Private 1:1 coaching

There are plenty of reasons to be sceptical of coaching – and I was sceptical of it myself for a long time. The industry is unregulated, the quality varies enormously, and a lot of what gets called “coaching” online is really mentoring, advice, or personal development packaged as something deeper.

So what do I mean by coaching?

My approach is grounded in the ICF coaching framework and combines solution-focused methodology with philosophical inquiry.

I’m not there to give you the answer. I’m there to listen closely to what you say – and what you leave unsaid – ask questions, challenge assumptions, notice patterns and possibilities you might be missing, and keep bringing the conversation back to what you want to do with what you’re discovering.

That’s absolutely fine. You don’t need to arrive with a five-year plan or even know exactly what you want to change. You might simply know that something isn’t sitting right, that you’re going round in circles about a decision, or that you can’t tell whether you actually want something or simply think you should want it.

We can start there.

You might come because you’re questioning your career, considering a move, struggling to decide whether to stay in a relationship, looking for a relationship, feeling disconnected from a life that looks good on paper, or wondering why you keep postponing something you say you want.

You might have a question or simply have the feeling that something isn’t quite right, without knowing what needs to change. We can start there.

Coaching requires a commitment – financially, but also in terms of your time, attention and willingness to engage with the process.

Before booking, consider whether you’re ready to make room for it in your life and genuinely commit to the process.

Not in the usual sense.

I’m not going to tell you which career to choose, whether to leave your relationship, or what I think you should do with your life.

I may offer an observation, reflect something I’ve noticed, challenge an assumption, or introduce a question or exercise. But I don’t want my answer to replace yours.

The aim is to help you become better at hearing yourself.

Therapy and coaching can sometimes overlap, but they have different purposes and professional boundaries. Coaching is not mental health treatment. I don’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions, and I don’t provide psychotherapy or a space to process trauma. I work with people who want to explore a decision, question, transition, pattern, or possibility and think more clearly about what they want to do.

Coaching is oriented towards your present and future – what you’re facing now, what matters to you, and how you want to move forward – while still taking the past seriously as the force that shaped both.

Many people have done therapy before coaching; some choose to do both at once.

If you’re looking to process trauma, address a mental health condition, or receive clinical psychological support, therapy is where that work belongs.

We talk through what’s going on for you, I explain how I work, and we both get a feel for fit.

There’s no pressure to commit to working together. Even if we decide I’m not the right person for you, you should leave with a clearer sense of what kind of support or next step might be useful.

I ask for a minimum three-month commitment because I don’t want the work to become a series of isolated conversations where we try to “fix” something as quickly as possible.

While you might come in with a specific question or problem, often the more useful question turns out to be something underneath it.

Three months gives us enough continuity to understand what’s really going on, explore different ways of looking at it, try things in your life, and notice what changes.

The first few sessions may be about understanding the problem you arrived with. Over time, there’s usually more room to look at the patterns, assumptions, and choices underneath it.

After the initial three months, we continue month-to-month for as long as it remains valuable for you.

The standard package includes two 60-minute sessions per month, usually around two weeks apart.

In some circumstances, we may agree on a different rhythm – for example, meeting weekly for a period and adjusting later. We’ll discuss what makes sense for the work you’re doing.

The time between the sessions is equally as important because this is when you can integrate.

You’ll have access to tailored resources and exercises that you can do whenever you please – it’s an invitation, not homework!

You can also message me between sessions when a question, insight, or something relevant to our work comes up.

This isn’t unlimited or on-demand coaching, and messaging isn’t a substitute for a session. I’ll respond when I’m able and we’ll bring anything that needs more space into our next conversation.

Life happens. You can reschedule any session with 24 hours’ notice.

During the initial three-month commitment, the monthly arrangement remains in place. After that, you can pause or end the coaching with 30 days’ notice.

You might.

A first conversation can sometimes shift how you see a situation or help you articulate something that has been difficult to put into words.

But I don’t promise breakthroughs in 60 minutes. Some things become clearer quickly; others need time, experimentation, and more than one conversation.

No. I’m not a mental health professional, and I don’t treat mental health conditions or trauma.

If you’re navigating acute trauma or significant mental health challenges, therapy with an appropriately qualified mental health professional is the right place for that work.

I’ve personally been through long-term psychodynamic therapy, and I care a lot about helping people find the right kind of support. Coaching and therapy can complement each other, but they are not the same thing.

If you’re unsure which one you need, raise it on the discovery call.

Fair question. Coaching isn’t a regulated profession, and training and qualifications vary considerably.

I completed The Art & Science of Coaching (Level 1) at Erickson Coaching International, an ICF-accredited coach education programme with a solution-focused approach.

I’m currently working towards the Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

I also hold master’s degrees in Law and Philosophy. My philosophical background informs the questions I bring to coaching, particularly around values, assumptions, identity, and meaning.

I’ve also spent more than six years in long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. That experience has shaped not only how I listen, but how seriously I take the work I need to do on myself as a coach. I pay attention to my own reactions, assumptions, projections and blind spots, and to the ways they might influence how I understand what a client brings into the room.

I don’t see that personal work as something you ever simply “finish”. For me, being responsible for someone else’s reflective space also means continuing to examine my own.