Frequently Asked Questions

What is a life coach?

A life coach believes in you, supports and focuses you, holds you accountable, helps you to unlock your potential and is there when some encouragement is needed. A life coach helps you to recognise the successes, and to look at the obstacles that you need to overcome in order to move forward. A life coach believes you have all the answers within you, and helps to unlock them.

What are the benefits of life coaching?

Life coaching is a one to one relationship that gives you the space and privacy to voice, honestly explore and define your goals and aims for your life. It is non-directive support that allows you to find your own path, and to find out what has been holding you back until now. We work with who you are, not who you think you should be. Life coaching enables you to:

  • Clarify exactly what it is that you want to be, do or have
  • Evaluate how possible it is to achieve it
  • Identify what obstacles you need to overcome on the journey to achieving your goals
  • Explore all the options that are available to you
  • Provide the focus to set and achieve those important goals more quickly than you would normally do by yourself
  • Increase your confidence and motivation in all aspects of your life

Is life coaching like counselling or other types of therapy?

Counsellors and therapists are focused on overcoming problems and tend to look to the past. Often therapy will focus on a single aspect of the client and work solely on making improvements in that area.

Life coaching is future focused and looks at what is happening now and where you want to move to in the future. Changes that occur through life coaching tend to also have a positive impact on other aspects of your life.

A mentor, or consultant will be a specialist in the area that you are working on whereas a coach will not necessarily have specialist knowledge. Life coaching works on the belief that you already know all that you need to, to get to where you want to be. A skilled life coach will use their communication skills to help unlock the answers that are within you.

What happens during a life coaching session?

Sessions usually take place over the telephone and last for 45-60 minutes. During your first session we will identify your desired outcomes and set your life-changing goals. We will then use each session to focus on the area that you need to work on that will move you closer to your goals. During each call you will identify the best options available that will move you towards your goals. You’ll commit to take these actions in between calls and at the beginning of the next session we will review how completing these actions has moved you forward.

Change takes time and there will be many smaller successes and learning points along the way which it is important to acknowledge and celebrate at the time they happen. These calls are a powerful tool to maintain the motivation and momentum towards achieving your goals and in between you can contact me via email whenever you need to.

Why is life coaching right for me?

We all need to feel that someone is on our side, rooting for us, who is as committed to our success as we are. In order to live the life that we want it is important to be open and honest with ourselves about what we really want and what we are fearful of. We need to be able to voice our concerns about the impact that any changes might have on the significant others in our lives. A life coach gives you a safe, confidential environment to say out loud all those thoughts that you would never say to your partner, friends, boss or colleagues, for fear of repercussions in your day-to-day life. It gives you the freedom to really engage with yourself and to discover the belief and potential that you hold within you.

Where do you want to be in 5 years time? Is it where you are now? If not contact me now. The sooner the better!

Let’s get started.

How do I get started?

Call me, or use the contact page to let me know when it is best to call you. We will discuss what it is that you want from coaching and we can agree which package is going to help you get the best results. Then I will email you an information pack that includes a profile sheet and coaching agreement. In preparation for your first session complete the questionnaire and email it back to me along with your contract agreement. This gives me a better understanding of where you are right now and what you want to get from your coaching sessions. It ensures that we are on the right track from the very beginning and that we make best use of the time in every session. You can make payment by cheque, PayPal or BACs transfer.

How many sessions will I need?

Depending on the goals that you set, I generally recommend 12 sessions as it is believed that the most powerful changes are experienced over a 3-6 month period. However the initial agreement can be for six, nine or twelve sessions.

For more detailed information on each option please see my life coaching programmes.