Being Skills:
The “Being Skills” of Coaching include being mindful, being empathetic, having curiosity and using affirmations. Listen to the client with intent and ask questions out of curiosity. This will help to develop a bigger picture and a more in-depth understanding of what the client wants and may be an indicator of how dedicated they will be. Not being influenced by others and going over what is expected by the client are crucial coach actions. This allows our client to confirm or clarify what we think we’ve heard from them.
Coaches also work to identify the clients positive skills (strengths) and traits and in turn, use them to build their confidence to change. For a client who may show reluctance, this will help them come to a conclusion on their desired outcome with more ease. We are building a connection that is warm and trusting. Clients begin to open up. This can make the work ahead a easier to accomplish.
Doing Skills – Another Key Skill for Coaches:
Actively listening to the client with a silent mind is important. But being able to sit quietly and not think of what to say next can be hard. We don’t want to draw conclusions before the client is done speaking. Listening for the positive emotion as well as the negative emotions guides the session in a direction that is more graceful for the client. Great Coaches hone their skill of “listening for” at every consult. This is a gift our client gives us to foster better understanding of their motives and vision.
Dialogue With Clients: Being Intuitive –
Using specific key phrases to open up an area of discussion with the client in a gentle manner will make getting more information smoother. We can explore areas the client may not have put much thought to and demonstrate where more successful avenues are now available. The use of reflections lets the client know we are hearing them clearly; we make the road ahead crystal clear with the clients intentions. Then we can summarize what we’ve heard from our client while clarifying things we process using intuition. These are thoughts and ideas from a client that are not actually spoken but may be implied or simply buried.
What are Clients Looking For?
Clients are looking for the support and understanding they need to make the changes they desire in their life. They look for the warm connections and trust in their coach that will encourage and try to ensure them that they will succeed. A coach that will work with someone and not look down on them during their journey is liked more. A client looks for a coach that knows what they are doing to help them succeed (all success is solely dependent on the client, however).
Wellness Goals are Usually Holistic in Nature
What are clients looking for in a coaching experience?
Boosting self-esteem is a great example of a holistic goal. A client that comes asking for help with self-esteem will require looking inward from a whole-person, centered perspective. Daily affirmations and thought changing processes will occur more easily if the client is willing. How about a client that dislikes their body type? A holistic goal for this client might be to start walking or joining in an activity requiring movement. A behavior trait to encompass – and support – a holistic goal would be networking or joining a social group. Learning to be visible to others in a positive environment will usually boost self-esteem.
Boosting self-esteem is a great example of a holistic goal. A client that comes asking for help with self-esteem will require looking inward from a whole-person, centered perspective. Daily affirmations and thought changing processes will occur more easily if the client is willing. How about a client that dislikes their body type? A holistic goal for this client might be to start walking or joining in an activity requiring movement. A behavior trait to encompass – and support – a holistic goal would be networking or joining a social group. Learning to be visible to others in a positive environment will usually boost self-esteem.
Always listen for/look for an interest the client may have and provide suggestions for them. It may be volunteer work or extra studies in an area that interests them most. All of this, and an assessment of the client’s nutrition, and/or their work environment, would be helpful to a client.
The Coach’s Presence:
The coach’s presence is the first – and most important – skill to master when working with a client. Listening, reciprocating, understanding, empathizing, suggesting and using non-judgmental approaches are what will make a client gain trust. So, this builds the connection with the coach and the “how” portion of the session flows freely from the client. The client will be more open-minded with a coach that has an open-minded presence with no outside expectations. Because we provide visual-based, positive scenarios, we help clients gain confidence and allow them to visualize their goal more clearly.
Many Coaches start their journey by helping friends and family, usually by listening and providing suggestions or empathy to their situations. A self-teaching phase usually follows, typically related to specific interests the Coach my have. I may be herbology and mindful techniques for life situations; it could be weight loss or nutrition. A well-rounded Coach always tries to seek more knowledge. It could be in the form of studying spirituality or different religions; this can be a life-long journey of spiritualism while understanding one’s place in the world.
The desire to deliver wellness coaching holistically can come from having a chronic condition; this often creates a meaningful journey of growth and healing that can transfer to others. Lifestyle changes typically include a goal of living a greener, cleaner life. Stress and sleep management challenges for clients often seem ubiquitous. Based on all of these areas of focus, one can easily see how a Holistic Life Coach is on a journey of discovery that may go down many different paths.
