Guidance and practicalities
How to find the right coach
The quality of the relationship is central to the quality of the work, so finding the right coach for you matters. When you are exploring who to work with, I would suggest considering four things.
Philosophy
Does the way this coach thinks about people and about change resonate with you? Do their values feel aligned with yours?
Way of working
Does their approach make sense for what you need? Are they structured or fluid? Directive or exploratory? Neither is better — but one may suit you more.
How it feels to speak with them
This is perhaps the most important, and the hardest to judge without a conversation. Do you feel heard? Do you feel safe enough to be honest? Do you leave the call feeling something shifted, even slightly?
Try before you decide
Most coaches offer a free introductory call. I would encourage you to speak with more than one before choosing. A good coach will not be threatened by that.
Once you are working together, expect excellence
You are investing time, effort, and money, and you have every right to say if something isn’t working. I ask my clients what they need from me at the start of our work and at the beginning of each session, and I ask for written feedback after every session, so that the work keeps adapting to you.
Questions and answers
Who do you work with?
I often work with people who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their situation. They may be starting out in their career while trying to build a fulfilling personal life on a tight budget. They may be in midlife, with children growing up, parents needing care, work still demanding, and a growing sense of time passing. Others are facing a serious change in their circumstances — relocation, divorce, bereavement, redundancy, or a recent diagnosis for themselves or a loved one.
In all these cases, people find themselves having to make complex day-to-day decisions at the very moment they feel least able to cope.
What my clients tend to have in common is not a type of problem, but a determination to engage seriously with their lives and a desire to explore different ways of living.