You hired a coach? Awesome! Now you’re asking yourself “What is going to happen in a coaching session?” 

That’s what I’m here to tell you – so you can go into a coaching session prepared and ready to get the most out of the time you have with your coach. 

First, it’s helpful if you have a topic identified to discuss with your coach before arriving at the session. Most coaches will go through a brief set of questions when beginning a coaching session that are geared toward clarifying the topic that you’d like to work on during the session and your goal of what you’d like to have completed by the end of the session. It’s helpful if you have some idea of what you’d like to discuss. 

When you arrive at the session, especially if you are stressed or frazzled – the coach may do a moment or two of “centering” or grounding. This is to help you release some stress so you can be present for the session and get the most out of the time with your coach. This may be similar to a guided meditation. If you feel self conscious, you can always turn off your camera (if you are meeting virtually) or keep your eyes open if closing your eyes feels uncomfortable for you – softening your gaze is a great option if you’re not comfortable closing your eyes.

The coaching session should feel like a safe space where you can express your needs, so if something isn’t comfortable for you, speak up and discuss it with your coach. Remember, coaching is a partnership between you and  your coach. It’s okay to speak up, ask for what you need from your coach. Coaching sessions are a safe space where it’s okay to assert your needs and feel heard/validated. There’s no reason to stress about a coaching session – coaches aim to provide a safe, judgment free zone to discuss whatever topic you would like to discuss.

The coach will ask open-ended questions that are designed to help you discern what may be standing in the way of something you’re looking to change, understand more fully or overcome. If there are moments of silence, that’s okay, too. Take your time to pause and reflect when answering the questions they present to you. You are in control of the session and the direction of the session. If you are unhappy or uncomfortable with the direction the session is taking, it’s okay to address it with your coach. The coach is there to partner with you and help you arrive at the goal you set forth for your session or coaching journey (some goals may take multiple sessions to move toward a larger goal).

At the end of the session, the coach will usually check in with you and reflect on insights from the session. They may also ask you what you learned and what action(s) you intend to take to move you closer to your goal in between sessions. Many times, a thought or question raised during a session could lead to insights between sessions. They may also ask you to do some additional work between sessions. This may include journaling, some thought-work or prioritizing a list of values that are most important to you. If you have questions about any of this, ask your coach. 

Coaching should feel like a supportive and safe space to share, explore and grow in your journey. 

If you’re interested in learning more about coaching, you may book a complimentary discovery session with me. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about my coaching methods, training and tools available to use with clients.  

…and what does a Life Coach do?

 If you’re most people, you didn’t really know what life coaches do. A few days ago, it dawned on me that most people don’t really know what coaches do and how a coach can help them on their journey. So, bear with me while I explain a bit about coaching and how it may be able to help you.

We all know how sports coaches work with athletes to help them improve their skills, mindset and identify areas for future growth. That makes sense. Most of us don’t realize that when it comes to life, we can also benefit from coaching concepts and assistance. Your mindset when it comes to life is one of the most impactful things you can control – when your life may feel completely out of control. This is something I never learned in my youth and only started to understand in the last 10 years of my life. I had choices. Life didn’t just “happen” to me. I could make choices about my actions AND the beliefs I held on to so tightly.

If you’re rebuilding your life after a major shift, coaching can be incredibly helpful to you. Coaches have access to tools and they are trained on concepts to help you uncover what your ideal life looks and feels like for you. Coaching is not a regulated industry, so not all coach training is the same and coaches aren’t even required to be trained in coaching tools and skills in order to work with clients.

That didn’t sit well with me. I knew from my own experience after major life transitions that this can be a very delicate time and rebuilding can stretch and grow you in ways you aren’t prepared for. I decided to find a comprehensive coaching program with a proven methodology, skills and assessments to help me help my clients experience lasting change in their lives. 

When you work with me, you’ll learn and grow in ways that are sustainable long term.  You’ll be able to glean the lessons from your experiences so that you can use those as a stepping stone to your next phase in life – whatever you define that to be and look like. Working with me will give you access to measurable assessments and tools you can use to see your progress before and after our work together.

Coaching is a partnership – a judgement free, safe place to express, explore, learn and grow with someone to guide you as you’re settling and adjusting into a new phase of life. Powerful life coaches will help you uncover the answers that you hold inside of your heart – accessing the wisdom from within. No one has the lived experience that you have, so how can someone else who just met you even begin to know what the right answers are for you? Allowing you to choose how to proceed gives you the buy-in and builds your confidence throughout the coaching engagement so that you come out of the experience stronger and more able to handle any future life transitions. Your coach will be there to help you stay motivated, hold you accountable and assist you in getting “un-stuck” if you feel stuck in indecision or inaction. 

Teaching you these tools as well as how to access your powerful intution to find the answers will lead to sustained change. As someone who has been through divorce, loss of both of my parents, career change and building a new business – I know firsthand how major life shifts can really upend your life and cause stress. The interesting fact is that we don’t work at our best under tremendous stress. Finding a peaceful, soul centered path for you to navigate during this transition will be imperative to your growth from the phase of life that is ending and help you blossom into your next phase of life.

 If you are going through a major life shift and you’re interested in learning more about coaching, book a complimentary discovery call with me.