What’s the difference between coaching and counselling?
Coaching is not therapy. My role is to help you find your own solutions and your own way forward. Counselling and therapy help people process things which have happened in the past, while coaching is about identifying what a better life could be like now and in the future. This may mean dealing with obstacles and blocks rooted in the past, but the focus is on how to overcome these and move on.
To get the most out of coaching, clients need to be able to look inside themselves and be honest about what they find. If I feel you would benefit more from therapy than coaching, or that having counselling sessions alongside coaching might help build psychological and emotional resilience, I will discuss this with you and make some suggestions.
Do I have to commit lots of time to coaching?
Coaching is client-led, and I am always happy to work flexibly so no-one feels over-whelmed or under pressure. However, to make the most of our time together, you will need to focus, and be open to challenge and change. Most people have sessions every week or fortnight, but there is no need to commit to a specific time-frame or number of sessions – your real commitment is to yourself.
How many sessions will I need to have?
I usually recommend people consider having around 6 sessions, depending on their goals and what area of their life they would like to work on. Some people have an initial session of 60-70 minutes before deciding what would work best for them. Some clients work slowly and prefer to meet less frequently but leave the number of sessions open-ended. And I have had clients who have just wanted one long session to work through an impending decision. It really is whatever works for you.
What happens if I’m not ready to finish, or I want more coaching once our sessions are over?
I make sure we check in regularly so I have an idea of how you’re feeling and we can discuss how the sessions are working for you. Some clients like to finish as agreed but arrange a follow up session (or two) some time later. Other clients want to keep working together regularly until they feel ready to move on. However the aim of coaching is to encourage clients to feel empowered and able to achieve their goals independently – coaching should be more like a spring-board than a security blanket.
I really want coaching but I can’t afford it right now. Do you have any flexibility on prices?
Get in touch to discuss your situation. I always offer two half-price places for would-be clients who can’t manage the full fees and I can add you to my waiting list if there isn’t a space available currently.
For more information or if you have any other questions, please get in touch at tashakirwan@gmail.com
Photo credit: Andrew Seaman (Unsplash)