FAQ

  • How do you know that I am a trustworthy, reliable, and professional person - and a coach you can trust your life and personal and professional growth with?

I have provided around 40 genuine testimonials and references on this website, not only from my personal life coaching, but also my travelling and 'Workawaying' in Australia and overseas, and through my house sitting and pet sitting assignments. I do this to clearly demonstrate my results and my experiences working with people. Prior to the end of 2014, I spent over 10 years in a career working for the Tasmanian Government in Compliance based in Hobart. I worked in a regulated and professional environment that required a high level of responsibility, autonomy and integrity. My primary role was to audit, licence, inspect and regulate Tasmanian liquor and gaming premises, and casinos. Identifying, managing and minimising risk was a large part of my day to day working life. This was a position that required personal and professional responsibility, accountability and trust. In this capacity alone, I have worked for hundreds of Tasmanian liquor and gaming licensees and their staff.  

  • Do I need to complete or sign a written contract or agreement prior to, or for our coaching sessions?

No. My service is flexible and adaptable. Whilst I am more than happy to draw up a contract for you, this is not necessary at all. I don't believe in forcing people to do anything they would prefer not to do. Pieces of paper are generally produced to force people to conform to an agreement that they do not want to - I don't coach or live life that way. What is a requirement, is that there is an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of both parties, and clear lines of communication throughout our coaching and working together.

  • Why should I consider coaching with you, and not another coach or service?

I am an accredited, certified and credentialed life coach. Prior to my coaching studies, I attained an Associate Diploma in Social Science in Community Services - a course with very clear synergies to coaching. I continue to study not only coaching, but many interest areas that enhance my coaching. These include; business, investment, decentralised technology, trading psychology, online opportunities, self development, and spiritually associated material. These combinations create a valuable blend of knowledge, experience and opportunity for my clients to tap into. My mantra is to keep learning, improving and adding value to peoples lives. I am a trusted person in the community, with demonstrated long term results in helping people across a number of different fields and professions.

  • How should I prepare for coaching?

I suggest you write down a list of things that are important to you - things you want to achieve or improve in your life. Be ready to embrace change and opportunity. Be open to surprises. I also recommend that you suspend your disbelief when, or if, required - this helps you identify, and move beyond negative/false or inhibiting beliefs and situations that might be holding you back in your life. Importantly, take the time to read my blog, listen to my podcasts and my training programs. These steps should be a very good starting point.

  • How long does coaching take? 

This is totally relative to your ability to embrace the opportunity and maximise our time spent together. I do not recommend solitary coaching sessions, as they are not a good guide, or indicative of, the power and efficacy of coaching. Packages are better value, and I offer any number of plans that will work for you if that is what you would like to choose. In short, if working with me is working for you, and adding value and meaning into your life, then it is most likely time and money well spent. To be clear, I do not do a hard sales pitch with my coaching - I respect myself and my (potential) clients too much for that. For me, coaching is about people and building relationships. The rest will look after itself.

  • What does a life coach do?

There are coaches... and there are coaches. Some are qualified professionals, some are pseudo professionals with little, if any, specific or meaningful education or experience. Some are simply not trained at all, and do not know what coaching really is. Unfortunately, there are low barriers for entry into coaching. Be wary of 'certifications' and anything that you do not understand. Someone calling themself a coach could do anything! The better question is how do I coach?

  • How do I coach?

I place importance on the process of coaching. That is, I understand that outcomes and advice, are often short term fixes. Anybody can give advice. Cookie cutter approaches to peoples problems, and their opportunities, rarely fit so to speak. To move into any sort of meaningful action, or to achieve long term lasting results, you need to be aligned and engaged in what is happening in your life. You need to buy in to that change - it needs to come from you. I help you move through that process. I guide, coach, and facilitate that process. Whatever it is that you are wanting to take action on, or change, it needs to be something that you clearly understand - something you genuinely want to proceed with - not a pitch from a professional barking instructions. I help you identify your strengths, build confidence, and transition towards new ways of living and being in your world. Of course there is much, much more to our coaching than that...

  • Why do I coach?

I coach because it provides me with a platform to help people (and myself) to live better lives. It is a lifestyle that I enjoy further developing, one that provides me with the flexibility and the freedom to pursue my other projects. Coaching is very much a lifestyle choice for me - and lifestyle is very important to me.

  • What are the benefits of life coaching?

Coaching provides a platform where you get really listened to. It is a conversation that is all about you and your life. The focus is about you. For many people, this experience is the first time in their lives that they have truly felt listened to - a powerful experience in itself. Coaching enables people to move forward in their life. It helps them identify their strengths and gifts. It helps them identify challenges, obstacles, blind-spots, and beliefs that may not be helping them - so they can choose better pathways forward. It can declutter life. It can simplify life. It can generate more opportunities in relationships and career. It can remove old ways of thinking and replace them with more life affirming and supportive alternative views. It is a powerful way to get aligned to what is really important in life to the person involved.

  • How much does it (coaching) cost? 

I can provide a number of coaching packages and solutions for my coaching clients. These range from top up 20 minute laser sessions, individual coaching sessions, to 1-7 day one on one coaching packages.  My rates are based on the value for value approach. You determine the fee based on the evidence of your results. Importantly, my philosophy is to add value to peoples lives, so I look to give you a high value experience with not only a value for value price model, but backed up by a coaching guarantee, and no requirement for written contracts.

  • Do you guarantee coaching results?

No. Any self respecting (and client respecting) professional would never guarantee results. It would be unethical to do so. Our sessions together will have action steps and plans (as I/we define them), and we will be able to measure your progress along the journey - and it is a journey. What I do guarantee, is our first session together. This simply means that if you are not happy with the session, or coaching isn't for you, you will not need to pay.

  • Do you coach outside of Tasmania?

Yes I do. I have coaching clients throughout the world. To this point, I have coached in person in the UK, and in Tasmania (I am currently based in Hobart). I have also coached online via Skype in Germany, USA, India, Australia, Singapore, Italy and in Greece. I am available to coach all around the world - both online and in person.

  • What is the difference between coaching and other helping professions?

My page Q and A gives very good explanations in relation to this.

  • Is coaching some sort of fad out of the USA?

It certainly is not a fad. It is a powerful mode of communication and conversation that helps clients move forward in their lives in a fully supportive conversation that builds on the clients own experiences and understandings. Coaching has gained much more of a foothold and acceptance in the USA, as Americans generally are more open (or so it seems) to seeking help and guidance to improve their lives. Oprah Winfrey articulates it beautifully in this short 8 minute video. In her words; "What is the next right move." My question to you is; "What is your next right move..?

  • Who do you coach?

I coach EVERYBODY. Whether you are a business owner, an executive, or a working mum or dad. I coach with people who are passionate about being the best expression of themselves that they choose to be. I have a strong record of working with people from all walks of life - I treat everybody the same. I am inspired by passion not profession.

  • Do you also coach groups or staff?

Yes. Although this is usually a blended approach of coaching, facilitating and consultation. It is dependent on the needs of the assignment.

  • What do you coach?

I coach people where they are at in their lives right now, to where they want to go. ALL life coaching finds its own level, and will flow to where the need or the intention and focus is. Some examples of areas I have coached in are listed in the drop down menu 'Work With Me' on the Home Page. These include; Executive Coaching, Career Change Coaching, Confidence and Self Esteem Coaching, Spiritual Coaching, Work Life Balance Coaching, Fitness Coaching, Weightloss Coaching, Relationship Coaching, and LOA Coaching.

  • Do you specialise in any particular area of coaching?

I specialise in working with people who are passionate and committed to improving their lives. I am a person with a myriad of interests and interest areas. I am curious by nature, and hungry to learn and understand more about life. This puts me in a good position to coach across many niches.

  • What about your coaching niche podcasts - how can you be across so many different approaches and niches?

In simple terms, ALL coaching find its own level and will hone in on the area/s of need or focus. For example, an Executive Coaching assignment may appear to be focused around business. The sessions themselves may go in an entirely different direction. This could be experienced as spirituality, relationships, fitness, or even writing a book - and all of the above. Fortunately for me, and my clients, I have many gears and dimensions to my coaching approach.

  • Why get, or have, a coach? 

Many reasons. Generally, clients seek improvement. Often these people are already high performers who understand the value of a coaching relationship - and it is a relationship. People who have high expectations of themselves are attracted to coaching. They know that even little tweaks can manifest into good outcomes and results. Some clients seek to focus on a challenging area of their life, or a goal or aspiration that they feel they need to rise a step or two higher to achieve. The real question here is; why are you looking to get a coach to bring coaching into your life?

  • Where else can I find out about coaching? The International Coach Federation (I attained Associate Credentialed Coach through the ICF) provides their own FAQ to help clients understand what coaching is about. You can access it right here.