Frequently Asked Questions

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Coaching is a partnership where coaches lead clients through a creative thought-provoking process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. 

Coaching aims to move you to what matters. It involves identifying where you want to be, working through issues that may be holding you back, setting and achieving goals to overcome challenges, support in navigating life or career changes, and seeks to find ways of thriving instead of surviving.

Counselling and Coaching in that they talk through issues to help resolve them but have a different focus. 

Counselling looks backwards to resolve issues in the past that may be impacting negatively on your current or future self. 

Coaching focuses on solutions to existing problems rather than trying to understand where or why they may have come about.. The process focuses on the present as a means to the future. It helps build confidence, explore alternative versions of your potential, solve problems that move you forward, focus on how to fulfil your aspirations and deal with the habits and behaviours that may be causing inaction. 

If you had a physical injury or chronic condition you would seek specialist expertise to help resolve those right? Comparing support systems to physical health may help you work out what's best for you. 

Counselling is like visiting physiotherapist to help you heal from an injury by practising new techniques that focus on healing the wounded area.

Coaching is like signing up to a personal trainer or series of exercise classes (like yoga for your lifestyle). It's designed to help you get the body (life), fitness (mental resilience) and health (fulfilment) that you want to achieve. You do the exercise, burn the calories and improve your heart rate but the PT (Coach) will help you work out where to invest your time and energy. 

You can work with both. Counselling and Coaching are not exclusive - in the same way you would visit a Physio & PT to work on issues around an injury you can also engage with both Counselling and Coaching.

In an emergency  Just as you got to the emergency room with a broken leg there are specialist support groups for mental health urgent issues. Speak to your GP or contact the Samaritans on 116 123 (UK) or  (877) 870-4673 (USA). 

Unfortunately coaching is an unregulated industry and a lot of coaches' qualifications are not validated. When seeking a coach do check they have met a minimum standard threshold. Having coaching conversations as a boss, mentor or leader is not the same as formal training or experience.

The International Coaching Federation - ICF (of which I am an accredited member) provides strict standards to demonstrate coaching capability. 

Their core competencies (which I have been assessed against) include:

1. Demonstrates Ethical Practice
2. Embodies a Coaching Mindset 
3. Establishes and Maintains Agreements
4. Cultivates Trust and Safety
5. Maintains Presence
6. Listens Actively
7. Evokes Awareness
8. Facilitates Client Growth

I am a certified professional coach 

I trained with the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) in 2017. Training involved over 150 hours of coaching specialty and supervised practice 

I am accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) 

The ICF set strict standards for knowledge, practice, ethics and training. Being accredited means I have evidence over 100 and up to 500 hours of coaching.

I hold a masters in Psychology

I achieved a masters degree in Psychological Science at the University of Glasgow (one of the most respected psychology institutes) and my thesis focused on burnout, perfectionism, and multicultural resilience. The Major Projects Association invited me to present my findings to their working group aiming to reduce burnout among cross industry rising starts.

I am a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS) including Coaching Psychology division. Using scientific evidence provides substantiation for evidenced based practice beyond that provided by training providers for coaching. Coaching is becoming a route for Chartered Psychology for the BPS which I am working towards.

I am a qualified change practitioner

I have led and been trained in people change management - receiving practitioner status accreditation by APMG. This is an extension qualification to years of being considered a Subject Matter Expert and leading change management best practice across my organisation. 

Discovery calls are free and provide an opportunity to see how coaching would work for you, and whether there is a synergy between us. There is no obligation to follow up or book coaching and I pride myself on providing no sales pressure.

The call typically lasts 30-45 minutes. We'll explore what you want form coaching, how I work and  whether that would work for you.

Coaching isn't for everybody and I'll advise if I don't think it would work for you and potential alternatives you could explore instead.

Coaching is more than just showing up for weekly one on one sessions. 

By investing in coaching we are creating a relationship and, like other relationships, it doesn't just exist once a week at a scheduled time - it's an ongoing partnership.

By engaging in a partnership programme you get weekly coaching sessions 

PLUS

• Ad hoc between session support, encouragement, accountability or celebrations as you try out new things. I can send reminders, check in on progress or be available for topping up your motivation, confidence or focus by text / WhatsApp / email.
• Booster calls - dedicated quick chats ahead or after big events that relate to your coaching goals (call me before that interview, presentation, conference, challenging conversation)
• Content reviews - someone to bounce or share outputs with so you can get the most out of our conversations (presentation, personal style or development outputs, that difficult email or speech, help interpreting feedback). Bringing it to me in advance means we can get to the nub of why it's important to you and what you want to do with it faster.
• Toolkits and bespoke learning - I have a whole toolbox of tools and techniques available that I can share or point you towards based on what comes up for you. It may be pointers that relate to your situation, psychological research findings that relate to your challenges, an article that shares what you're experiencing, an exercise to reflect on.

By committing to a programme I'll also provide discounted rates the more sessions we have and you can pay monthly instead of on a per session rate. You can still cancel at any time. You will only pay for what you have received.

Of course! Sometimes clients just need help with one big decision or goal. 

If we haven't worked together before I suggest we have a 90 minute session to make sure we have enough time for context as well as your goal for the session.

I am UK based and can offer coaching online and share the reduced overhead costs with my clients. 

I also provide face to face hours across a number of locations on set days per week. See my contact page for locations.

I also work internationally with clients online. I am used to working across cultures and timezones and can invoice, and provide payment in your currency.

Professional Coaches follow high ethical standards where the client is honoured at all times.

Being a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) means I have been assessed as demonstrating ethical practice by understanding and consistently applying coaching ethics and standards.  

The ICF ethics standards set out responsibilities to:

• the Client
• Practice and Performance
• Professionalism
• Society

Coaching costs vary dependant on a number of factors including, 

• duration of the partnership (from 1 session to a 3 month programme)
• location (online or in person)
• your status (discounts provided for self funding clients)
• quick payment

Example costs (before discounts)

• for single coaching session from £119
• coaching for organisations from £149 per session
• partnership programme from £800 (paid over 3 months)

Yes!

I offer discounts of 30% for young people, students, self funded clients. 

Please get in touch or reach out for a discovery call so I can better understand what your situation is.

Yes. I provide a simple coaching agreement which we will both sign. 

Coaching agreements clearly set out the administration of the partnership so we can focus on the important topics in discussions - moving you to what matters.

Agreements help manage expectations of what is and what isn't included. A professional coach will always provide a contract to protect the interests of both parties. 

Yes! The client is always in a position to discontinue our partnership. You will only pay for what you have received. 

Whether it is a partnership programme or single session you are under no obligation. We just ask 24 hours notice.

I provide a scaled pricing structure when partnerships are shorter in duration than initially planned.

Life happens and the unforeseen can crop up and sabotage your day - I get it!

If you are running late up to 15 minutes I can still meet you but will need to honour the same end time to protect other clients' time.

If you running more than 15 minutes late or aren't able to make our session at all but want to continue I will do my best to reschedule your session.