The survivor of numerous traumatic events, including but not limited to kidnapping, near-blindness, going deaf in one ear twice, catching on fire, rescuing a child from drowning, tending to terminally ill family members and clients, as well as numerous toxic environments, Michelle Courtney Berry Founder and CEO of Courtney Consulting Enterprises, LLC, MCB Consulting, America Rises, and the creator of two trademarked wellness brands, sought help from numerous mentors, providers, and coaches, and rose to become the in-demand humanitarian and Renaissance woman she is today. A doctoral scholar in leadership, an avid wellness researcher, keynote speaker, trainer, coach, healer, and award-winning business leader, Michelle has 20+ years in the game, crawling out of burnout, anxiety, depletion, and overwhelming trauma and odds, so she could devote her life to helping people realize their dreams. Michelle helps overachieving visionary people press reset so they can de-stress, uplevel self-care, and authentically enjoy their hard-earned success.
Michelle has launched three business enterprises (a wellness company focused on leadership development, a reiki healing and meditation company, and a full-service marketing firm) and was cited by “O Magazine” as a top national fundraiser for kids with parents in the US military (Camp C.O.P.E). Michelle has delivered over 5,000 keynotes, talks, events, and retreats throughout the US, Canada, and Africa, and is considered an expert on the science behind creating healthy workplaces and building inclusive, equitable teams.
You are truly a Renaissance Woman who has impacted so many women globally. Share your journey.
I am humbled and blessed to be so designated. Let us see, I’m a GenXer born in Manhattan but raised two hours north in a log cabin in a tiny hamlet called Narrowsburg on the New York and Pennsylvania border. I grew up in the log cabin my father built, where the land sloped down, and tree frogs made each Catskill Mountain night a chorus of gorgeous sounds while the lighting bugs blinked their magical codes into the night. My parents, two former state government employees, were always underfoot (because they were retirees), and that is probably the reason I didn’t get into any trouble as a kid. My mother, a mixed-race writer, columnist, and singer from the South and a Democratic party activist instilled a lifelong love for the arts, storytelling, politics, and literature—I was reading and crafting poems at age five. Her passions led me to become the first chair clarinet, participate in marching band, sing in county choirs, do musical theater, and eventually write columns, mirroring her path. She had worked on campaigns with famous politicians in the city, and when we moved upstate, she had a prominent role in the Democratic party where we lived. Her political engagement naturally led me into student government and later into significant political roles, winning elected positions in my city and Congressional district. I also served as the second Poet Laureate of my county.
My father, a Northerner, gifted college athlete, a CPA, and in a historically Black fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi), grew up close to where I live now, in the Finger Lakes Region. He was most likely a Republican (we assumed he never confided)—a choice influenced by our conservative town, or he was a spy. My mother and I were never sure. Gifted in athletics and mathematics, my father imparted a respect for numbers and budgets, a deep, abiding, lifelong respect for nature and taught me to walk gently upon the earth. He also took me hiking, camping, fishing, and skiing (downhill and x-country) and passed along his love for baking and gardening. To his disappointment, I was more interested in soccer than basketball. He taught me to break down barriers and challenge gender norms. With his guidance (much to my mother’s chagrin), I was the first girl to integrate the formerly all-boys motorcycle club at age ten. This blend of influences and different perspectives from my parents fostered a powerful sense of resilience, a healthy appreciation for risk-taking, a love of community (as I grew up in an intentional community), and an enduring curiosity about people, shaping a life of service, leadership, arts, and entrepreneurship. My parents were perfectionists and were insistent on the highest marks and signs of academic excellence. I graduated as a Valedictorian with numerous academic scholarship offers to some of our country’s most venerable colleges and Ivy League universities.
My early career (which they chose for me) took me to Washington, D.C., covering The White House and Capitol Hill as a young TV reporter, which I began immediately after graduating with honors from Binghamton University, where I was also a Presidential Scholars and my college’s Commencement Speaker. However, as I sat in my room on an unbelievably humid day in Georgetown, I realized my passion lay more with media relations than journalism. This realization resulted from my experiences in the field and my growing interest in the strategic aspect of communication. So, I took off to graduate school at Cornell. While there, I, too, pledged to a historically Black Greek-letter organization (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.). Right after my graduation (which neither of my parents attended as my father was quite ill), my dad died from terminal cancer. I then launched a consulting business in his and my late aunt’s memory. I still run that business today. I have run others, too, that are rooted in health, holistic wellness, and reiki energy.
My career has spanned various educational and governmental roles, including working as a community relations director and spokesperson for two mayors from different political parties. This versatility in navigating political landscapes is undoubtedly a legacy of my parents’ differing political views. Their debates and discussions at home taught me the value of understanding and respecting different perspectives, a skill that has been invaluable in my career. Be it flourishing in working in every facet of communications, numerous posts in the arts, promoting the value of STEM to young girls as their scouting leader, or always endeavoring to tie theory to practice, I went on to live my life as an artist, an author, a playwright, a stand-up comic in one-woman shows, a Poet Laureate, an assistant professor of public relations, a spokesperson for cities, colleges, and major brands, a health and wellness coach, a meditation teacher, Reiki Master, an elected official in the City of Ithaca (as both a City Councilwoman and Alternate Acting Mayor, where, as a node to my dad, I chaired the Budget Committee), an award-winning entrepreneur, and a doctoral scholar in leadership. I have been afforded the gift of oration to move audiences to laughter or tears, to be vulnerable and authentic no matter the room or the setting. This exciting, trauma-informed, brilliant, and painful journey has allowed me to collaborate with people all over the world. I am truly blessed. One of the core demographics I work with happens to be inspiring women; learning from their journeys and finding a bridge for a mutual understanding is exhilarating.
As a survivor of numerous traumatic events. How did these experiences give you the strength to persevere?
My life has been marked by a series of intense and traumatic experiences, from surviving kidnapping, near-blindness, losing my hearing in my right ear twice, to sexual assault from people I trusted, domestic violence, and the grief of losing both parents to cancer. These hardships have deeply influenced my resilience and my approach to personal growth. Throughout my career, I noticed that stress was a pervasive issue across all industries, which led me to integrate stress management and wellness into my consultancy. My personal battles with burnout and the challenges of juggling multiple roles—whether as a poet, performer, teacher, elected official, or business owner—have underscored the critical need for effective time management and self-care. These experiences shaped my transition into coaching, where I focus on helping others prioritize their well-being and manage their responsibilities more efficiently.
My coaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that we must practice self-care to extend our capacity to assist others, and I strive to lead by example, embodying the practices I advocate so passionately. My personal struggles with time management and self-care reinforced the importance of these skills and inspired me to help others in similar situations. I saw coaching as a way to help people prioritize self-care and manage their time more effectively. I kept asking myself, “How can we prioritize self-care so that you can help more people who are also neglecting their self-care? How can I be a better role model? How can I never ask my clients to do anything I am unwilling to do myself?” These questions became central to my core speaking, coaching, and consulting philosophy.
You collaborate with global visionaries and recognized thought leaders. Tell us about Courtney Consulting Enterprises and how you are empowering leaders today?
My early love for entrepreneurship (besides the ubiquitous lemonade stands and Girl Scout cookie sales of youth) began in 1990 while completing my master’s in Organizational/Risk Communication at Cornell University. Although Courtney is my middle name, naming the business is more about honoring my late Aunt Edessie, who was like another mother to me and insisted that my middle name be Courtney and that I never change my name, so my name is my first, middle, and last name always.
She died when I was incredibly young, but each day I get to help heal others, something she, I am sure, helps me do from the other side. Initially focused on marketing, speaking, training, and public relations, I soon reframed my scope to prioritize stress management and wellness coaching. My experiences with stress and trauma-informed approaches fueled this shift, inspiring me to help others navigate similar challenges.
My holistic wellness approach, shaped by battles with stress, some bad bosses (that cause burnout), anxiety, and depression helps me connect with other women, celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists, and executives looking for genuine solutions to some of our life’s most pressing challenges. I became a critical incident stress expert, an NLP health and wellness coach, and a Reiki Master Teacher to augment my
offerings to clients and learn how Eastern approaches energetically look at the root causes of illness rather than just addressing symptoms of disease and being unwell.
My diverse background and experiences have culminated in a unique coaching approach that combines stress management, mindfulness, and overall wellness. This approach, which also aims to destigmatize mental health diagnoses, is a testament to my innovative thinking and dedication to holistic wellness. As the Founder and CEO of Courtney Consulting Enterprises, LLC and America Rises, I offer a range of services including executive coaching, leadership development programs, and stress management solutions. Through my work, I aim to empower others to lead from the heart and create positive change in their lives and organizations. “I help women, artists, entrepreneurs, visionary leaders, and celebrities detox from stress, heal, and radically reset so they can creatively enjoy their hard-earned success.” As often as possible, I get people out in nature, where they can relax, breathe, reclaim their right to the outdoors. In addition to leading a regional fitness excursion and hiking club of five hundred plus members, I actively promote where I live, which is The Fingers Lakes Region of New York State.
We are living in a time of chaos. Tell us about your book, “Keeping Calm in Chaos: How to Work Well, Live Well, and Love Abundantly No Matter What.”
It took me 20 years (really) to write the last chapter of my best-selling book, “Keeping Calm in Chaos…” (I know, very ironic)! With mentors over a lifetime (I still am close with my undergraduate advisor) friends, beloveds, healers, coaches, providers, health providers, and coaches, I learned to stop ‘masking’ and pretending I could do it all, stop playing small, hiding. I went for years chasing after success, adrenaline, the high that comes with overachievement, trying to win at all costs, and batting perfectionism. I became a coach and started my business because of my experience with trauma and healing.
My international bestselling book, Keeping Calm in Chaos: How to Work Well, Live Well, and Love Abundantly No Matter What (2021), is a firsthand guide to help you get through life’s difficulties with grace and skill. Part memoir, part client case study, and all heart, this book is a no-nonsense, action-based guide to stress, trauma, chaos, change, and more, which I wrote for the person who wants to learn how to leverage change, ask for help, recognize health red flags and lead more inclusively.
You are a world-class keynote speaker. What can people expect when working with you?
Clients say I’m intuitive, funny, and deliver 110% beyond expectations. Keynote speaking is a significant part of my work. The focus is on delivering motivational stories, strategic insights, and wisdom with a blend of humor and authenticity. With a knack for intuition and a strong commitment to delivering impactful presentations, I bring vast experiences from speaking at TEDx and SXSW twice, and traveling across the US, Canada, Mexico, and telling stories around a campfire in a remote village in Africa. These engagements have reached hundreds of thousands of audiences globally, primarily centered on topics like leadership resilience, workplace stress management, and how to foster workplace environments that encourage inclusivity, safety, and authenticity.
I’ve spoken at TEDx twice, here’s a sample of one favorite there, and spoke two times for SXSW. I also believe in deep service, in giving back and volunteering. Of my biggest opportunities: appearing on Good Morning America, opening for Maya Angelou and opening for the Dalai Lama, they all came from local referrals, from leaders whose boards I’d served on.
Popular topics include maintaining calm amidst chaos and understanding the relationship between stress, time, and financial outcomes. Notable achievements include an anchor keynote on building the teams of tomorrow, today for Virgin Pulse and two collaborations with Sheppard Mullin on belonging and self-care. Additionally, a guided meditation at a Mindvalley retreat years ago still generates referrals.
A repeat client favorite is SHRM where I most recently spoke to women about connecting the dots between belonging and wellness.
Right now, I have my foot on the accelerator with some great talks lined up next month that include two keynotes, “Keeping Calm” for Project Management Institute and another at my alma mater, Cornell University, with a group called Elevate Women. I am currently working on leadership development with a new college President and his entire senior team. On the horizon, I plan to reconnect with global clients who had to slash budgets during COVID-19 and travel more for my speaking engagements. I also took a couple of months off last year because our son was struggling. I can soar now that he is on the rebound and doing well in college.
Share your vision for 2025.
Workplace stress is so debilitating that the World Health Organization has declared it a global mental health crisis. It is also a significant drain on economies: toxic work and noxious bosses cost the US as much as $360 million and the world a trillion dollars. We have to interrupt this dynamic and find the kinds of leaders who will make it their lifelong devotion and mission to break the cycles of inherited toxic work cultures. My dream is to continue expanding my reach to help more global leaders, businesses, and organizations who want to radically change how we live and work. I would love to kick off a viral #toxicmetoo movement and help others continue to heal from outrageously traumatic work situations.
I will author more books, create additional resources on leadership and resilience, develop innovative programs to address new stressors at work and continue to ‘preach the gospel’ of mental health and wellness professionals, especially with women’s groups and organizations. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we will need a lot more for 2025. I will keep doing my part to support leaders who are fit to inspire, form healthier teams, and lead from the heart.
Leaders need to step up, prioritize, and champion employees’ health and wellness. Most importantly, they need to encourage healthy dialogue when exposed to divergent viewpoints. Less fighting, more love, that is my motto.
