MARCH 2024: Contact me to learn about my two new 5-session mini-programs:
Managing Stress and Burn-out for Human-Service Workers.
Living Well with Chronic Pain.
carol[at]caroldmarsh.com; or use Contact Form below.
Managing Stress and Burn-out for Human-Service Workers.
Living Well with Chronic Pain.
carol[at]caroldmarsh.com; or use Contact Form below.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why do you say you won't be my accountability partner?
I've been trained to trust my client's ability to know themselves what is best for them. That includes accountability. If my client wants to report on whether or not they achieved their goals, I'll be happy to listen and explore with them. But I will not start a session by saying, "So, did you reach your goals this week?" This is about my client's journey to wellness and what they know best, it's not about me having aspirations or expectations about what they 'should' do.
But what if I'm making a big mistake, or have a health fact all wrong?
I am not a health professional, so I do not presume to know whether what a client says is strictly fact. When my client may be mistaken, or is missing many goals (or, action steps), or is creating a giant leap of a goal when they really need a baby step of a goal, or is going around in circles, I will ask questions like:
~~ "May I make an observation? It seems to me that we've had several sessions in which you've told me you haven't achieved your action steps. Would you be willing to explore that with me?"
~~ "On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you can achieve that goal in one week?"
~~ "Tell me more about (the health fact that may be wrong). Where did you learn that?"
~~ "My I use a metaphor here? I have this feeling you're stuck, like you're trying to slog your way through a mud pit and it's hard going. Does that seem accurate to you?"
Sounds like a long way around when a direct answer or opinion would be so much faster.
Yes, a direct answer or opinion would be faster. But I'm not in this to be a fast coach who has all the answers and knows what's best for all my clients. There are a few things to know about why I don't give a direct answer or opinion:
~~ This coaching is about you, not about me. My trust resides in YOU and your inner wisdom. I will seek your wisdom, not mine.
~~ We humans learn a lot more when we do the thinking and exploring ourselves. We don't learn as well or as deeply when someone says, "Here is what you should do/think/accomplish and I'll check in next week to make sure you achieved it."
~~ If I were the kind of coach who purports to know everything, including what is best for you, you'd be better off not signing up with me. A good health and wellness coach will EXPLORE with you. She'll be CURIOUS, not certain. She will TRUST you to find and follow your own path, not fall in behind her and follow her. She will be your PARTNER, not your leader.
NOTE: I'll answer more questions in this FAQ section as I get them.
I've been trained to trust my client's ability to know themselves what is best for them. That includes accountability. If my client wants to report on whether or not they achieved their goals, I'll be happy to listen and explore with them. But I will not start a session by saying, "So, did you reach your goals this week?" This is about my client's journey to wellness and what they know best, it's not about me having aspirations or expectations about what they 'should' do.
But what if I'm making a big mistake, or have a health fact all wrong?
I am not a health professional, so I do not presume to know whether what a client says is strictly fact. When my client may be mistaken, or is missing many goals (or, action steps), or is creating a giant leap of a goal when they really need a baby step of a goal, or is going around in circles, I will ask questions like:
~~ "May I make an observation? It seems to me that we've had several sessions in which you've told me you haven't achieved your action steps. Would you be willing to explore that with me?"
~~ "On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you can achieve that goal in one week?"
~~ "Tell me more about (the health fact that may be wrong). Where did you learn that?"
~~ "My I use a metaphor here? I have this feeling you're stuck, like you're trying to slog your way through a mud pit and it's hard going. Does that seem accurate to you?"
Sounds like a long way around when a direct answer or opinion would be so much faster.
Yes, a direct answer or opinion would be faster. But I'm not in this to be a fast coach who has all the answers and knows what's best for all my clients. There are a few things to know about why I don't give a direct answer or opinion:
~~ This coaching is about you, not about me. My trust resides in YOU and your inner wisdom. I will seek your wisdom, not mine.
~~ We humans learn a lot more when we do the thinking and exploring ourselves. We don't learn as well or as deeply when someone says, "Here is what you should do/think/accomplish and I'll check in next week to make sure you achieved it."
~~ If I were the kind of coach who purports to know everything, including what is best for you, you'd be better off not signing up with me. A good health and wellness coach will EXPLORE with you. She'll be CURIOUS, not certain. She will TRUST you to find and follow your own path, not fall in behind her and follow her. She will be your PARTNER, not your leader.
NOTE: I'll answer more questions in this FAQ section as I get them.