The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership. While there are many different models of coaching, a coach is never an expert or a teacher, but rather a facilitator of learning. It is important to emphasize the difference between coaching and seemingly similar disciplines such as teaching, mentoring, counselling and therapy. Although these disciplines all share some key characteristics and skills, they are nonetheless very different: Coaching is a partnership between coach and client, based on the belief that we already have the answers to our own problems within us, and sometimes we need some support to unlock them. The focus of coaching is the future: the goals of an individual and the key skill of a strong coach is presence. By becoming very present we can give space for habits to emerge, and then make them the object of our awareness in the coaching session. Habits filter what we let in and keeps us in a certain identity. Through the presence of a coach, the client can identify their habits and see their behaviour objectively, helping them to work towards their goal. Teaching and training involve an expert teacher who imparts knowledge to their students or trainees. Mentoring is similar to coaching, but there is general agreement that a mentor is a guide with greater professional experience who helps someone to learn or develop faster than they might do alone. Counselling and therapy focus mostly on an individual’s mental health, on understanding and working with past experience to help them to overcome psychological or physical symptoms.

In our sessions together, I will be fully present to listen to you as you talk about the challenge you are facing. I will use a range of communication skills such as targeted restatements, listening, questioning and clarifying to help you shift your perspectives and thereby discover different approaches to achieve your goals. I will support you in developing the various EQ skills you need to connect with your feelings, turn intention into action, and make informed decisions about what matters most to you.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) is described as the capacity to be aware of, understand, navigate, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. Practicing EQ helps to relieve stress, to communicate more effectively, to empathize with others, to overcome challenges and to defuse conflict. Growing your EQ will help you build stronger relationships, succeed at school and at work, and achieve your career and personal goals. It can also help you to connect with your feelings, turn intention into action, and make informed decisions about what matters most to you.

There is no standard answer to this question. We will decide together what is best for you based on your situation, the issue you would like to work through, and the time and budget you have available. We can - but are not required to – discuss and decide the frequency and length of your coaching sessions during our discovery call. Book your Discovery Call!