Why do people engage a coach? In a nutshell, it’s because everyone deserves to be nurtured and empowered to nurture themselves. Who uses a coach? ANYONE with the one or more of the following…
- a dream, a vision or a goal,
- a feeling of unrealised potential, a desire for a fuller life
- a project, a task or a problem,
- a decision or cross roads to be faced,
- a situation you can’t change but which must be managed
- change, transition or stress to deal with.
Some of the issues coaching can help with:
- Personal evolution: building strengths, identifying heart’s desires, plan of action, self esteem
- Dealing with change such as relocation, redundancy, divorce, launching new business or career change, loss, adjusting to the demands of parenthood
- Creating better life balance (work/love/family/play)
- Relationship building
- Self-care, especially for those in caring roles or professions.
- Teenagers looking for a boost in confidence, coping skills and wellbeing in general, enhancing performance at school or in sport, and balance between areas of life.
What you should get from a coach:
- An impartial, objective, sounding board
- Insight, clarity and critical thinking – a reality check
- An absence of judgement and agenda other than seeing you flourish.
- Someone removed from a situation to nurture the seed of an idea or vision before it is challenged by how’s or but’s or by other people’s reactions to it.
- Someone to vent to who won’t be affected by your rant. There should be no knock-on effect from confiding in a coach unlike the potential repercussions of involving someone else close to you or close to the issue.
- Someone completely devoted to listening to you, brainstorming with you, devising an action plan with you, supporting you while you act and keeping you on track until you achieve your aim. Friends can be a wonderful support but unlike them, a coach expects it to be ‘all about you’ and demands nothing in return but your honesty and accountability.
- Someone to keep you honest to yourself. Engaging a coach is forming a psychological contract with someone who checks in with you, tracks your progress and ensures you achieve your aim for the improvement of you.
How it works:
It is a bespoke service tailored specifically to your needs, how much change you want to achieve, how soon you want to see results and what fits with your circumstances. Some clients have a one-off session and that’s all they need, others come weekly or monthly while they need the support. It’s up to you.
Some clients I meet face to face at my consulting room in Cammeray, others I see in their homes, at local coffee shops, at the beach, or out for a walk and talk somewhere natural and comfortable. Sessions are available over the phone or via Skype and I also offer email and text support.
My personal experience of coaching:
Having always been fascinated with psychology seeing a coach or psychologist has been a normal part of my self-care routine for many years, in many different forms. To me having a session with a coach to sort out my thinking is just as important as seeing a physiotherapist when my back needs attention, my personal trainer to get the best out of my physical fitness, my dentist to keep my teeth healthy. In fact, I give clarity of thought and focused action the top priority.
My first experience was seeing a sports psychologist for mental skills training while I was a competitive figure skater. Later I turned to business and personal development coaches for support and guidance when I was establishing my wellbeing consultancy in London. More recently I sought grief counselling after losing my dad to a 15 month battle with motor neurone disease. This quickly turned into professional development and a monthly mentoring relationship which is an essential part of my registration to practise as a psychologist.
I relish these monthly sessions and plan well in advance what I want to cover, often doing most of the work before the session. Just having that appointment in the diary and making that financial commitment, really drives me to get the utmost out of myself and the coaching process. I’ve seen lots of change in the last few months and the support of my mentor keeps me focused, motivated and accountable.
I am sure my abilities to meet the demands of all my different roles in life (psychologist, coach, yoga therapist, mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend) are all enhanced by having made this commitment and investment in myself. For me having a coach is about building on my strengths, nurturing my talent and living the fullest expression of myself possible. It’s about a state of flourishing and who doesn’t deserve that!
Love to all, Suz xxx
Suzy is available for counselling, coaching and private yoga sessions at her consulting room in Cammeray, Sydney, home visits, coaching via phone or skype, and ‘walk & talk’ sessions by appointment.
Contact Suzy at: suzy@suzyreading.co.uk
Follow Suzy at: www.facebook.com/SuzyReadingPsychologyAndYoga
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