If you have never worked with a professional coach before, you may be wondering what in the world this coaching thing is all about, and how it might be able to help you succeed with your creative work. Here are my answers to a few common questions that might help clarify things..
What is coaching?
As defined by the International Coaching Federation, coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.
Unlike many other professional relationships, coaching is a collaborative partnership where Both you and I will be equal partners in the process.
I will…
- Provide a confidential, supportive environment where you and your agenda take center stage
- Ask questions and offer observations to reveal opportunities and/or challenges you may be overlooking
- Offer you a fresh perspective on the situations you bring to our sessions
- Assist you with developing systems of support and accountability
You will…
- Choose the focus of each coaching session
- Engage in thought-provoking communication about your challenges
- Make choices about the actions you are willing to take
- Be responsible for following through as appropriate with plans crafted in the coaching sessions
How is coaching different from counseling or consulting?
Coaching is an excellent choice for emotionally healthy individuals who would like to accomplish a specific goal or make a change in their life. It is a very forward-thinking process and deals with making changes to improve your personal or professional life.
counseling or therapy is usually best for people who need to focus on healing from past traumatic events or deal with other emotional or mental health dysfunction. Coaching and therapy may work very well when used together for some people.
Consulting or training is usually more appropriate if you are strictly wanting advice or need assistance learning how to perform specific activities. The consultant or trainer is usually the one who determines the best way to handle the problem and assigns a specific plan of action or course of study to resolve it. In coaching, the emphasis is on eliciting your own strengths and supporting plans of action determined by you.
How can coaching help me with my creative work?
For creative entrepreneurs, normal life and work tend to get all mixed up together. This can be fun and energizing, but it can also cause a lot of stress, confusion and frustration. We’ve all heard the saying, “two heads are better than one. By working with me, you literally have the opportunity to have two heads and a partner along the road. I can shine a light on your path so that you can see clearly what is getting in the way of your progress and make powerful choices about how to proceed. Together, we can create a plan of action and ensure you put systems in place to support your continued success in your life and creative work.
Here are a few benefits you might gain from working with me:
- increased confidence in your writing and/or speaking
- reduced writer’s block and increased productivity
- Healthier relationships with your family, friends and colleagues
- More enthusiasm and motivation to pursue your creative goals
What are coaching sessions like?
I work with clients from all over the world. We usually meet once a week via Zoom and I am available by email in between sessions. This makes attending sessions very convenient and cost-efficient.
Depending on the client’s needs, we will usually schedule sessions either weekly or every other week. If you are brand new to coaching, I usually recommend weekly sessions for at least 3 months to begin with. Most clients prefer to schedule their sessions at the same time each week; however, we can certainly be flexible with scheduling as needed.
During your session, I do ask that you try to be in an environment where you can concentrate solely on the coaching conversation. Most clients like to take notes to capture insights or plans that come up for them during the call. Sessions can be recorded at your request so you can go back and listen again in case you missed something during your live call. You can get more details by reading my new client welcome packet here.
How do I know I can trust you?
Trust and rapport are very important elements in a coaching relationship. First, I’d like you to know I am committed to adhering to the code of ethics as framed by the International Coach Federation. As an ICF credentialed coach, I have pledged to abide by these standards.
Next, I encourage you to read over my articles and the rest of my website. This is a good first exposure to my quirky self. 🙂 When you feel comfortable, please do request a free discovery session. This is a chance for us to get acquainted and see if coaching is right for you and if we would work well together. If we both feel good about it, I will let you know how you can work with me. That’s it. No hard sell.
What does the PCC mean?
The PCC behind my name means that I have earned a credential from the International Coach Federation. This credential can give you assurance that I take my role as a coach seriously and have invested plenty of time and effort into my education and development as a coach. This means I have coached many real clients, have demonstrated coaching proficiency to assessors and am continually receiving mentoring and ongoing training to improve myself both professionally and personally.
Where can I learn more?
One of the best places to learn more about the profession of coaching is the International Coach Federation’s FAQ page.
How do I get started?
That’s easy. Just click here to schedule your free 30 minute discovery session. This will not be a normal coaching session but will give us a chance to see if coaching is the right choice for you and if we might work well together. It will also give you a chance to experience a little taste of what coaching is like and ask any questions you might have. If we decide working together would be helpful to you, we’ll decide which coaching program or package suits you best, or we can design something especially for you.
I would love to have the opportunity to meet you and support you and your creative work. Please feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions.