I am a person centred humanistic coach. I often work with entrepreneurs and leaders but everyone can be a changemaker and feel the pressures of that. We function best when we recognise our whole selves in a situation and therefore that is what I do in our sessions. I help you look at what you need and what you’re contributing to the picture alongside what you want to achieve. I will always support you to set achievable ambitions, and I will provide the accountability you need to achieve them. Understandably, that sometimes comes with emotional responses or a need for deeper reflection and I will make space for that. Undeniably a lot can be achieved when we really believe in ourselves and trust our ability to make the right decisions. It brings me huge satisfaction to see people overcome their own barriers.

There is no right or wrong to choosing a coach to work with. The key things are that you trust them and they are working in your best interest. I’ve put some things for you to think about and questions for you to ask below.

1- How do you feel about them initially. You don’t have to ‘like’ your coach or consultant. But if you are finding them difficult or hard to connect to then it’s going to be difficult to trust their judgement or opinions.

I’m happy to have a chat with you and make sure we’re compatible before you need to make any decisions. If you’re not happy then it’s not going to work anyway! All coaches ought to offer you a ‘chemistry session’ or similar so you can meet them and find out if they feel like a good fit. 

2- What’s their area of specialism? Do they know anything about the area, sector or demographic that you need them to? All businesses and people needs aren’t the same, and not everything will work with one kind of approach.

I work largely with people working in social purpose organisations or start ups. Because I’ve been working with those organizations for almost a decade, I understand there’s more to success than targets on a graph. I also work with any values led person who is looking for some clarity on their next steps. Meaning that if it’s not directly business related then I can still help you.

3 – Do they offer the support you need? Coaching, mentoring and consulting are often lumped in to one pile. But they are actually very different ways of working. Make sure whoever you choose is happy to have a chat about what you need. Coaches can also choose to specialise or up-skill in a variety of areas such as neurodivergent communities, LGBTQai+, Trauma informed, NLP or others. The best thing is to ask directly when you speak to them.

I’m happy to tweak and adapt what I offer to make sure you get where you want to be. Your journey is more important than conforming to a model way of working! I am trauma informed and have done additional training on neurodiversity in coaching as well as having lived experience of neurodivergence. I am myself non binary and accepting of all presentations. Find out more about me here

4 – How often will you need to see them? Coaching is a personal process and you can adapt it’s frequency to suit your situation (and your pocket). Generally there is an acceptance that it’s best to have them between 2 and 6 weeks apart. Meaning you have time to work on any actions without leaving it so long you lose all momentum.

I am happy to be guided by your needs regarding frequency. But will also give you my thoughts when we set goals as to what might be most useful. 

5 – How many sessions will I need? As previously said, coaching is a personal process and it can be adapted to suit your needs. Some coaches do a fixed set of 6-8 sessions as a package and then suggest you take a break. But others will work with you in a more regular long term arrangement. You should have open dialogue about when you or the coach feel you could end the relationship.

I have a person centred approach to coaching and personally am happy to do ongoing work with clients. This is because I recognise that some of the reasons people come don’t fit short term solutions. Many of the leaders I work with use regular monthly spaces as a place to explore new directions, refine their role developments, or plan their exit strategies. Other clients come and have 2 or 3 sessions to get some clarity on a specific challenge or issue.