Coaching is “a reflective process between coaches and
coachees which helps or facilitates coachees to experience positive behavioural
changes through continuous dialogue and negotiations with coaches to meet coachees’ personal or work goals” (Lai, 2014)
Coaching, rather than being about teaching or advice-giving, is about helping you to find your own solutions and your own way forward, based on your own situation, values, strengths and aspirations. Coaching is a collaborative and supportive process, characterised by purposeful and thought-provoking questions which facilitate movement from the reality of your current situation towards your desired reality. The primary focus of coaching is on the present (where you currently are) and the future (where you want to be). It is a problem-solving and goal-driven process, with the responsibility for the outcome resting with you, the coachee. When the coaching process works well, you will be equipped with tools to help you solve problems in any area of life.
Watch Dr Richard MacKinnon’s videos to get a flavour of what to expect from coaching.
Please note that coaching is not therapy and should not be seen as a substitute for therapy. Whilst there are overlaps, it may be helpful to think of counselling as being primarily about repair, and coaching as primarily about change and action. If you are currently experiencing high levels of distress related to past events, therapy may be a more helpful way forward for you at the present time. You can find a therapist through Counselling Directory or Psychology Today.
Coaching psychology differs from some forms of coaching, in that the coach is informed by psychological theories which they have critically evaluated, and may use evidence-based tools to assist you in achieving your goals.
Depending on your particular goals, coaching can help you to:
Regain or maintain motivation (eg to achieve health, weight loss and fitness goals)
Navigate changes and transitions in your work or personal life
Cope with stress and build stress-reduction strategies
Build self-confidence and self-esteem
Discover your personal values, strengths, and areas for improvement
Gain clarity and focus
Develop effective problem-solving skills
Achieve a work-life balance that suits you
Manage difficult or complex situations
Improve your performance and effectiveness
Resolve personal or professional relationship conflicts
Improve your communication and relationship-building skills
This is not an exhaustive list, and what you will gain from coaching will depend very much on your personal goals and desired outcomes, as well as on your engagement and motivation.
You can use coaching to work on a wide range of topics. You can bring any dissatisfaction or stuckness you feel about any aspect of your life, any areas in which you struggle, or any areas in which you want to develop and grow. Some examples might be: time management, overwhelm, work-life balance, performance improvement, habit formation, communication skills, emotional regulation, health and wellbeing, career development, overcoming procrastination, overcoming limiting beliefs, developing confidence. This is not an exhaustive list by any means.
Whatever you want to make headway with, remember that the focus of coaching is behavioural change, so you will need to be committed to taking action between sessions to get the most out of the coaching experience.
As your coach, I will not be offering advice (although I may at times offer information, suggestions and pointers), but as far as possible, will be helping you to draw on your own resources to find a way forward that fits with your own values and strengths. I endeavour to create a safe, non-judgmental, collaborative space, in which you can discover yourself more deeply, explore your goals and come up with some specific actions you can take to move towards them.
Watch Dr Richard MacKinnon’s videos to get a flavour of what to expect from coaching.
Please first register your interest. I will contact you to arrange a 15 – 30 minute Discovery call, so that I can get an overview of the area(s) you want to explore in coaching, and assess whether coaching (rather than, for example therapy or mentoring) is the most helpful way forward for you at this time. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about coaching.
This will depend on factors such as my availability, the issues you want to cover and whether or not coaching is a suitable way forward for you at this time. If I can’t help, I may be able to signpost you to somebody who can.
Sessions are usually weekly to begin with, at the same time each week, wherever possible. Fortnightly sessions may also be possible, though it is often helpful to start with weekly sessions, to gather some momentum and maintain motivation.
The number of sessions will be agreed during our Discovery Call. You can have up to 8 free sessions. If you would like to continue after that, it may be possible to continue on a paid basis (fees will be agreed at that point). You are also free to stop at any time if you decide that coaching isn’t for you.
We will meet either online via Zoom or in-person in St Georges, Weston-super-Mare.
References
Lai, Y. (2014) Enhancing Evidence-based Coaching Through the Development of a
Coaching Psychology Competency Framework: Focus on the Coaching Relationship.
School of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, U.K.
Passmore, J. & Lai, Y, (2019) Coaching Psychology: Exploring definitions and
contribution to coaching research and practice? International Coaching Psychology
Review. 14(2), 69-83.