A LIFE coach who overcame her own personal tragedy after losing her mother to an asbestos-related cancer is helping people conquer their crippling fears.

Lorraine Maginnis, who is based in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, took the plunge to launch her own personal coaching business around a year ago in a bid to help clients turn their lives around.

The 44-year-old, who left a well paid job in banking eight years ago to run a diet franchise company, embraced a career change following a turbulent time in her life.

As a single parent raising two teenage daughters, Lorraine and her family were in shock when mum Mary discovered she had mesothelioma in January 2011.

Lorraine said: "My mum was a really young fit active lady.

"She had a recurring cough for a few months. On further investigation it led to a deadly diagnosis of mesothelioma."

The illness was terminal and Mary died in November 2012.

Lorraine said: "It was a really difficult time. She was a fantastic support. I still love and miss her every day."

Lorraine said the experience helped shape what she wanted to do with her life.

After she encountered issues in the franchise business, she decided to take a different path and help people change their lives.

At the time Lorraine had several years of experience in coaching and topped it up with extra specialist training.

She said: "I didn't set out to say I wanted to become a life coach.

"However, I feel my own journey through life so far, some of the mistakes I've made and what I've been through, has given me life experience and supported the tools I have to be a great life coach.

"What I bring is life experience of being able to understand at times in life that might be difficult."

Lorraine helps people using life coaching tools, including cognitive behavioural therapy, hypnotherapy and counselling.

She helps clients with weight issues, stress, anxiety, insomnia, confidence or self esteem problems, as well as phobias.

Lorraine said: "People tend to come to me when they're a bit lost, they're anxious, depressed and not feeling the best in themselves.

"They've maybe had some trauma. What I do is help them find a way, give them a direction and make them feel better about themselves."

The mother-of-two feels proud of her clients.

"To help clients with insomnia to sleep and relax, or ease the pain of people who are suffering is very fulfilling," she said.

"Confidence is another big issue nowadays and to help people overcome self confidence issues is very rewarding indeed.

"I'm always inspired by all the people I meet."

OFFSHORE worker John O'Shea came to Lorraine faced with a fear of heights.

The 41-year-old desperately wanted to overcome this because he sought a change of career, from being involved in a family business to working offshore in an industry he had no experience of.

Lorraine said: "John is a real success story.

"He worked on so many barriers to realise his dream of working offshore and he has now made it.

"He had issues with his fitness too, which I also helped him with - I used a combination of techniques with John such as CBT, hypnotherapy, NLP and coaching - I am so proud of him."

John said: "Lorraine gave me direction and the belief that I could overcome my fear.

"Yes I had to commit to her sessions completely but self belief is a very powerful thing and I am delighted that this new career is now opening up to me.

"It has given me so many more options in my working life as I felt emotionally tied to the job I was doing before.

"I will never forget the first time I realised I had conquered this fear - it was atop the offload coal cranes at Hunterston in the howling wind."

John now has a full-time contract with an offshore firm and is working in Norway.

Lorraine helps many other clients with various issues, including Lynn Todd from South Lanarkshire who she helped with weight loss.

Lynn said: "I lost two stone with Lorraine's coaching techniques and I have kept it off. Not only that but Lorraine helped me with other issues including confidence and anxiety - I feel happy in my skin for the first time."

Lorraine added: "The most satisfying part of my job is making a difference."

She plans to take her company into the corporate world where she first started.

"I think I can make a difference to people's belief in themselves regarding what they can achieve," Lorraine added.

To contact Lorraine email lorraine@lorrainemaginnis.com