What is holistic life coaching?
If you haven’t had coaching before, the process of life coaching might seem like a mysterious thing – what happens in a coaching session, what does a life coach do, and how will life coaching help me?
Put simply, coaching is all about having a skilled facilitator to help you gain clarity, get a different result, or solve a problem.
The best part (at least I think so!) is that when we feel better and have more agency in ourselves, then we have better capacity to show up in a kinder, more effective way for the people around us and our role in the world. So doing the inner work with a coach helps not only you but has a positive impact on the world around you – which is no small thing in the times that we’re in!
One of the wonderful things about coaching is that (instead of being about giving advice, or talking about a problem over and over but not getting anywhere), coaching helps facilitate you to access your own inner wisdom to find your own solutions and get results, while empowering you with tools. And it often can feel inspiring, fun, relieving, and empowering to do so!
Coaching typically involves:
Gaining tools
Developing your own agency and self-regulation
Gaining insight and clarity
Gaining new perspectives and mindset
Being able to be heard and supported in a confidential, judgement-free space (and to be able to listen to what you’re telling yourself)
Making long-lasting change
Strengthening self-worth and self-love
Being able to be who you want to be for yourself and those around you
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Why do people need a life coach?
People come to coaching to get clarity on an issue, to make a decision, to change a habit, reach a goal, gain confidence, become a better leader, shift your state of being, or to be able to be the person they want to be for themselves or their loved ones.
Sometimes people come to it as part of their commitment to doing their inner work and self-care – which is a wonderful thing!
For some specific examples, you can read about what some of my clients have experienced through holistic life coaching here.
Coaching goes by many names and categories and often overlap. The holistic life coaching that I offer encompasses:
Mindset
Embodiment
Leadership coaching and career
Personal growth / inner growth
Stress management, mental fitness, avoiding burnout
Health and wellbeing
Relationship
Problem solving
Confidence coaching
Self-love and self-worth
Women’s cyclical alignment
Happiness, purpose, soul-centredness
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What does a life coach do?
There are lots of different types of coaches and coaching approaches, as coaches will have their own training backgrounds, specialties and niches. For example, what is a confidence coach vs a life coach, vs an embodiment coach.
Generally, coaches use listening and questioning skills and positive psychology principles to help raise awareness for the client to come to a conclusion. It usually involves gaining more awareness of a pattern, mindset or bodyset behind the issue and then empowering you with the tools to be able to choose a different way.
What makes coaching so effective is that we work together to deal with the subconscious conditioning that is causing the issue in the first place, so that it becomes far easier for you to make the change, instead of having to keep trying to force it to work. In other words, we get to the core of the issue to create long-lasting positive change!
Some coaches work with a clear process on a step-by-step program, while others (such as myself) will work more organically and bring in the relevant strategies and tools in the moment based on what is most useful at that point.
Whatever the approach, the key thing is that a coach needs to be effective in helping you get a different result!
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What is different about how I work
I draw from and meld together a variety of methods to support each client with what is presenting at the time, to create a potent blend of approaches and tools that gets results!
As well as being a certified holistic life coach, I am also a meditation teacher and women’s mysteries educator with 15+ years of experience in health and wellness, having trained broadly in mind-body health. I have a scientific healthcare background as well as training in embodiment coaching, shamanic processes, traditional coaching, mind-body health, and meditation.
I use evidence-based principles blended with traditional, earthy, soulful wisdom and warmth to help you get to the core of the issue and feel empowered and supported to make positive change. Coaching with me can be very down to earth, scientific and practical, or very explorative and spiritual depending on the client and the setting. Sessions are always intended to be warm, relaxed, and nurturing.
In my coaching I use brain-based methods to help shift mindset, as well as working a lot with the body (embodiment coaching) to shift bodyset, and bringing in shamanic processes where relevant. Working with the body can be a particularly effective (and fast) way to get a result because the body forms part of the subconscious mind and carries and reveals much about the patterns, beliefs, and perceptions. Sometimes we can shift a whole issue simply by changing a body movement, for example!
I incorporate nature a lot and have a big focus managing stress – all of my clients receive centring tools that work for them which in itself can be a huge game changer.
I have a particular interest in women’s cyclical wisdom, and will incorporate that when working with women.
Groups, Community Events & Workshops
Apart from working 1:1 with individuals, I also work with groups and workshops. There are a range of events on offer at the moment that complement coaching, and that incorporate coaching principles for the group, including the monthly women’s circles, the Learn to Meditate course and the Un-stressed Workshop for stress management.
What is the difference between life coaching and holistic life coaching
What is different about holistic life coaching is that we work in a broader way, taking into account your life as a whole – seeing a more holistic picture of what is contributing to challenges, blocks, and difficulty with moving forward, to create more effective and sustainable change. There can also be a focus on wellness and emotional wellbeing.
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What is the difference between a life coach and a therapist
Often therapy is focused on healing from the past, whereas coaching is future-oriented, focused on helping you make change and move forward.
Coaching is facilitating the process and sharing the tools for you learn how to help yourself, to regulate yourself and to create your own solutions. It is focused on moving forward by working with strengths, insights, and developing your capabilities.
Therapists are mental health professionals, which is outside of the scope of a coach. Some coaches can support mental fitness, which is different to providing mental health care.
Both are intended to be a safe place to be listened to and supported to create change.
Of course it is more complicated than that, and there can be overlap, and sometimes it can be helpful to do both. A therapist might refer you to work with a coach for to make change alongside the therapy work you are doing together, and vice versa.
Where do you do coaching
Coaching appointments are based out of the beautiful Freshwater Wellness Centre, which is a peaceful lovely place and wonderful setting to be able to let go and relax into the work we are doing together.
Sometimes clients choose to book the coaching session outdoors in nature sitting at the park, or at Freshwater beach, or while walking. Getting moving outdoors can be an effective way to help things shift!
Appointments are also available online.
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How long does coaching take to make a difference
It depends what you are working on – some coaching questions will be resolved and create positive outcomes from a single session (sometimes huge shifts can happen in the space of minutes!) Others will benefit from a longer supported journey.
For those who are actively pursuing a self-growth journey or committed to doing the inner-work, it is always great to have a coach on your side who you have a good relationship with and can reach out to whenever you’re in need of the extra support and facilitation.
What people say about holistic life coaching
A great way to get an idea of how useful coaching can be, is to read what others have said about it – explore the testimonials on my website here.
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Why is life coaching important?
Holistic life coaching can help you change your world!
As I hope you can see from this article, holistic life coaching is all about helping people feel better and have more agency and capacity to make choices that align with their values and purpose.
The best part (at least I think so!) is that when we feel better and have more agency in ourselves, then we have better capacity to show up in a kinder, more effective way for the people around us and our role in the world. So doing the inner work with a coach helps not only you but has a positive impact on the world around you – which is no small thing in the times that we’re in!
How to choose a life coach
A great starting point is to read some coaches’ websites, and find one who resonates with you. Most coaches, including me, offer a free introductory call so you can meet each other and get a feel for whether they are the right fit. You’re always welcome to reach out to me for a chat and see if we are a good match – I’d love to be able to support you with where you’re at!
Curious to try it out?
If you have any questions, get in touch now – I’d love to hear from you!
Email: bianca@consciouswellness.com.au
Phone: 0409 642 759
Website: consciouswellness.com.au
Or if you’re ready, book in a free introductory call, or your first coaching session now!