Here are some scenarios where life coaching works well: 

• You are at a career crossroads and want to explore the issues with someone completely independent of the situation – Let’s explore what is holding you back and then I can support you to make decisions with new self-belief, that move you towards the life you really want.

• You have been promoted but are unsure how to get your new team working together and be confident in communicating with them – Let’s discover your leadership style and have you practice new techniques, free from any judgement. We can build you a successful working relationship with your team by better understanding their needs.

• You have great ideas about a project that you want to start up, but wonder why you can’t seem to make it happen – Let’s connect you to your motivation, and work out what it will take to unlock your true potential. From there, you can make your plans a reality in a positive, sustaining way.

• You think that you can’t be true self and are always ‘faking it’ with other people so they will like and accept you – I’ve worked hard on my own authenticity so I can help you learn to accept yourself. Let’s build up your self-confidence so you can begin the practice of living an authentic life.

• You are feeling stuck in a rut and not fulfilling your potential but are scared to change – I will work with you to clarify what being at your best means for you and then help you develop strategies that move you towards that goal with renewed drive and determination.

• You want to be in a relationship but seem unable to find the ‘right one’. You know that you need to get back on the dating scene but feel daunted by the thought of starting over – I will support you in understanding what you want from a relationship, guide you to face your fears and help you to discover your true desires.

• You are successful and living the ‘good life’ and know you should feel lucky but wonder why you still don’t feel really contented and happy – I will help you understand what brings you genuine joy and passion by connecting you to your true values and help you let go of old beliefs that don’t work for you anymore.

It is fairly standard in the coaching industry for a programme of 6 sessions to be carried out at regular intervals of every 2-4 weeks.

You can then decide at the end of the 6 sessions, if you want to book some more.

The factors that may influence how many sessions you have and over how long a period can include:

• The type of goals you want to work on (e.g. something urgent to solve now or something planned for the near future)
• The way you like to work (e.g. fast paced or slow and steady).
• Your financial resources.

When we agree to work together, we will decide what frequency will work best and review our progress at the end.

The majority of my coaching is conducted online via Zoom or Skype (or whatever other package you like best) or via telephone.

This gives us the flexibility to tailor the session to your working patterns and find a time and location that suits.

For example, some clients will negotiate dedicated office time for the session, finding a private space to speak openly.

Some clients want sessions when working from home or during the evening, when they know they can fully focus.

A minority of sessions are carried out face to face. For example, I’ve travelled to a client’s place of work, met in a cafe or even coached a client on the beach in Brighton where I live.

We can discuss what option suits us both best when we speak.

Well, the short answer is that you don’t need any qualifications. You could set yourself up as a coach tomorrow which I personally find a bit frightening.

I’m committed be the best coach I can be because I believe the work we do together is important and significant. It gives me peace of mind to think I’m competent to work with you, providing support, safety and professionalism.

This is why I’ve chosen to follow a route where I’ve been trained by an approved coach training organisation called Coaching Development. As such, I have a professional coaching qualification recognised throughout my industry because I’ve been assessed, mentored and supervised to ensure I know what I’m doing and I’m competent.

In addition, I’m also accredited through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) as an Associate Certified Coach (ACC). This means I’m committed to continuing professional development, I work with supervisors and mentors to review my practice, I follow strict ethical standards and codes and a proven structure of coaching.

Some outcomes from coaching are going to be easier to measure than others, as shifts in thoughts and feelings as well as behaviours are likely to occur over a length of time.

When I was coached, it took about 6 months for me to really absorb the experience and start to take action. As a result, though, I completely changed careers so the impact was significant.

At the beginning of the coaching, we will work to establish how we want to measure success for you and the organisation, where they are involved. That way, we can see what has changed and how that impact has been felt.

Organisations may be interested in the ROI (Return On Investment), which can include external indicators of performance and internal indicators of success.

External indicators, which you have some control over, could include increasing income and revenue for your part of the business. It could mean being promoted (or leaving) or improved performance and productivity which are measured on your personal development plan.

Internal measures, which are the changes you feel yourself, could include raising your self-awareness and developing more robust coping strategies for working with colleagues or partners. It might mean having greater confidence and improved awareness of the needs of others which will have a direct impact on how you work with your team.