Coaching is ultimately about supporting you to achieve something you want in your work or personal life. A coach aims to help you clarify your goals and explore what’s happening for you today that is impacting your success. They will help you to identify the options you have and what it will take to move forward and make change happen.
Importantly, a coach is not there to tell you what to do or give specific advice. They are there to give you a unique safe space to explore, discuss and discover, using a mix of approaches. They will listen, ask questions, challenge you and encourage you, in a way that helps you to see things differently and work things out for yourself.
“We all have our best guides within us, if only we would listen” (Jane Austen, Mansfield Park 1814)
What can I expect?
My 1-to-1 coaching sessions are either face to face (usually outdoors), or online. I will normally work with you for 6 sessions, every 3-4 weeks, and will send you summary notes from each session. (See my 1 to 1 coaching package).
During the sessions, I will ask questions that help you to explore your thoughts, feelings, actions and options more deeply. I will make observations and challenge you, to help you see things from a different perspective. There could also be exercises to do in between sessions, to help you reflect more deeply. Coaching is ultimately about achieving change, so I will encourage you to commit to any actions you have identified and help you to reflect on how they are going.
You may feel out of your comfort zone in some sessions. This is normal and is a sign that you are thinking things through differently, a key step to making change.
Ultimately, the person who will make the changes will be you, so you need to be committed and ready to take positive action. I am there to guide you, but will not tell you what to do!
Is it different to counselling?
Yes! Counselling mainly focuses on helping you to deal with a problem that is affecting your ability to function well in your day to day life. Without resolving this, it might be difficult to move forward and make bigger changes in your life. Coaching is about helping you to achieve the goals you have and is therefore more future-focused and action-oriented. Coaching does often include some exploration of the past, but this will always relate back to the achievement of your goals.
Do you offer coaching in groups?
Yes, please see the Group Coaching page for more information. This can be a more affordable way to access coaching and more sociable too! I facilitate all the sessions, unless it’s a self-led course, where I provide support via an online course group. I aim to make my workshops fun and energising, as well as powerful. I ask questions or set exercises for the whole group, giving time for individual reflection work and encouraging discussion in pairs or small groups.