Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions Answered
What is life coaching?
Coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential” (Source:ICF). It is forward focussed, client centred and non-directive. It is not consulting, therapy, counselling or mentoring. In coaching we work towards a goal or desired future state defined by you. We work out where you want to go, where you are right now and how you can achieve success in your desired outcome. My role is to listen, ask questions and reflect back in order to evoke self-awareness and insight. Counsellors and psychotherapists generally work with those who are experiencing mental / psychological illness or who are in distress, it looks at the past and your emotional state to look at the present. Coaching is an intervention that works with those who are generally mentally well and is future focussed.
Who do you coach?
I coach anyone who wants more clarity, self-awareness and is ready to bring about change in their lives. If you’re prepared to do the work, get a little uncomfortable and take action then I am ready to hold the space, listen, ask insightful questions and facilitate your growth. It’s important to be really honest with yourself during the coaching process, without being able to reflect and be truthful with yourself it’s hard to achieve the results you desire. Remember though I am not here to judge or advise, I’m here to help you with the journey you want to go on, whatever that looks like for you. It’s important to note that whilst coaching has a therapeutic element, it is not therapy. If you are experiencing mental illness or psychological distress it is likely that a different professional will be more appropriate to support you through this. If you are unsure I am happy to discuss this further in a discovery call.
How do I know if you're the right coach for me?
Part of the success of coaching is in your relationship with your coach so it’s important that you find a good fit. Coaches are there to provide a non-judgemental safe space for you to show up in and hold you in unconditional positive regard. I am a natural cheerleader and tend to see the best in others. I will want to see you succeed on your terms and celebrate your wins but I am not attached as to what that looks like for you. I may not have been through what you are going through and we may be from different cultures or backgrounds. You may be facing problems I have never faced before. However, as coaching is non-directive I am not here to advise or mentor you. I’m here to facilitate you getting clarity and forging your own path. If you feel in your sessions you can be open and honest, you feel relaxed and that you can say what you want, then this is a very good sign. However if you feel you need to censor yourself, that we haven’t gelled or you are looking for someone to give you advice and tell you what to do then it’s possible that a different coach or mentor would be a better fit.
What results can I expect?
My role as a coach is to listen, ask insightful questions and reflect back to evoke self awareness and insight for you as a coachee. When you are given the space to think clearly and gain your own insights the neural pathways in your brain make new connections. You gain new ways of thinking which leads to new ways of behaving and therefore different results. However, what you do with this new awareness and insight is up to you. I will encourage you when you arrive at a new idea to capture it and decide what action you want to take to incorporate it into your life and we can look at any resistance you might have. However ultimately it’s down to you. If you show up wholeheartedly, you’re honest with yourself and you do what you can to take action and incorporate your new learnings into your life, I believe you’ll be on track to achieve the transformation you are looking for.
How many sessions do I need?
Change and the formation of new habits take time. Depending on the distance between where you are currently and where you want to be will dictate how many sessions you need. It also depends on how clearly defined your goal is. It’s possible to bring about insight in a short space of time. But to really get clear on what it is you want to achieve, work out where you are now, look at your options and maintain the changes it’s ideal to have a number of sessions over a period of months. It’s one thing to gain insight, it’s an entirely different thing to embed it into your life and identity as a new way of being. Also once the changes start happening you will inevitably come up against challenges and coaching is ideal in supporting this deepening transformation. I offer flexibility in my coaching packages, you can book 6 x 1 hour sessions and use them over 3 months which is an ideal amount of time to get you underway. You can then choose an additional block of sessions or ad hoc sessions depending on what you need. I also offer 90 minute one off sessions to help you get clear or unlock one particular issue, ideal if you’re feeling stuck and need to work out solutions quickly.
How should I prepare for my sessions?
There’s nothing specific you need to prepare for our sessions. The majority of people come to coaching with an idea in mind of what they want to work on or be different at the end of our time together. It doesn’t have to be a tangible result, often clients want to think or feel differently about themselves or a situation. In the first part of our session together I will usually ask about your goals overall and where you would like our session to focus. Our coaching sessions are conducted online so it’s ideal if you have a quiet, private space to talk where there aren’t too many distractions.
Do you work to any professional standards?
I am currently training towards my ICF (International Coaching Federation) Professional Coaching Certificate with Optimus Coaching and subscribe to the ICF code of ethics. https://coachingfederation.org/ethics/code-of-ethics Coaching is a truly amazing, potentially life changing tool and for me it was important to train to a professional standard so I can be the best for my clients. It’s unfortunate in the industry that it’s not as regulated as it should be and that people can call themselves coaches when they haven’t received any training and don’t subscribe to any kind of code of conduct. I receive supervision from a more experienced coach who supports my continual professional development as a coach. I also commit to walking my talk. I am committed to a practice of continual personal development, maintaining my wellbeing and reflective practices so that I can hold clear and consistent space for my clients.
