Most of the clients I work with are almost exclusively by the convenience of the telephone (Example: One person may be in California and one in New York City, maybe even separated by continents). The convenience of this method is well perceived by my clients and if applicable face to face coaching is available.
Following the completion of a brief assessment, our initial telephone meeting will be arranged where we will begin to formulate a your goals for the next three-months. For the best results, we will meet weekly to review the previous week’s goals, assess any obstacles you may have faced and work through them in order to move on to setting new goals and action plan for the upcoming week. All sessions are by phone, or email based, so you can schedule them at a time and place that is convenient for you.
Generally, I work with clients for around 3 months or more. This time period is needed to design a personal plan for most individuals to make meaningful behavioral changes that will become a part of your life and achievement of self-related goals.
The essential job of a coach
- Support the client to clarify the problems or goals clearly, understand them and make sure that they are achievable
- Help to plan a realistic approach to solving them, executing that plan, setting and checking interim goals. (The belief is that you already have the knowledge and skills you need for its solution, and that coaching will help you bring them out and use them effectively.)
- Provide support, encouragement, and reality checks as needed
- Help you to deepen your learning and enhance the quality of your life
- During the process of coaching, the client will choose where he/she wants to take the conversation, while the coach listens and contributes observations and questions. During this interaction clarity will move the client into action and coaching will accelerate the client’s progress by providing greater focus and awareness of choice. Coaching concentrates on where clients are now and what they are willing to do to get where they want to be in the future. Although I am a licensed Clinical Social Worker and practice psychotherapy in the state of Maryland, our agreement is strictly for coaching. Coaching is not counseling or therapy. These are different approaches to change in which you may benefit more from. If these disciplines are better suited to help you, I will refer you to these services.