FAQs

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Life coaching is the process through which a coach empowers a client to overcome challenges, and to design and achieve personal and/or professional goals. A life coach uses a blend of techniques and skills to help clients achieve changes in mind set, goal attainment, and the fulfilment of their potential. The techniques and behavioural change strategies I use are Neuro Linguistic Programming, Clinical Hypnotherapy and methods of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Life coaching focusses on the present and the future, with practical actions and the application of psychological techniques to change your life, rather than resolve past trauma. The coaching process seeks to answer the simple question 'How can I get better?' or 'How can I get better results?'

Life coaching is not the same as counselling. Counselling is a form of talking therapy designed to help clients overcome past emotional trauma. If there is a specific event that happened in an individual's life, which the individual cannot resolve, and causes ongoing emotional harm, then counselling is an appropriate option. By contrast, life coaching is focussed upon the achievement of goals and taking action in the present to create a desired future. Life coaching is very much forward looking.

Life coaching also differs to mentoring in that the relationship between mentor and mentee is one of knowledge transfer. The mentor typically has experience in an area of business or professional development, and is employed to share this exprience with the mentee. Life coaching on the other hand uses a relationship of collaboration, through which the life coach empowers the client to use their own resources and skills to advance towards their goals.

Any form of coaching is based upon the three pillars of beliefs, values and goals.

• What your goal is and how to go about achieving it.
• Understanding your values so you can live in a way which is aligned with them enabling you to be truly fulfilled.
• Awareness of your beliefs, removal of limiting beliefs and reinforcing positive beliefs that help you make progress towards your goal.

Life coaching can help individuals achieve clarity, direction, self belief and habit change. Instead of allowing life to happen to them, life coaching clients become proactive and go out into the world to create the change they want to see.

There are a number of reasons why people take the opportunity to invest in a life coach:

• To find rapid lasting relief from depression and anxiety, in a holistic way that helps them create the kind of life that will keep them free from depression and anxiety for the long term.
• To alleviate stress, and develop habits and lifestyle changes to prevent long term stress arising in the future.
• To address a fear or phobia which causes significant distress, and places limitations on their life e.g. fear of flying, or fear of heights.
• To achieve maximum performance levels in their professional and/or personal life.

Life coaching clients typically finish a session or 12 week programme feeling empowered, with a new found sense of confidence, direction, and control over their own lives.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is sometimes described as 'the art and science of personal excellence'. Applying principles of NLP can help you achieve personal goals more quickly and effectively than you might otherwise, which is one of the reasons why the worlds greatest coaches like Tony Robbins use it.

Some of the areas in which you will see the benefits of NLP include:

• The ability to build stronger personal relationships.
• An increase in self-esteem.
• Overcoming the effects of negative past experiences.
• Focussing on goals and directing attention to their achievement.
• Controlling emotions.
• Changing unwanted habits.
• Increasing self-belief and confidence.
• Developing creative ways to solve problems.
• Developing a greater sense of purpose in life.

Hypnosis is simply a trance state which occurs when the brain is in Alpha and Theta brain wave states. It's completely natural and we move through these brain wave states every night during sleep. We also enter trance states on a regular basis when our brains are not required to operate at a hightened state of alert, or to apply logic or reasoning skills. For example, have you ever been driving along a familiar route, only to realise you've not been paying any attention for the last 5 minutes, and can't recall the most recent portion of the journey? That's because you had entered a trance state and your subconsious brain had taken over, allowing your consious mind to wander. The same is the case when you become so engaged in watching a film that you almost lose a sense that it's a film you are watching, so you have the same emotional responses as you would to a real life situation. Hence the phrase to be 'entranced' by something.

 It is when the brain operates between Alpha and Theta brain waves, that the resistance of the conscious mind is reduced, and we are able to directly influence the subconscious mind. This is important as it is the subconscious mind that contains our beliefs, values and memories, and these drive what we do on a day to day basis. Hypnosis is a tool that allows us to facilitate change at a subconscious level, which typically produces more significant, long lasting changes.

Hypnosis is a highly effective tool for reinforcing goals, contributing to relaxation, stress management, pain management, and removing undesirable neurological patterns such as phobias and addictions. Many of the worlds greatest thinkers, musicians, top athletes, sports people, and celebrities have used hypnotherapy to improve performance or remove unwanted thought patterns or behaviours, including Mozart, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Tiger Woods, Bruce Willis, Adele, and Charlize Theron.

If you desire change in your life but don't know where to start, or if you have goals and challenges to overcome but need some help in doing so, then a life coach could be the right choice for you. If you want to learn new skills, develop more productive habits, and gain new perspectives and insights that help you take control of your life, then it is definitely what you're looking for. The best way to find out is to have free consultation calls with a number of coaches to find out what they can offer, and make an informed decision from there.

When working with a life coach you are making an investment in yourself, and your future, and in return your life coach invests their time in helping you. In order to see the greatest benefits from life coaching you need to commit 100% to your goals. That doesn't mean to neglect other aspects of your life, but it does mean attending sessions on time, focussing your attention, and giving a commitment to complete agreed actions between sessions.

The first step is to drop me an enquiry to book a free 30 minute consultation call. Our call is an opportunity for you to provide me with a little background, for me to assess your requirements, and for you to get to know me a little. We will establish what your goals are, whether these are aligned with your personal beliefs and values, what’s preventing you from achieving your goals, and then which of my services will be most effective. I'll also offer any advice I can to help you in the short term, but most importantly, this is an opportunity for you to find out whether I am the right life coach for you without obligation.

As a general guide, I would recommend you consider the following when selecting a life coach:

1. Has the life coach undertaken professional qualifications?
2. Do you have rapport with the life coach and do you trust this individual with your investment?
3. Has the life coach got any relevant life experience which might lend itself to beneficial insights?
4. Does the life coach set standards by which they live their own lives, and are they a person with integrity and ethics?

Your initial consultation call is free of charge.

You can find details of my fees on my Services & Fees page.