You might be new to coaching, and even if you’re not, every coach is different. So here’s what I like for clients to know about how to work with me.
Prepare for your session. Find a quiet place with a good connection. Consider having headphones handy. Pause your notifications so you can focus. Try to choose a place where you feel a sense of safety.
Focus on the present moment. It’s okay to share stories about your life if you want to feel seen, and I love to hear how coaching is affecting your life. But since my style doesn’t require me to analyze your life, you’ll often get more value by focusing on your current thoughts and feelings than by storytelling.
Be honest, not deferential. If I mischaracterize you, correct me. If I give you an instruction that feels wrong to you, tell me. If we decide on homework for you and you don’t do it, try to notice why you didn’t do it and share that with me. In my method, what’s in the way is the way. Resistance is not a failure; it’s valuable information.
Listen to your body. If you feel the urge to move or make sound, that could be important to the work. If you need to stim or take a bio break, go for it.
Don’t power through. Our work can be emotional, but it should always feel safe. If things start to feel intolerable or overwhelming, let me know and I can lead you through soothing techniques.
Focus on growth, not a finish line. Our goal serves as a direction to move towards, not an endpoint. Rushing this work actually makes it less effective. By focusing only on a direction, we maximize your results.
Stick with one goal. Your goal may evolve as you learn about yourself through coaching, but we won’t bounce from topic to topic each time we meet. If you come to a session focused on something unrelated to our goal, I’ll hold space for those feelings so they can settle, and then we’ll return to our goal so that you can get the most value out of our work together.
Reflect on your session. I send a reflection form after every session. This is an opportunity to give me honest feedback, to remind yourself what you learned and what you plan to do by next session, and to help me prepare for your reflection session at the end of the package.