About Michael
I do this work because people are more than the problem in front of them.
I’m Dr. Michael Shoultz, founder of Spirit Rising Coaching. I work with people who are capable and accomplished, but feel pressure, uncertainty, or disconnection beneath how things look. For more than 40 years, I’ve worked in education, leadership development, coaching, and organizational learning.
I still find the work meaningful because a clear conversation can change what someone believes is possible. We do not have to make the story neater than it is. We can start with what is real.
I am based in the Chicago area. I work with clients in person locally and remotely with clients well beyond the area. Sessions are available remotely because a leader's context matters more than their postcode.
How I think about the work
The inside shapes the outside.
I pay attention to the inner life beneath behavior: identity, interpretation, habits, and the environments that reinforce them.
My role is not to hand you a script. It is to help you slow down, see clearly, and reconnect your actions with what matters to you. The work is thoughtful and practical, but it is also personal.
If something feels off even when things look successful from the outside, that is worth listening to.
The Mind Garden
There is a place for this work to breathe.
The Mind Garden is a two-acre property I use for retreats, reflection, and slower conversations. It gives people room to step away from the noise and notice what they have been carrying.
Not every insight arrives at a desk. Sometimes a walk, a little quiet, and an unhurried conversation are enough to help something become clear.
Credentials & training
PhD in Education
Certified Leadership Coach
Certified Human Behavior Analyst (DISC)
Certified Hypnosis Practitioner
Certified Ethical Influence Practitioner, Cialdini Institute
Certified DISC & Emotional Intelligence Consultant
Cialdini Certified Professional, Founding Member
Maxwell Leadership Certified Coach
Certified Brain Health Coach
Get Great Certified Coach
Certified Neuroencoding Specialist
Certified Hypnotherapy Practitioner
Executive & Leadership Coach
In Their Words
A few words from people I have worked with.
“Michael has helped guide me in my business and professional growth. Not only through the tools he provides, but in his calm, compassionate approach. Michael has enabled me to adopt a growth mindset that is invaluable both in my personal and professional life.”
Stacy Chambers
Publisher, Batavia Living
“Michael brings a thoughtful, grounded presence to every conversation. He creates the kind of space where honest reflection becomes practical action.”
Maria Maier
CEO, Step Up and Thrive
“Michael has a unique ability to combine emotional intelligence with clear, rational insight. He is thoughtful, respectful, and genuinely cares about a positive outcome.”
Carolyn Chiovino Rudnick
CEO, Express Employment Professionals
Come as you are
You do not need the right words before you reach out.
We can start with what is real for you today and see what becomes clearer from there.
