Resta Forte — Stay Strong
Jo Urquhart
Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute · Leadership Coach and Mentor · Based in Italy
I spent 25 years in senior leadership, including 12 years as CEO and Principal of two schools. I led through governance crises, difficult cultures, and the full weight of being accountable for an entire organisation — while raising two boys and building a life that felt like mine.
People often said I seemed unshakeable. That I brought calm into difficult rooms. What I understood, over time, was that this wasn't about pushing through. It was something quieter — a way of staying grounded that I've since come to think of as inner strength.
I also know how much that inner resource can be tested in midlife. Energy shifts. Sleep changes. Confidence wavers — often at exactly the point when your role is asking the most of you. That experience is not separate from leadership. It is part of it, and it rarely gets the attention it deserves.
That is why I now work with women in leadership — through 1:1 coaching and group online programmes — to help them think clearly, trust their own judgement, and lead in a way that does not cost them their health, their relationships, or their sense of self.
Resta Forte. Stay strong.
Explore how we work together →"I would highly recommend Johanna, who began working with me as a mentor and has since become an exceptional coach. She has had a profound impact on my development as a leader, particularly in supporting me through periods of under-confidence and imposter syndrome. Through thoughtful questioning, careful listening and honest challenge, Johanna helped me to recognise my strengths, trust my judgement and grow my sense of agency. She has a remarkably level head and a rare ability to find clear, logical solutions while remaining deeply compassionate and empathetic. Johanna creates a safe, reflective space while also encouraging purposeful action, and I am a more confident, self-assured and effective leader as a result of working with her."Beth Roberts Jones Assistant Principal, Senior Leadership Team
If this sounds familiar
You are capable, committed and running on empty
The women I work with are not struggling in any obvious way. From the outside, they are doing well — holding their teams together, making decisions, showing up. The difficulty is quieter than that.
- You can't seem to switch off, even when the work is done
- Self-doubt takes up more of your time than it should
- Your internal confidence doesn't always match how you appear on the outside
- You know what you need to do for yourself — and find it hardest to do it
- Energy and clarity are not what they were, and you're not sure how much of that is perimenopause
- You'd love the calm you show in difficult rooms to be something you actually feel
If any of this resonates, you are not alone — and this is exactly the work I do.
Ways to work together
Online programmes and 1:1 coaching
All work is delivered online. Whether you prefer to begin with a structured programme or move straight into 1:1 work, there is a way in that suits where you are right now.
Online programme · 4 weeks
Lead with Inner Calm
A four-week programme for women in leadership who want to understand what drives their patterns under pressure — and begin to change them. A gentle, practical starting point.
Group online programme · 10 months
Stay Strong, Lead Well
A ten-month group programme for women in middle and early senior leadership. Covers the full range of what it means to lead well — and stay well — over time.
Online programme · 8 weeks · Coming soon
Lead with Self-Trust
The next step after Lead with Inner Calm. For women who are tired of second-guessing themselves and want to stop carrying the constant pressure of holding everything together. We go deeper into the patterns that drive overworking, self-doubt and internal pressure — and begin changing them in a way that works in real life.
1:1 coaching · Executive pathway
Inner Strength and Vitality
This is the most personal and comprehensive way to work with me. Over a series of one-to-one sessions, we work through what is genuinely getting in the way — the patterns, the pressure, the cost of carrying it all — and build a way of leading and living that feels more grounded and sustainable.
This is part coaching, part mentoring. I bring my own experience as a former CEO and as a woman who has navigated midlife in a senior role. You will leave with greater clarity, renewed confidence in your own judgement, and a personal leadership practice that stays with you.
Includes between-session support and a personal leadership audit at the start.
Every client journey begins with a free 30-minute discovery call. If you're not sure which option is right for you, that conversation is the place to start.
What makes this different
Leadership and wellbeing, held together
Most leadership development focuses on knowledge, frameworks and process. The harder work — managing your own emotional states, leading with confidence under pressure, looking after yourself in a way that actually sustains you — is left to experience.
My approach holds all three dimensions together: the intellectual, the emotional and the physical. This is part coaching, part mentoring. I bring my own lived experience as a former CEO and as a woman in midlife into the work — not just reflective questions.
The intellectual
Leadership skills, frameworks and practical tools for real situations
The emotional
Self-awareness, inner patterns and the confidence to trust your own judgement
The physical
Energy, sleep, perimenopause and the sustainability of your leadership over time
What women say
In their own words
These are from women who took part in Lead with Inner Calm, Resta Forte's four-week online programme.
Jo expertly helped me navigate through a very difficult work situation. It came just at the right time. It wasn't easy, but Jo gave me the confidence to challenge matters that were causing a lot of stress.Jess Atkinson
As a woman in my mid fifties and all that comes with it, thanks to Jo I now feel a sense of relief, because I feel understood, seen and not alone in navigating life.Margo
I've learned that I don't have to just push through or react automatically. I can pause, reflect, and reconnect with my values.Andreia Balbino
I'm starting to move beyond the fear I had developed of stepping up to leadership roles. Self-doubt had led me to turn down or avoid leadership opportunities. This course gave me a chance to understand that leadership is something I can do with authenticity and integrity.Michelle
A next step
Start with a conversation
If something here has resonated, a free 30-minute discovery call is the simplest place to begin. There is no pressure and no obligation — just a chance to talk about where you are and whether this work might be right for you.
Or explore my services in more detail
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