of contact time, paid in advance. This is best for smaller groups of people whose event requires no MOU or proposal and only modest preparations. For keynote/research talks, custom workshops, institutes, and other events, an MOU will be prepared based on a daily rate inclusive of expenses. This will be billed in steps. If you require a proposal, please see my proposal rate below.

I also do a small number of no-fee events for innovative organizations that serve the public good. If you are a not-for-profit community organization in New York City or an educational or community organization in the Global South, please contact me at patrick@discoverypoint.media to discuss the possibility of us working together in the future.

Do you charge a fee for writing proposals for coaching events, workshops, and appearances?

If you wish a written proposal for a custom-designed workshop, I charge a non-refundable fee to begin this initial work. If both parties agree to move forward beyond the proposal, the remaining balance will be billed in delivery steps (60/30/10). If the proposal does not go forward, the fee is retained for work completed. is By charging a fee at this stage, I can make sure to focus on your organization’s needs and deliver the best proposal possible. Fees for a basic proposal range from $500-$650 for one day events, and $2,000-$3250 for larger-scale or longer events, up to five-days (30-hours) duration.