Where do you coach? 

I work with all my clients in private confidential settings similar to therapy. I usually meet private clients on video conferencing via Zoom. For corporate clients I meet using their preferred method, where possible in person at their location.

What happens in the first coaching session?

In the first session, I will ask you to tell me about yourself, either the reasons for getting in touch or how you're feeling at the moment to kick off the session. When you make an appointment, I will also send you a discovery form with some questions for you to fill out ahead of our session. This will help me learn more about you and prepare a plan for working with you. 

Some people have a clear idea about what they would like to work on, and others need help focusing that. We spend the first session talking through the issues that are on their mind and start thinking about the changes that they want to make. Most importantly, I aim to establish trust and create a pleasant, safe, and calm environment to build our coaching work within.

What kind of things can we work on?

Some people come with quite specific issues such as career transitions and or even more specifically help preparing for an interview. Other people come with a diffuse sense of just not feeling very happy, such as ‘surely there's more to life than this’ or ‘I’d really like to feel happier and more fulfilled but I've sort of lost direction and I don't really know how to do that’. I’m often asked to help with stress, self-esteem, anxiety, relationship problems.

Why is coaching beneficial?

Some of the main benefits clients report after coaching work are clarity, more confidence, and more optimism. Clients also commonly feel happier and more resilient in spite of life’s challenges.

What’s the difference between Therapy vs Coaching?

The main differences between coaching and therapy lie in the direction. Coaching is a developmental science that’s all about preparing people for the present and the future, whereas therapy is more of a healing science that helps people look back and make sense of things that still troubles them. 

There's a huge role to be played by both therapy and coaching if it's done well and effectively. I don’t think one can substitute the other. As a coaching psychologist I use psychological theory to enhance and expand on our coaching work. It allows me to increase the level of support I offer by helping me understand clients on a deeper level. There are situations where problems are of a nature that clients need to see a therapist to help them work on those before coaching.

What’s the difference between Executive Coaching vs Business Consulting?

Coaching is a collaborative partnership working to maximise a client’s personal and professional potential through a thought-provoking and creative process. In an executive coaching session the client is considered the expert of their business and the coach acts as a guide. A consultant is an expert who is called on for professional or technical advice or opinions. They are relied on to understand the problem and present solutions.

What is evidence-based coaching? 

Evidence-based or science-based coaching uses techniques and strategies that are supported by research in business, economic, and behavioural sciences (including psychology and sociology). An evidence-based approach to coaching is important because it helps coaches to better predict the outcomes of interventions, making the sessions (coaching work) more effective.

What is Co-Active coaching?

"Co-active Coaching is a model originally also developed in the United States, by Laura Whitworth. The four principles are that the client is naturally creative, resourceful and whole. Coaching addresses the client’s whole life, the client sets the agenda and the coaching relationship is a partnership. Co-active Coaching also places emphasis on the coach’s intuition as a coaching tool.” (CTI)

What is Psychological coaching?

This is coaching using psychological techniques or methods. There are times when clients are feeling stuck because of what happened to them in their childhood or some points in their past. In these cases it may be helpful to talk about something from the past that was either very troublesome, or a big milestone, that is somehow affecting them now. Often they're also rightly worried about the way it might affect them in the future.

What happens in between sessions?

It varies as to whether we set homework. With some clients it's absolutely not necessary as it's just a question of letting them think about the information, think about the conversation we've had and allow items of significance to percolate in between sessions. Sometimes things come up between sessions that we must deal with first before we can pick up from the last session. 

What is Executive coaching?

The majority of corporate client work involves helping incredibly talented people reach their potential by optimising what they do already. With a bit of coaching and a few adjustments that person can gain more sophisticated leadership skills, decision making skills, confidence, strategic thinking skills.

Whilst on the whole, corporate sessions are work related (such as leadership training) but not always because if somebody is facing a large crisis or something notable is going on outside of a work situation, then obviously that's going to affect them at work. In such cases it’s helpful for them to have someone that they can talk that through with. Similarly many of my private clients are senior executives and have professional positions. They want to talk about work as well as personal issues. 

Do you do group coaching and workshops?

Yes, I facilitate workshops a few times a year on popular topics such as goal setting, mindset training and resilience. But I also conduct many training sessions as part of my executive coaching work. Supporting teams and organisations during periods of transition, development and transformation. Helping teams work better together, increasing efficiency, stress management. 

How many coaching sessions will I need to make a positive change? 

It varies. Some people need help within a specific time frame addressing an agreed focus so the change is very quick. For example, someone needing help preparing for an interview. If the focus is on something much larger, or the need is less defined, it can take longer. However, research suggests that typically somewhere between 6 and 12 sessions are necessary to create lasting positive change. For this reason, for targeted coaching work I normally ask for a minimum 3 month commitment, with sessions every 2 weeks. We will discuss this more in our consultation and make a plan. In a corporate session setting I usually recommend to the organisation that they invest in a of a block of six sessions.