The Association of Coaching describes coaching as:
‘A solution-focussed, results-orientated and systematic process in which the coach facilitates the enhancement of work performance, life experience, self-directed learning and personal growth of the coachee.’
I think of coaching as a conversation where the coach guides the coachee to think deeply and in new and novel ways to find their own solutions to challenges. By listening attentively and asking powerful questions, I help them to find their strengths and learn to use them.
I offer a time limited intervention to help people deal with challenges in the workplace or in personal life. That challenge might be as general as: ‘I want to be more engaged in my work’ or as specific as ‘I want to be able to do presentations with confidence.’
My particular interest is in helping people manage emotionally challenging work situations and to work with them to build a set of resilience tools that works for them.
How does coaching differ from counselling or therapy?
Coaching seeks to help you to address specific difficulties or challenges you are having and supports you to use strategies to manage these. It is goal orientated and solution-based. It does not seek to address deep-seated emotional issues or concerns from your childhood that may affect you today, in the way that counselling or therapy does. However, there may be emotional issues that arise when you seek behaviour change. On the whole they can be managed within the coaching relationship. But if they become pressing and seem to be beyond the scope of coaching, then we can discuss this and look at what other services might be more helpful for you.
What happens in a coaching session?
In each coaching session we will work together to set a goal for the session. This will be in addition to a longer-term goal for the series of sessions. I will listen actively and intently to what you say and reflect back to you so that you can hear your own thinking and gain clarity. Then together we will explore ways forward, based on your own ideas and strengths and drawing on relevant positive psychology theory and practice.
What sorts of things do people seek coaching for?
There are many different reasons why people choose to start coaching. For some it’s a chance to find new ways of responding to stress at work. For others it’s a chance to explore team relationships and to develop new leadership skills and confidence. Everyone is different and has different goals – that are as unique as each of us. The point of coaching is to help you move forwards towards your goals and to help you to flourish whatever stage you are at and wherever you are.
How many sessions will I need, how long is each and how frequent should they be?
Coaching is very flexible. You could have a one-off 90-minute session to help you get to grips with a particular issue that’s bothering you and that might be enough. On the other hand, you may want to embark on a series of sessions to help you to make progress on more long-term goals and to make enduring change. In this case having about six, one-hour sessions, spread over three months might suit you best. This gives you time to try things out in between sessions and to start developing your new-found confidence and skills. I offer a range of packages – including free starter sessions so we can explore your goals and discuss what will work best for you. See here for different packages offered.
Will the sessions be face to face?
Coaching can be very successfully conducted online or by phone. However, many people prefer to meet face to face. I would hope to have at least an initial face to face session, if possible. I live in North London and am happy to travel.
I have heard about a ‘coaching contract’ – what does that mean?
When we start working together it’s important that we agree how we will do that and what you would like to achieve. Although the work is collaborative, as a general rule, you, as the coachee, will be responsible for deciding what we discuss and work on in each session and I will be responsible for guiding the session, keeping track of the time and the progress we are making . In a coaching contract we write all of this down, as well as things like timekeeping, payment, confidentiality and anything else that we want to include. The contract will also state what we are working on so that we are both clear where we are going. It’s useful to refer back to this from time to time to ensure we are sticking to what we agreed and can make any adjustments needed.
What about confidentiality?
As a member of the Association of Coaching I abide by their ethics and guidelines. All sessions are confidential. However, as a professional coach I receive supervision to help develop my practice, and, as part of this, elements of what we discuss may occasionally be shared in an anonymised way.