Rob is a highly respected coach and consultant who inspires self-care, healing and building meaningful lives. He is the founder of Life After Trauma which focuses on finding the balance between mental, physical, and spiritual health to alleviate the adverse effects of trauma-related events. Rob is a retired combat veteran turned transformative coach using the Three Principles, also known as the inside-out understanding, as his guide to help clients overcome traumatic experiences. Rob is an engaging and passionate speaker and consultant who works with start-ups, non-profits, and Fortune 500 companies.
Rob Cook, Coach & Consultant
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
Hi, I’m Rob, and there are a few things I’d love for you to know about me that sum up who I am.
One — I once lived with a stress disorder that made me very insecure. At times, I was even arrogant, and for decades, I lived with a massive misunderstanding of my life’s purpose.
Two —That’s no longer my truth. I’ve healed my heart, body, and mind. Although the transformation from that point to now was painful, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything because I received a new life. One full of freedom I’ve never known was possible.
Three — My service to humanity is helping others overcome traumatic experiences, and I absolutely love it.
Lastly, a considerable disclaimer my following statement is said with extreme bias, but I think my three dogs, Hazel, Mocha Bean & Cocoa, also known as @thechonkettes, are the most adorable fur babies ever.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today. Before 2018, I lived similarly to most, suffering from extreme pressures and anxiety that produced many fears, angry behaviors, and depressive thinking. Until then, I’d lived believing I was broken. It was the most significant misunderstanding of my life and became the launchpad of my darkest times. I’d searched for years for answers but to no avail. I’d look to others for qualifiers and validation, only to fall short. Being introduced to the Inside/Out Understanding of life called the Three Principles (3Ps) changed my life forever.
To my delight, insights revealed that the thoughts of being broken weren’t true, and I didn’t have to continue life suffering throughout my life. Seeing the truth about how my mind worked was an absolute game-changer. From there, life became so much easier. Don’t get me wrong, I still experienced insecure thoughts and had habitual thoughts of anger, fear, and depression but with significantly less intensity. Its powers over me weren’t as strong anymore. I could breathe; I was free. I had a new opportunity or a second chance at living my life.
What is your work inspired by? The Inside-Out Understanding, also known as “The Three Principles,” is at the heart of my work. I believe it’s the “missing link” of life. And when seen, it allows us to balance our spiritual nature and our psychology as human beings beautifully. The Three Principles are Mind, Consciousness, and Thought. Mind is the formless universal intelligence behind all living things and is the creative power source for ALL living things. Mind is the source of the love we get to experience. Consciousness is my awareness of my humanity. It highlights my state of mind at the given moment. Consciousness is the gift that lets me see the difference between real danger and fear from what I think is real. Thought is the creative energy of life. Thought is formless and the “missing link” between the universal intelligence of life and our awareness of being human.
Everything we experience comes from the power of Thought. Thought derives directly from the Mind and then filters through your Consciousness to create reality. What makes us unique is not “what we think”; the power is in “that we think.” These principles are the best articulation of how our minds work. Understanding the principles will maximize your opportunity for success and reclaiming life after traumatic experiences. It often feels like a second chance. What is your business name and how do you help your clients?
Life After Trauma is a brand founded by Rob Cook & Associates, LLC, and focuses mainly on providing safe spaces for clients to prioritize self-care, heal their hearts, and reclaim their lives.
As a transformative coach and someone who understands the impacts of trauma all too well, I get the opportunity to speak and consult all over the globe on this topic. I use my storytelling acumen to create deeper connections for more authentic dialogue. That allows us to explore and engage in new ways of moving past the PTSD and sticking points of trauma-related experiences. As part of a larger community, the principles are shared by many practitioners, therapists, coaches, counselors, community social workers, activists, authors, speakers, and artists worldwide.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
Two clients come to mind when I think of my most significant achievements in business. For privacy reasons, we'll call my first client Jane. She had experienced multiple traumatic events in her past, including a difficult childhood and the loss of a close family member. Since our time together, she's been able to achieve new heights in her business and relationships when she noticed how she was allowing her unresolved trauma to hurt her chances of being successful.
Next was Jacob. He had recently retired from active duty after combat experiences left him with severe symptoms of PTSD, such as anxiety, depression, and emotional numbness. He wanted a coach to understand his experiences and help him work through this trauma. With a shift in his negative thought patterns, he became better at coping with his symptoms. He improved his two closest relationships and regained control of his life.
What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future?
What I’m attempting to achieve is simple. I’d love for my business and those I collaborate with to be known as “safe spaces” for people to receive help with healing and overcoming traumatic experiences.
