Sarika Mahadeo-Diercks
Organsational Development Consultant and Integral & Gestalt Coach
Co-founder of the Motherhood
Rentia Landman
Industrial Psychologist and Transformative Coach
Co-Founder of The MotherHood
Who am I?
I best describe myself is a spirit-being-human, ‘wifey’ to an amazing partner and ‘mama’ to a wonderful, growing little man.
I am a mindfulness advocate and a passionate promoter of self-awareness as a tool for personal and professional fulfilment. I believe that self-awareness, relationship awareness and system awareness are essential in today’s ever-changing world. I am a skilled facilitator and a highly-rated conference speaker.
Who am I?
I primarily identify as a child of God, serving as a conduit for positive impact and Love to permeate the world. In this lifetime, I cherish my roles as a woman, wife, sister, daughter, professional guide, and, most profoundly, a mother to two remarkable children. Advocating for character development, I firmly believe that through this lens, we uncover meaning and fulfillment, even amidst life’s trials.
My reason for being
I am driven by a deep desire to help make the world a better place by supporting individuals, teams and organisations live and lead with conscious awareness, aligned to purpose and values, for the greater good of all.
My reason for being
As a beacon of hope, I offer trusted coaching and mentoring, empowering others through inspiration and guidance.
My credentials
With a background in management consulting, corporate HR and coaching, I hold a Social Science degree in Psychology, Post Graduate qualifications in Human Resources and Business Management, an ICF-accredited Coaching Certification, and an Masters (MPhil) l in Inclusive Innovation.
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My career began humbly working for small to medium enterprises in Durban in printing and pharmaceuticals within HR business partnering. By mid-career I had catapulted into well-known local and international corporates such as Vodafone (Vodacom), Accenture and Woolworths with a focus on more centralised and strategic HR functions within Organisational Development including leadership, culture, coaching organisational design and change management.
In 2022, after experiencing a period of intense personal loss and trauma, I came to realise that I wanted to live with more meaning, purpose, connection and harmony. I resigned from my corporate job to establish my own company, a human and organisational consultancy. The decision was motivated by my strong values orientation, my wish to live an inspired life, and desire to impact the world in a positive way whilst doing what I loves best, working with people. As a consultant, I assist companies focus on leadership from within by empowering their people through skills enablement and helping to creating a human-centred environment where people can thrive. Projects span across leadership development, career development, employee engagement, change management and wellbeing, which I am particularly passionate about.
My credentials
An Industrial Psychologist (PS0075582) and Transformational Character Coach with two decades of expertise in Human Resources and Consulting, I’ve earned Bachelor’s, Honours, and Master’s degrees in Commerce with a specialisation in Industrial Psychology, complemented by an ICF-Accredited Coaching Certification.
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While my early career comprised various part-time roles, my professional journey gained momentum during my internship at Liberty Life. Since then, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to esteemed organisations such as Thomas International, Discovery Health, Direct Axis, and the University of Cape Town.
These roles have enriched my understanding, honed my skills, and broadened my expertise in Human Resources across diverse organisational landscapes, providing a solid foundation to apply my behavioral science acumen.
In 2009, I realised my aspiration to establish my consultancy, a dream that materialised with fervor and determination. By 2017, armed with invaluable experience, confidence, and insights, I embarked on the courageous decision to transition from formal employment to dedicating myself entirely to nurturing my consultancy.
My coaching approach
My coaching work centres on partnering with individuals to help them to find joy, inspiration and flow in their lives. I am passionate about living a whole life with integration and harmony between the various aspects – a tough call for most of us in today’s ‘always on’ and exponentially transitioning world.
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I partner with you in discovering your circumstances, challenges and opportunities and in the process uncovering personal blocks and limitations and navigating a way forward together.
My career history as a people professional for over 20 years within local and global organisations and at senior leadership level leaves me well-placed to support professionals in particular. My approach, influenced by my training in Integral Coaching and Gestalt psychology, focuses on the wholeness of being: heart, mind, body and spirit. Together we create a space for you to actively explore opportunities and possibilities available to you.
I am also familiar with a number of tools which although not requisite, we could integrate into our coaching journey should you wish. These include Insights, Heartstyles and Enneagram.
My coaching approach
My coaching ethos revolves around embracing the discomfort inherent in change. I steadfastly believe that challenges serve as fertile ground for growth, and that our most profound life lessons often emerge not from the peaks of success, but rather from the valleys of adversity. I am deeply committed to uncovering joy and meaning within these challenges.
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Far too many individuals settle for mere survivalcoping, failing to aspire to true thriving.
In partnership with my clients, I enter their journeys with a sense of hope and unwavering belief in their capacity to transition towards flourishing. Leveraging insights from both my academic background and personal experiences, I empower you to explore your strengths and gifts throughout this process. When you engage with me, anticipate a blend of encouragement, integrity, purposefulness, and wisdom.
My passion for working with mothers
When my son was just over a year old, I embarked on a Master’s degree. Just a few months in, I found myself on the kitchen floor, overwhelmed and in tears, telling my husband that I felt like I wasn’t coping. That experience, and the challenges I was facing as a working mother, led me to change my research focus to study modern-day motherhood.
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I was particularly interested in the challenges of managing work and family commitments, and the interplay between self-care and coping. After five intense years — marked by a global pandemic and profound personal loss — my degree was awarded with distinction! As I wrote in my acknowledgements, “I give thanks to the Divine in all its forms for making this Master’s a part of my life’s journey. May it benefit the world and may great things be born from it.”
My deep researched, and experiential, understanding of the pressures and demands on working mothers has fuelled my passion. I am committed to raising awareness of the challenges, creating spaces for mothers to connect, and helping shift the status quo to more supportive, family-centred environments.
Support is vital. You don’t have to go through this journey alone. I encourage us to come together, share, find connection and kinship We are stronger together.
My passion for working with mothers
The moment I cradled my daughter in my arms, my entire value system shifted. Prior to that, I confidently informed my husband that I would bear our children while he cared for them, as my passion for my career drove me to pursue it wholeheartedly.
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However, reality proved me wrong. After four months of maternity leave, I discovered myself unable and unwilling to return to full-time employment. Opting for a 50% salary reduction to work half-days in the office and the other half remotely at night marked a pivotal career decision for me. This choice, along with every subsequent decision where I balanced my love for my children and my dedication to my work, continues to fuel my commitment to supporting mothers.
I challenge the notion of mere coping; instead, I invite you to thrive in motherhood through resilience and intentional effort. At the heart of my methodology lies the cultivation of character, fostering self-discovery and growth.
Together, we will journey through the path of motherhood authentically and with integrity, striving for fulfillment every step of the way.
How we met
We met when Sarika, as part of her role in Corporate HR, networked to find suitable, values aligned consultants to support her, then employer with specialist projects. We both immediately felt a resonance as we were both coaches, worked in the same field, and were mothers. Although our initial meeting was sparked by an interest in exploring collaboration opportunities for Sarika’s corporate OD projects, Rentia’s keen interest in Sarika’s Masters Research along with our shared backgrounds and professional interests naturally provided common ground. Looking back, it was however our deeper alignment in values and mutual passion for supporting mothers that truly connected us.
Over time, our professional relationship evolved into a supportive partnership, with Rentia offering guidance as Sarika considered stepping away from formal employment. This partnership blossomed into a genuine friendship rooted in mutual respect and appreciation. Throughout our interactions, our shared desire to make an impact in the realm of motherhood always emerged naturally.
Now, after Sarika established herself as an independent consultant and earned her degree, we stand ready to begin our collaboration in this space. We are committed to living and sharing our truth authentically, inviting each other and others to join us on this journey.