What is coaching?
Great question! The ICF defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.” Sounds pretty good right? What coaching is NOT is me telling you what to do! It is also very different to mentoring or counselling.
If you haven’t experienced working with a professional coach before it can feel a little daunting. Sometimes people come to a coaching relationship without a clear idea of what to expect - and that’s OK, but it’s important to get clarity on that before we start the process of coaching. That’s why I think it’s vital to spend some time before the coaching actually starts outlining what coaching is, how it works, and what your over-arching goals are so that when we do start the coaching relationship we can begin doing great work.
You might also have been directed to work with a coach by your employer - and depending on how that was done, it might feel a little like ‘being put on the naughty step’… why do you need coaching? Do they think you’re terrible at your job? Are you at risk? What’s their motivation? Establishing trust and psychological safety is paramount - a good coach will ‘contract’ with both the organization and the individual to establish clear boundaries, and ensure confidentiality.
Put simply, coaching helps individuals develop awareness of limiting beliefs and behaviours that prevent them from achieving their goals. The ‘coaching container’ allows you to explore these in a safe, judgement-free, confidential environment. We co-create the space for you to do your best thinking, reflect, and gain clarity on the issues you are facing, then identify the actions you need to take to reach your goals - as well as exploring the things that might get in your way!
How I work…
My approach to coaching is highly person-centred and integrates strengths-based, cognitive-behavioural, Gestalt, and systemic coaching, selecting the best approaches to support the client.
I will typically work with you to gain a clear understanding of what you want to change or achieve through coaching. We’ll agree on the number and length of our coaching sessions, where those take place, and any other information that will create the best environment for you to do your best thinking.
Within each session we then work together to agree the goal(s) for that session, what degree of challenge you are looking for, and how I can best support you on the topic as your coach. Depending on the theme of the session and the way in which you prefer to work, I may suggest a particular tool either to help gather useful information or to assist with thinking about the topic or theme.
My aim is to create a space where you feel a deep sense of trust and psychological safety that will enable you to do your very best thinking and potentially tackle challenging emotions or themes.
I engage in regular CPD and coaching supervision and adhere to the ICF’s Code of Ethics. I am a member of both the ICF and the Association for Coaching
I work with a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on:
Organizational change and transformation
Individuals returning to work after parental leave
Career change and planning for ‘unretirement’
Peri/menopause challenges
Managing the ‘midlife collision’
Exploring ‘impostor feelings’ and limiting beliefs
I particularly love it when I’m working with a client and they get a new insight into their situation, challenge, or behaviour - nothing beats seeing that “lightbulb moment” when things click into place!
If you’d like a no-obligation chat about working with me, click the button below, and book in some time to talk!