Frequently asked questions
What is a life coach?
A life coach is a trained professional who aims to help and guide individuals to make, meet and exceed personal and professional goals. They support clients on a journey to rediscover their own strengths and abilities; this can include getting to know yourself so you can bring value to your life, excelling in the workplace, becoming happy and fulfilled at home, exploring your potential, managing health conditions and achieving life ambitions.
At the heart of coaching is the idea that clients must be given the power to help themselves. Offering advice, opinions and judgements would undermine some of the basic principles behind life coaching. We hold a safe space for you to reflect and work on yourself.
As your life coach I bring my experience as a mental health nurse and qualified life coach. I use techniques based on core psychological principles and intuition, such as active listening, reflecting and questioning. As your coach, I won’t tell you what to do, instead I aim to empower you to find the answers within so that you can confidently face challenges and overcome barriers.
What’s the difference between coaching and therapy?
Both coaching and counselling are about making changes, reflecting and moving forwards.
However, Coaching focuses more on the client in the here and now with the future as the focus to encourage personal development and self-improvement. Coaching may discuss past feelings and experiences to help the client see things differently and move forwards, but coaching does not manage a client’s emotional state.
Counselling is a form of talking therapy associated with assessing the individual in the here and now. Counselling explores past events that have contributed to their client’s current struggles. A counsellor will help clients develop coping mechanisms and strategies to help them manage their emotional state and heal.
The main difference between counselling and coaching is that counselling can investigate the underlying causes of mental health problems. Coaches are not (unless specified) qualified to diagnose or treat any health-related problems, although if the situation arises, they may suggest you see a GP.
How can coaching help me?
As your coach, I can utilise techniques to help you in all aspects of your life If you've ever struggled with something - whether it be moving out of your comfort zone, improving your confidence or starting healthy habits, then working with me could be helpful.
As your coach, I will approach things pragmatically. I will ask questions and try exercises, to get an idea of how you perceive the world. From this, I will be able to help you to identify things that are holding you back and thoughts or behaviours that might be unhelpful.
Some people feel intimidated by the idea of change and so need to take things slowly to fulfil their goals. As your coach, I work at your speed and will be your guide through the process ensuring you are stepping out of your comfort zone but doing it in a way that works for you.
Change is one of the few inevitabilities in life, so I am here to support you and meet you where you are right now.
What can I expect from a coaching session?
Coaching sessions are 60 mins long and can be done at a frequency chosen by you. However, I would recommend being realistic about what you want to achieve between sessions, as this may dictate how often you want to have a session. At present, I offer sessions remotely via Google meet.
During the first session, I will ask you some questions, such as what you want to achieve in life, what areas you're unhappy with and where you'd like to see yourself in the future (this will be an inspirational goal). From there we’ll create a plan of things you want to address or change to help you to reach that goal. Then, we’ll explore and challenge thoughts and behaviours that might be unhelpful, so that you can see things from a different perspective and make new choices.
In between sessions, it will be up to you to challenge yourself and reflect on things you are learning about yourself to help you move forwards. You will never be forced to make any decisions you don't feel comfortable with, and all sessions will be confidential, allowing you to explore your thoughts and feelings in a safe space.
I want you to feel seen and heard. Most of us don’t feel like we have this in all or some areas of our lives, so I want you to come away from our sessions having learned something.
How many coaching sessions will I need?
The coaching partnership can be 6 or 12 sessions depending on the persons needs. I would say that the first few sessions are about getting to know where the person is right now, where they want to be and mapping that out. The rest of the sessions are about taking action, learning and reflecting and sustainability, so how many further sessions we have is dependent on the person.
You can exit the coaching partnership at any point, and I make that clear every session, so you feel able to tell me in a safe space.
How much does coaching cost?
The cost of coaching will vary from coach to coach, but on average you can expect to pay somewhere between £50 and £100 per session.
I currently charge £60 per session, as this is based on my experience and the value I can bring to the sessions. I also offer a discount if you buy 6 sessions upfront, but we can discuss this in your discovery call.
Can anyone be a life coach?
Technically yes. Like the counselling profession coaching is not currently regulated in the UK, therefore anyone can call themselves a coach. I would recommend working with a coach who has completed an accredited coaching course and/or working towards their accreditation with the International coaching federation (ICF).
I am currently working towards my accreditation. The choice is always yours though- you may just really like a particular coach, who doesn’t have a qualification and that’s absolutely up to you. That’s why it’s really important to have an initial discovery call to see how you feel about the coach and their vibe before you commit. Discovery calls are always free.