Coaching
Coaching is a collaborative, client-centered process designed to unlock a person’s potential, helping them gain clarity, build confidence, and take meaningful action toward their goals.
Unlike mentoring or consulting, which often involve giving advice, coaching is about empowering individuals to find their own solutions through deep listening, powerful questioning, and structured reflection. It is rooted in the belief that people are naturally creative, resourceful, and capable of navigating challenges when provided with the right support and accountability.
Coaching can be applied across:
Personal
Professional
Leadership development
Coaching can guide individuals through:
Career transitions
Decision-making
Leadership growth
Managing uncertainty in a fast-changing world
A skilled coach provides a
safe, non-judgmental space
where clients can explore possibilities, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop new perspectives that lead to transformative change.
Coaching vs. Therapy: What’s the Difference?
I often get asked about the difference between coaching and therapy, and while both are powerful tools for growth, they serve distinct purposes.
Therapy is
typically focused on healing and understanding the past, working through emotional pain, trauma, or mental health challenges. It’s often about processing experiences, unpacking patterns, and moving toward emotional well-being with the support of a licensed professional.
Coaching is
on the other hand, future-focused—it’s about helping you gain clarity, build confidence, and take actionable steps toward your goals. It’s not about diagnosing or treating, but rather empowering you to move forward with intention. As a coach, I hold space for you to explore possibilities, challenge limiting beliefs, and develop strategies that align with your values and aspirations. The coaching process is about growth, accountability, and unlocking potential—not fixing what’s broken, but strengthening what’s already within you.
Both coaching and therapy have immense value, and at times, they can complement one another. If you’re unsure which is right for you, I’m always happy to help explore what would best support your journey.
Coaching vs. Mentoring: Unlocking Potential in Different Ways
Coaching and mentoring are both about growth, but they take different approaches.
Mentoring is
about guidance—it’s sharing knowledge, experience, and lessons learned to help someone navigate their path. It’s often a relationship where a more experienced professional supports someone newer in the field, offering insights and advice.
Coaching
isn’t about providing answers—it’s about helping people discover their own. It’s a structured process that empowers individuals to gain clarity, challenge assumptions, and take intentional action toward their goals.
That said, mentorship is a huge part of who I am. I’m deeply passionate about working with emerging leaders in my field of expertise, helping them recognize their strengths, refine their vision, and step into their full potential. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing someone discover what they’re truly capable of—especially in uncertain times. Whether through coaching or mentorship, my goal is always the same: to create space for growth, reflection, and the kind of confidence that leads to bold, transformative action.
Ethics and Confidentiality in Coaching
At the core of professional coaching is a strong commitment to ethics, integrity, and confidentiality. Accredited coaches, such as those certified through the International Coaching Federation (ICF), adhere to a strict code of ethics that prioritizes the well-being, autonomy, and privacy of clients.
This includes:
Maintaining confidentiality at all times, ensuring that anything shared in a coaching session remains private unless explicit consent is given or there is a legal or ethical obligation to disclose information (such as in cases of harm or illegal activity).
A professional coach also upholds boundaries and trust, ensuring that the coaching relationship remains free of conflicts of interest, undue influence, or personal bias.
Ethical coaching emphasizes respect for the client’s agency, meaning the coach does not impose their own opinions or solutions but instead facilitates the client’s ability to think critically, make informed decisions, and take ownership of their path forward.
In a world of increasing uncertainty and complexity, ethical coaching offers a structured yet adaptable approach to personal and professional growth, helping individuals develop the resilience, clarity, and confidence needed to navigate change with intention.
ICF Core Competencies
The ICF Core Competencies provide a solid framework for ethical, effective coaching—and in many ways, they naturally align with a trauma-informed approach. At its core, trauma-informed coaching is about creating a safe, empowering space where clients feel heard, respected, and in control of their own journey. The ICF competencies emphasize partnership, active listening, trust-building, and non-judgmental curiosity, all of which are essential for supporting individuals who may be navigating stress, uncertainty, or deep personal shifts. One of the most important aspects of trauma-informed coaching is honoring autonomy and choice, which aligns with ICF’s emphasis on co-creating the coaching relationship. Rather than assuming what’s best for the client, we follow their lead, asking powerful questions that help them gain clarity at their own pace. We also focus on cultivating trust and safety, ensuring that clients feel supported rather than pressured. By integrating mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and deep presence, coaching can be a transformative experience—one that not only helps clients achieve their goals but also fosters long-term resilience and self-empowerment.