How coaching helps

Coaching embodies open and honest conversations within a safe, non-judgmental, confidential environment, where the coach asks questions to re-examine feelings, beliefs, assumptions and views to achieve maximum human potential. This journey can be challenging, filled with uncomfortable questions, intense emotions, and significant realisations, but the results are rewarding. Coaching sessions provide a reflective space — an opportunity to pause and think, process emotions, and reconnect the mind, body, and soul.

Based on your expectations, coaching isn’t necessarily the only modality you should explore.

Modality	Focus	Horizon	Direction
Coaching	Future goals and potential	Now to future	Client finds answers
Mentoring	Career and personal growth	Now to future	Mentor shares wisdom
Counselling	Past and present healing	Past to now	Therapist provides insight
Consulting	Specific problem and solution	Now to future	Consultant provides answers

A coaching engagement is typically a short-term intervention. You should begin to see progress within a few sessions, though some engagements can last up to ten sessions. If you don’t feel you’re making much progress after about five sessions, it might be time to consider a different coach or approach.

The time between sessions is just as important as the sessions themselves. It allows you to complete any homework, process insights, and take action. The ideal space between sessions is two to eight weeks. Any more frequent, and as one of my teachers put it, “coaching becomes coping.”

If you are interested in exploring your past, trauma, grief and intense feelings, therapy is a better option to start with. You can find your nearest therapist at the IACP website.

Your coaching journey begins with a chemistry or discovery call. This initial conversation is for both you and the coach to decide if you’re a good fit for one another. You can use this time to better understand the coach’s style and to clarify your goals for the engagement. Some coaches may offer a brief test session to help you experience their approach firsthand. It’s important to note that, without special clearance, coaches can only work with clients who are 18 or older.

During your initial chemistry or discovery call, your coach will outline the rules of engagement. This will cover important topics like client agency, creating a safe space, and the principles of confidentiality and ethics. While confidentiality is a core principle, it can be waived if you disclose information that suggests a risk of harm to yourself or others.

After you and your coach mutually agree to move forward, the coach will provide you with a contract that outlines all the details of your engagement.