Frequently Asked Questions About My Life Coaching
Life coaching (also just referred to as ‘coaching’) is a system of support, encouragement and motivation that has always existed in human society, but life coaching as we know it today has its origin in sports coaching of the early 20th Century. Skills of motivation, analysis, support and performance enhancement from the sports world are applied to help individuals and/or groups improve their personal and business lives.
Life coaching sessions are comprised of structured, focused conversations, powerful questions and the use of appropriate strategies, tools and techniques to promote and achieve the coaching client’s desired objective(s).
Life coaching is a holistic and practical process, focussed on the present and future, and has the objective of the client making real progress in the real world. It is also based on the view that clients are whole, capable, resourceful and the true experts in respect to their own lives. The client and coach are partners in furthering the client’s agenda, but power in the relationship is always in the client’s hands, with the client deciding on goals and directing how slow or fast progress is made.
Coaching differs from therapy, counselling and mentoring in that the coach is not concerned, for example, with discovering reasons why clients may be in their present situation in life, or how the client may help others in a working environment, or in labelling the client in some way (such as ‘depressed’).
The life coach is always focussed solely on the objective of helping to improve the client’s life, both for now and in the future, because coaching starts from the position that no matter what has happened in the past, any individual can learn to achieve, make their life better and be happy and fulfilled.
Success in life coaching practice is dependent on the client and coach both fulfilling their part in the coaching relationship.
A client’s life coaching journey begins with clarifying their desired outcomes from the coaching sessions and these then become the guiding framework for the coaching sessions.
Each successive coaching session will build upon, and is dependent upon, the client having taken agreed action to achieve goals set between sessions. During subsequent sessions client and coach will tweak the coaching journey, setting further goals and markers along the path to achieving the client’s ultimate desired success.
If you are conscientious in taking agreed actions to achieve agreed goals, which you have identified, prepared to commit yourself fully to your coaching and dedicate the required time and effort, you WILL find success through your life coaching.
As mentioned elsewhere on this site, if you want the life you always dreamed of you will have to work at it, but as your coach I will be there to help you find within yourself the vision, determination, and resilience to craft the life you always wanted!
The Life Crafting Limited coaching process begins with the ‘Hero – Introductory Call’, during which you and I will get to know one another, establish our coaching relationship, agree terms for the coaching and start to clarify exactly what you want life coaching to help you achieve.
Once you go ahead and book one of the Life Crafting Limited coaching packages, you will commit to the maximum number of coaching sessions for that package.
Your coaching sessions will be comprised of structured, focused conversations, powerful questions and the use of appropriate strategies, tools and techniques to promote and achieve your desired objective(s).
Life Crafting Limited life coaching sessions are generally 40-60 minutes in length and usually take place weekly, However, as you progress you may wish to take coaching sessions only every two weeks, which may be possible upon mutual agreement with your coach.
Briefly, the process during the course of your coaching sessions will be as follows:
- With me as your coach, you will work to achieve clarity about what you really want out of life and about what obstacles may stand in the way of you achieving your objective(s).
- As your coach I will help you develop a plan to meet your objective(s) and identify the key targets you will need to hit in order to get there.
- As your coach I will help you remain motivated, committed and accountable to yourself in taking the action you identify and agree to take along your journey to achieving your goals.
- You celebrate your success, plan how you will maintain your new life and begin to plan what you wish to achieve next.
This is a difficult question to answer, as each coaching client is different, with differing needs, fears, limiting beliefs, energies, objectives, pace of activity and levels of commitment, and differing amounts of time which may be available to fulfill their stated goals.
What is clear from experience is that, on average, a minimum of four sessions is required for achieving less complex or individual goals (such as preparing for a job interview or making a start at a new activity) but that more complex goals (such as major life change or improving fitness or losing weight) may, at least, require between 9-15 sessions.
Coaching is certainly not intended to be a long-term solution for any client’s life, but clients do sometimes book more than one package of coaching sessions or possibly some further, individual, ‘Check-In’ coaching sessions as they continue to achieve their goals, maintain their new mindset and patterns of behavior, or develop new goals. That being said, I would not usually work with any one client for more than six months at a time without a break between commitments.
As always with life coaching, the coach works on a case-by-case basis and trusts that you as client will have an idea of how much progress you are making, and perhaps even approximately how many sessions will get you to where you want to be.
However many sessions you require, you will find that when you start to feel your need for coaching is nearly at an end, I will be prepared and ensure that you have a session to bring a formal and supportive end to the coaching relationship.
Once you go ahead and book one of the Life Crafting Limited coaching packages, you will commit to the maximum number of coaching sessions for that package.
The coaching packages offer a minimum four and, currently, a maximum of 12 coaching sessions. At the end of each agreed package of coaching sessions you may book up to two subsequent individual ‘Check-In’ sessions.
The ‘Pathfinder’ and ‘Pilgrim’ coaching packages additionally offer two emergency coaching sessions during their 90-day period, should you need them. There is no additional charge for these emergency coaching sessions.
Should you feel the need to have further coaching sessions beyond the life of the coaching package you have already booked you would need to discuss how to proceed with your coach before these could take place. I am keen to help my clients get full satisfaction from their coaching but equally keen to not unnecessarily extend coaching beyond what would be most beneficial or appropriate for each individual client.
Of course you may opt to end the coaching relationship early, but please note that should you do so you would forfeit the whole fee for the entire package. Equally, should you achieve your goal(s) before the maximum number of coaching sessions have been taken you may end the contract but will again forfeit the whole fee for the coaching package.
Life Crafting Limited is based in London and face-to-face life coaching in London at an agreed venue may therefore be possible upon request, albeit subject to additional venue costs. However, coaching sessions are usually delivered by means of Zoom, Skype or phone conversation.
The coaching sessions I deliver are generally 40-60 minutes in length.
Coaching access for clients depends on my availability but my standard working hours are Monday to Friday, from 8.00am till 4.00pm (London time) and half days on Saturdays (‘Hero – Introductory Call’ only).
I have qualified with a distinction for the Practitioner Coach Diploma from Noble Manhattan Coaching Ltd. The diploma course is endorsed by the Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM). In addition, I have coached intermittently for three years on a pro-bono basis.
I am educated to Master’s Degree level, am a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) and am a voting member for the British Academy for Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Finally, I have more than sixty years of life experience to bring to this work. I have raised two children, lived and worked in various countries across Europe, worked with diverse cultures, had to deal with several major life events, had plenty of money, been broke and even once been out of work for more than a year. In the past three years I have completely revolutionised my life and lifestyle by losing more than 20Kg weight and transforming my relationship to food and fitness! You can read more about that journey on my blog, “Run, Rana Run!”
I bring bring plenty of relevant skills, learning, life experience and worldly knowledge to serving my coaching clients.
Most definitely no! I can tell you that my life is not perfect. I am as human as anyone else, but I am also a very positive minded person, with a passion for self-improvement and on my own journey to the authentic life I have always longed for. I will say that my greatest strides have been made since I myself started to be coached. And YES, I still have my own coach, whom I meet with every two weeks and with whom I am currently working on some specific time-limited goals.
By virtue of the evidence of my own life and of clients and family who have benefitted from life coaching I am strongly persuaded of the power of coaching to make significant, positive and lasting change to individuals’ lives – YOU included!
YES, coaching is a profession and consequently a professional agreement between client and coach is necessary. A life coaching agreement is both a good way to help my clients feel that they will get a quality service, and a means of ensuring commitment from the client to see through the coaching process – which is essential for success.
The coaching agreement sets out the terms and conditions for a successful delivery of my life coaching service and for achieving results. Upon booking a life coaching package, you will receive a copy of the Life Crafting Limited coaching agreement to sign and return to your coach before coaching can commence.
Confidentiality is a core element of the ethics and practice of life coaching and central to the success both my business as a life coach and, more importantly, to your success through the coaching process.
I will take notes during the coaching session but any names will be anonymised and the notes will be stored securely for a period of six years. I guarantee to never use your details or anything you say without getting your permission first. At the end of your coaching agreement, I will ask you for written feedback and you can choose whether you want this information to stay confidential or not.
Your contact details and personal information will also be securely stored and used only in accordance with all relevant legislation, particularly to comply with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requirements.
Details of how we use your personal data when you visit our site or book a life coaching package may be found in our Privacy Policy.
Life coaching ethics and regulatory rules forbid coaches from providing services that exceed their experience or qualification, so while life coaching is open to everyone I may not be able to help you if you have a serious medical condition, and coaching is definitely not appropriate should you be experiencing drug addiction, or have serious mental health issues that require medical treatment or supervision.
That being said, while a life coach may not be an expert in, for example, finance, business management, law, or relationship counselling, as a coach I may still be able to help you in these areas – not by giving professional advice, but by helping you to ask the right questions and exercise the motivation to find the answers you need, and then to implement positive decisions, actions and change in your life.
I think life coaching is best seen as an INVESTMENT in your own life, and I do not discuss the level of investment you may need to make until you have the ‘Hero – Introductory Call’. It seems appropriate that a decision about purchasing coaching services is better made not on the basis of price alone but also on how well you connect with your coach and how much value you see you would get from life coaching.
Your investment would vary depending on the length of the coaching package you select, and whether you will require additional coaching sessions.
Life Crafting Limited accepts payment by a variety of methods but payment must be made before commencement of each session. Accepted payment methods are:
1. Online payment by bank transfer.
2. Secure online payments via Stripe and Paypal.
3. Cash (GBP).
You may also opt to make payment by convenient monthly installments via standing order or direct debit. An administration fee applies to installment plans, starting from £45 for shorter term plans and up to 15% of the package price for longer term plans.
You begin by clicking the booking button below and booking a ‘Hero – Discovery Call’ session and having a conversation with me as your coach.
If, following the call, you feel you and I are a ‘good fit’ and you’re ready to proceed with being coached, you’ll follow an easy, 5-minute booking process to fill in some information, make your payment and book your first session.
