Influential Woman · Coaching & Personal Development
Nancy McKay
Founder / Certified Life Coach and Equus Coach Master Facilitator, Women Empowered Recovery
Lakewood, CO 80227
Her Story
About Nancy
Nancy McKay is a life coach, equine-assisted coach, and founder of Women Empowered Recovery, where she supports midlife women navigating recovery, grief, burnout, divorce, cancer, and other significant life transitions. Based in Colorado, Nancy brings a deeply personal perspective to her work, drawing from her own journey through alcohol recovery and an ovarian cancer diagnosis in 2015. After spending 37 years in the corporate world, including roles in the oil and gas industry and kitchen and bath design, she began training as a life coach at age 61 and transitioned into coaching full-time in 2019. Through her signature BRAVE Recovery Method™, Nancy helps women move beyond simply understanding their patterns toward creating meaningful and lasting change. Her approach combines trauma-informed coaching, life coaching, and equine-assisted experiences, using interactions with horses to help clients develop self-awareness, resilience, authenticity, confidence, boundaries, and a stronger voice. As a Certified Equus Coach Master Facilitator and SHE RECOVERS® Coach, she works particularly with women over 40 who may feel capable and accomplished yet exhausted, stuck, or disconnected from themselves. Nancy is also the author of The BRAVE Recovery Method™, a book centered on recovery and empowerment, and facilitates workshops, retreats, private coaching, and immersive equine-assisted experiences. Her work is rooted in the belief that women do not have to carry everything alone and that midlife can become an opportunity to rediscover identity, purpose, and fulfillment. Outside of her coaching practice, Nancy enjoys watercolor painting, traveling, and spending time with her husband and their rescue dog, Maggie.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nancy
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the personal experiences that have shaped me, including overcoming addiction and navigating cancer. These experiences have given me a deep understanding of life’s transitions and uncertainty and inspire me to use my journey to help other women. The greatest measure of my success is seeing the positive transformation and gratitude in the women I support, rather than receiving awards or outside recognition.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is that it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. My journey taught me to keep learning, be courageous enough to start again when circumstances change, and use my life experiences to guide me toward meaningful new opportunities.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women is to stay authentic, remain open to growth, and never be afraid to reinvent yourself when life changes. A meaningful new chapter can begin at any age. In coaching, genuine connection and being fully present for the people you serve are just as important as credentials or recognition. And most of all, listen to your inner wisdom.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities I see is the growing need to support women over 40 through major life transitions, including career changes, burnout, grief, divorce, and other challenges. Through Equus coaching, I help women slow down, build self-awareness, and reconnect with themselves. I currently offer small-group workshops in Colorado and plan to expand into multi-day retreats while strengthening my outreach and client acquisition.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are authenticity, compassion, the willingness to be vulnerable, courage, connection, gratitude, and service. I believe women do not have to carry everything alone, and I strive to create a supportive space where they can reconnect with themselves, challenge expectations, and discover greater happiness and fulfillment in the next chapter of their lives.
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