Worklife Coaching FAQs
Answers to regularly asked questions
Most people I know have either never heard of coaching or are unfamiliar with what they might gain from being coached.
I've put together this list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) to help you understand the basics of coaching and how it can help you resolve issues.
What is coaching?
Coaches help people achieve things. A sports coach, for example, helps an athlete realise their personal best dreams.
Coaches specialise in different subjects. A worklife coach helps people better manage issues to reduce their impact on their health, relationships and/or performance at work.
I am a stress management coach, with a particular interest in helping professionals reduce stress and recover from burnout.
I also help people create worklife balance, cope with stress caused by issues outside of work and cultivate habits that support wellbeing.
What happens in a coaching session?
Coaching is a thinking partnerships that brings about change, some even say it is transformational.
To create that change, at the beginning of a session we’ll start with a snapshot of your current situation, the issues arising and what you want to explore and/or take from the session. This helps to set the focus of our conversation and keeps us on track.
To ensure we make best use of our time together, I will encourage you to be very specific so expect to spend time on getting really clear on where we are heading in the session.
Our conversation will then explore what could move you forwards or create the change you want. I will ask you lots of questions to help you see things from different angles, gaining insight as to what you think and how you feel.
We may also look at obstacles and where you might get stuck.
Towards the end we will confirm what you will do and when. This will include identifying any additional support, resources or skills you might need/use.
At the end, we will check we have achieved our session aim, discuss how the session went and arrange our next meeting, if you want one.
How many sessions will I need?
That’s hard to say without us talking. That’s not being evasive, everyone who comes to coaching has different aspirations and needs.
Sometimes one session will be enough to get you moving forward. Other times it might need a few. It all depends on what you are looking to achieve and how you wish to proceed.
Before any coaching starts, we will have a Discovery call which helps me learn what you want to achieve and identify how I can help.
The best way to find out how many sessions you will need is to start with a single session.
Why do we need a Discovery call?
Before committing ourselves to working together, we both need to know we can work together to get you where you want to be.
You need to feel comfortable enough in my presence to share your thoughts and feelings and I need to confirm that I can assist you.
During this no-obligation fee-free call you can outline what is going on for you and tell me what you are looking to get from coaching. You can also ask me any questions you might have.
Once I know what you are seeking, I can share how we might programme our session(s) to help you realise your goal(s).
Is it time something changed?
Let's arrange a time for a no commitment chat. You can explore what it would be like working with me and I can outline how I can help.
GET STARTED: Click here to arrange your Discovery call
How often we will meet?
Coaching isn’t therapy so there is no need to meet every week, unless you want to.
Early sessions might be spaced two to three weeks apart to give you time to start taking action and begin to make change occur. Later, if it is a big change you are looking to effect, we might stretch the time between sessions to months.
You can book a block of sessions or just one and see how you go. It's entirely your call but I would recommend some consistency - day of week, time etc.
Between sessions, you can reach me using email or WhatsApp messaging.
Are the coaching sessions virtual?
Yes, usually I coach on MS Teams or Google Meet but we can do it by phone or WhatsApp video, if you'd prefer.
If you're in the Bournemouth or Southampton area, we may be able to meet.
If we agree to meet face to face, we’ll use public meeting spaces. This might be quiet coffee shops, parks or the beach.
How long is a session?
Each session is 60 minutes. The first one may run longer to cover any outstanding administration.
To help you make the most of our time together, if you have booked more than one session, I may ask you to send me a brief update the day before our next session.
If you think you need shorter or longer sessions we can discuss how that might be achieved.
When will we meet?
Any time that’s mutually convenient!
I can coach you in the morning, over lunch, afternoon or evening, including Saturdays.
How do you coach?
This always depends on you. At the beginning of each session, we will confirm what you are looking to take from our time together.
Sometimes you may just want someone to reflect back what you say whilst you think out loud or vent. Other times you may be wanting to make a decision or explore a situation so I'll ask questions to help you gain clarity.
I also have lots of conversational tools and frameworks that we might decide to use together.
Whatever we do, you should expect to feel somewhat challenged or stretched in your thinking because that's where the insights occur.
When we have our Discovery call, you will find out if you like my style of conversation.
How will I know if coaching is working?
Regardless who you have coaching with, I would expect you to feel like you have gained a deeper understanding of an issue by the end of a session. You should also feel like you are increasing in self-awareness which will enable you to take action towards your goal.
At the end of a session, I will encourage you to ask yourself if you have gained clarity on your situation or learned something new about yourself.
What does coaching cost?
Coaching is an enabler, a catalyst for change. In other words it's an investment in transformation.
Of course there’s my fee but there’s also your commitment to working in the session, reflecting outside of our time together and taking action where you can.
I offer packages of 4 (£320), 6 (£480) and 10 (£800)* 60 minute sessions.
Package sessions expire 6 months from start, unless otherwise agreed.
Payment plans are available and, if you start and then decide you don't think you will use them all, refunds are available.
My single session rate is £90.
When a client is committed to the process, I have found most issues are sufficiently reduced or resolved after 3 sessions.
* These are my rates for private clients. Corporate rates available on request.
Ready to explore coaching with me?
If you feel my approach and knowledge align with what you're seeking, arrange a no-risk, no-commitment call. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
GET STARTED: Request your Discovery call
What clients say
Worklife Coaching
If not for Tracey, I would have allowed things to get worse
I have worked with many coaches and can highly recommend Tracey as a very effective wellbeing coach.
I was struggling with something at work. She helped me notice tension in the body related to my unhappiness with my work situation and showed me how to 'feel' what was going on and honesty examine it.
I could not have done this without help and, if not for Tracey's coaching, would probably have allowed the situation to worsen. I have since dealt with the situation and am much happier.
Russ L.
Business Agility Consultant
Worklife Coaching
Discovered what's important to me
Following my stroke, I struggled with certain well-meaning interactions. I reached out to Tracey for help and during the discovery call she said we might become upset if others’ actions didn’t align with our expectations or values.
I went on to work with Tracey who helped me uncover my core relationship values through a very practical and easy process. Effortlessly taking large amounts of information from me, accurately summarising my thoughts and helping me to see what matters to me.
By the end of the session I had a list of my core values which has enabled me to enjoy socialising again, an important step in my recovery journey.
Emma
EIA consultant, stroke survivor
Worklife Coaching
She just gets it
She has this knack of just 'getting it'. Such a skilled and empathic listener, she somehow manages to summarise all my 'waffle' into coherent and concise themes.
In just one session, she totally understood my imposter feelings and helped me to reconsider and reframe things.
I left feeling quietly confident about my career goals and shifted from thinking 'what if I get found out' to thinking 'actually, I'm gonna smash this!'
Dr Fi Coley
Educational Psychologist