If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens in a coaching session, you’re not alone. Coaching can seem a bit baffling if you haven’t tried it before. Is it like therapy? Mentoring? Or, in my case, a walk and talk in the park?!
The truth is, it’s some and none of the above.
This post aims to clarify what you can expect, debunk a few myths, and share what really goes on in life coaching – from the client’s mouth – and my own as the coach.
The Coaching Agreement
After a discovery call (read more here) and before sessions begin, we agree on the overarching objective and the practicalities – duration, fees, dates etc. I also offer a sliding scale structure to make coaching more accessible. This agreement creates transparency, structure and accountability.
What Happens in a Coaching Session
You’ll do most of the talking and lead on the conversation, bringing whatever’s most important that relates to your objective. The coach listens allowing space for you to think deeply, explore goals and challenges, and define actions to move you forwards. Sometimes thoughts flow – you’re clear on the goal and how you want to feel at the end of the session. Sometimes you have a vague sense of what you think is important to uncover, and we spend time clarifying the focus and topic. At other times you might feel stuck, uncertain, or emotional, or thoughtful, invigorated and excited! It’s all part of the thinking process, and as a coach I welcome all of it. Former client Cecilia Svensson put it like this:
“Before each session I had no idea what I wanted to talk about, and within 30 minutes, some insight – it just clicked.”
The Coach’s Role
My job is to raise your self-awareness and help you reach your goals – to progress more than you would by yourself. I might offer tools that could be useful to our conversation, or share guidance. We’ll check and adjust our conversation, as we go. As an ICF-accredited coach, I uphold professional, industry standards, which is important to me. But essentially I’ve come to think of coaching as just being a person who listens and helps another find their answers, without involvement in their day to day.
Outdoor Coaching
Most of my clients choose to meet in-person, and outdoors and this involves walking, sitting, noticing what’s around us – and within us. Walking and talking can feel far more natural, more human (!) than an online call – you can be who you really are. Plus you get away from home or your desk, which I realise is a gift for many. The client leads the route, just like the topic of conversation. Usually it’s in a park or green space. The beauty is that nature and connecting with the wider world help provide you with a different view, often shifting something inside. As former client Nayo Hunt said:
“The therapeutic nature of Kate’s outdoor coaching really worked for me. It gave me space and perspective.”
Coaching while outdoors – or walk and talk coaching as it’s often called, can be a game-changer because of the multiple beneficial processes on your wellbeing. From shifting people feeling stuck and into positive action, to neurodivergent people needing a calming environment – or movement, to those with accessibility issues who need and want to get out more – and I’ve been honoured to facilitate this.
Online Coaching and Phone Coaching
Prefer to meet online? It’s just as effective. A focused hour online can create clarity and insight too, and we can still involve nature and getting outside into our conversations. Cecilia again:
“Even though we’re in different countries, it still felt incredibly personal and powerful, like she was right there with me.”
The same goes for phone coaching – walking outdoors somewhere calm whilst being coached on the phone, is a natural, easy approach for many I’ve worked with.
How Many Sessions?
That depends on your goals. Some people benefit from just a few sessions; others commit to longer-term support for deeper change. We agree on this together and it becomes part of our coaching agreement.
My Coaching Approach
I use transformational coaching, helping clients unlock lasting shifts in mindset, confidence, and self-awareness, particularly around life and career transitions in midlife. My style is collaborative and non-directive – I won’t tell you what to do, but I’ll help you uncover the answers already in you.
Final Thought
The truth is no two sessions are the same and I never quite know what a client might say – which keeps me on my toes! If you’re at a crossroads in career or midlife, life coaching can provide the space, clarity, and the momentum you need to move in the right direction. I also run group coaching outdoors in organisations, where the focus is on collective and individual goals and dynamics. Plus a new one for me this Autumn, having now paused Pause Outdoors, I’m creating my own group online – a coaching circle for midlife women and you can contact me here for more.
You can read more in my blog Is Life Coaching Right for Me? Or, book a free discovery call to find out what coaching could unlock for you.
