About Dr. Kerri Fair
Becoming Who You Need to Be in Times of Change
I’m Dr. Kerri Fair, and I understand what it feels like when life asks you to become someone new just when you thought you had it all figured out.
My career in education spans three decades, beginning as an elementary teacher before earning my reading specialist’s master’s degree. I spent three years as a reading specialist, then moved to an independent school where I taught while also serving as a literacy specialist; coaching my colleagues in literacy instruction.
I became principal of the same school, spent seven years in that role, and then left to pursue my doctorate right before the pandemic. I currently work as a full-time lecturer in higher education, where I continue to support and guide emerging educators.
Throughout these years, I’ve had the privilege of training, leading, and coaching countless educators through professional transitions. I’ve witnessed how capable, accomplished women lose themselves in the process of caring for everyone else. I’ve seen the exhaustion that comes from suppressing your own needs while meeting everyone else’s expectations.
My Research
My doctoral research focused on burnout among midlife women teachers, but what I discovered extends far beyond education. I found patterns of emotional suppression, disconnection from authentic self, and a kind of forgetting that happens when women consistently put themselves last. These findings shed light on something I was experiencing myself and saw in women across professions.
The research gave me language for what so many of us know intuitively; that midlife isn’t just about aging, it’s about awakening. It’s about remembering who we are beneath all the roles we’ve learned to play.
My Personal Journey
I won’t pretend my path to this work was purely academic. A few years ago, I found myself in what I now call “the bad year.” I lost several family members, was in a car crash, and was experiencing the full weight of professional burnout. I had become so skilled at emotional control that I nearly lost the ability to feel anything at all.
That breaking point became my turning point. I rediscovered healing through creative practices like watercolor painting and hand sewing. I found that when I took time to do things that provided a quiet pause or space, I could better process my thoughts and feelings. In some ways, I needed that space to reconnect with myself and consider my future plans.
These experiences, combined with my research background, led me to develop what became the FACTOR methodology.
The Factor Approach
The FACTOR framework guides women through reconnecting with their authentic selves:
- Feel: Giving ourselves permission to acknowledge emotions we’ve learned to suppress
- Accept: Understanding what we can and cannot control
- Creativity: Using visual and tactile practices to unlock new perspectives
- Take Action: Moving from insight to meaningful change
- Optimism: Maintaining hope through setbacks
- Reflect: Structured analysis that builds self-awareness and momentum
What I'm Building
I’m currently creating resources and content to support midlife women through transition. My photo-journaling process combines visual thinking with structured reflection; helping women bypass the mental barriers that keep us stuck and reconnect with our inner wisdom.
While I don’t currently work as a life coach, I’m building toward offering direct support to women seeking clarity and purpose during times of change. Right now, I’m focused on developing courses, creating community, and sharing tools that honor both the struggle and the strength inherent in midlife transitions.
I believe that midlife isn’t about decline or settling. It’s about integration. It’s about taking everything you’ve learned about caring for others and finally applying that same care to yourself. It’s about trusting that you have the ability to build the life you want and the next evolution of your identity.
If you’re feeling the pull toward something different, something more authentic, I’m here to walk that path with you.