How coaching works

My coaching programs typically last 12 sessions, and can be completed in either three or six months (meeting weekly or bi-weekly). They follow a broad format of Discover → Plan → Do → Support → Sustain.

The program

Discover (Sessions 1 + 2)

First, we work together to better understand the challenge you’re facing. We focus on:

  • Problem: What tells me that something is wrong?

  • Vision: Where do I want to go?

  • Meaning: Why does this matter to me? Why now?

  • Context: What’s my current situation?

Plan(Sessions 2 + 3)

Next, we consider our opportunities and evaluate our options. We select possible paths forward that drive the outcomes we want and we make a plan. 

We also start our weekly practice of identifying small, doable tasks that can be accomplished between sessions.

Do & Support (Sessions 4 to 10)

With a plan in place, it’s time to take action. Most of the action takes place between sessions as you take what you learn in sessions and apply it in practice.

We reserve our sessions for everything else: 

  • Reflecting on how the week went

  • Celebrating successes and bringing curiosity to things that didn’t work out

  • Identifying blockers and limiting beliefs as they emerge and working through them*

  • Selecting new action items that continue to drive our outcomes and goals

Sustain (Sessions 11 + 12)

As our time together wraps up, we will co-develop a plan to ensure the positive change you’ve experienced lasts beyond our time together. If appropriate, we can also discuss renewing our contract for more coaching support.

* In my experience, this will the meatiest — and most enlightening — part of our time together.

Session structure

Sessions are structured around two things: 1) our overarching goals and outcomes and 2) topics that have surfaced for the client over the last week.

While most sessions are entirely talk-based, some clients have found value in holding co-working sessions. These can take the form of brainstorming sessions in a whiteboard platform (like Miro), where we might produce an ikigai diagram, a theory of change, or an outcomes-based roadmap.

How we meet

Most of my client sessions take place over video conference, though I am happy to accommodate folks who prefer phone calls. For folks living in the Portland, ME area who would like to meet in person, we can discuss options.

Get in touch

Sound like a program you could benefit from? Book an intro call with me to talk about working together to address your challenge.