As coaches, there are many things to be listening for as a client speaks, more than their words alone. This article explores some of the non-verbal communication to pay attention to, often also called client “somatic” information. Non-verbal information can...
Category: ICF Core Competencies
Train like an Olympian
The Winter Olympic Games 2022 have been underway for about 11 days so far, with about 5 days remaining. Every 4 years feels like a treasure chest to me, watching the best athletes in the world compete against each other...
Facilitating Client Growth
In order to explain the structure of a coaching session, I’ve observed there are roughly three phases to every coaching session; a Beginning Phase, a Middle Phase and an End Phase. (Okay, so some of you are leaving this article...
Practices to Develop and Maintain Presence
What is it about some people that has you feel immediately at ease in their presence? What has you trust one person and not feel safe with another? Who do you trust to share your depth of emotion, feeling, yearning,...
Butterfly on the Wall Coaching Series
Have you ever wanted to be a "butterfly" on the wall hanging out (inconspicuously, of course) while an experienced coach is coaching their client? Here's a very rare, unique opportunity to get an insider's peek into the real relationship...
Is the Profession of Coaching related to Mental Health Services?
This article seeks to clarify some of the differences between the domains of a Coaching Professional, versus a Mental Health Professional. And the common place that both professions work with, yet from different perspectives - the well-being of the person....
Some of my learnings from one year of pandemic lockdown
March 13, 2020; I remember it well. The National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States (where I live) announced that an elite player had tested positive for Covid-19 and stopped all games in the league indefinitely. Almost overnight it...
Key distinction between ACC, PCC and MCC coaching
(First published May 14, 2013. Last updated November 21, 2020) As a Mentor Coach and ICF Assessor, coaches often ask me how to distinguish between coaching at the three credential levels. Here is one fundamental distinction that I make, and...
Racism Antiracism and Coaching
I’ve had a personal epiphany since June 17, 2020 and it is truly shocking to me. I never knew that having white skin automatically meant that I was part of systemic racism. I’ve never asked myself questions like, “What does...
ICF releases Updated Code of Ethics
Every 3 years, the International Coach Federation (ICF) undertakes a review of their Code of Ethics and releases the latest update. The last update was in June 2015, so this is 4 years instead of 3 years since the last...