Couples/Teams Needed for 3-6 month Relationship Coaching Programme (starting January 2014)

[Browncoffee]

I am an Executive and Team Coach who has recently completed her training as a Relationship Systems Coach. I am going a step further and will start an 8-month certification programme in January 2014.

As part of that programme, I am required to work with 3 new systems (couples, teams, business partners etc) for a period of 3 - 6 months. I am hoping to work with some partnerships locally and will be offering my services with a 75% discount to my 'certification clients'

If you (or anyone you know) would be interested in this offer, please send me a PM. Please note that this offer is also available to teams within organisations and I would be happy to provide more information on team coaching.

If you would like to know more about my corporate role and to view testimonials, please feel free to visit my LinkedIn page: uk.linkedin.com/in/obinne/

In the meantime, below is some information on couple coaching:

Couple Coaching Info:

Relationships can be impacted by financial problems, life-changing events such as marriage, births, adoption, illness, deaths of family members/friends, job changes, moves, mid- life crisis?just to name a few. In a lot of families, when children come along, the relationship between the parents tends to take a backseat as priorities shift to the endless lists of things to do.

I would recommend coaching if all/some of the following is true for you:

? My partner and I never really talk anymore.

? Our children keep us busy with homework, activities and home routines.

? Our careers are very demanding.

? We argue a lot.

? My partner doesn?t listen to me.

? We have lost or are losing the intimacy in our relationship

Relationship Coaching is dedicated to opening up communication in your relationship. It provides you with many tools, tips and skills that you can adopt in your relationship that will inspire you to discover what your values and strengths are and how to use this awareness to nurture and strengthen your relationship. It provides couples with tools they can use within minutes of leaving each coaching session.

The key difference between counselling and coaching is that whereas counselling focuses on the past, coaching focuses on the future, encouraging couples to re-structure their relationship by practicing new ways of relating with each other and changing old patterns of behaviour.

Couples who attend coaching:

? Create a shared vision for what they would like their relationship to look like.

? Learn how to discuss heated topics in an effective way.

? Come to a mutually-agreeable compromise for unresolved issues.

? Implement new ways of appreciating each other?s strengths and unique attributes.

? Explore current insecurities, fears and trust issues.

? Have a dedicated safe space to focus on their relationship.

Research shows that what separates couples who divorce from those who stay happily married over the long haul is not love or commitment. Instead, it's skills - problem solving skills, communication skills, intimacy skills, and so on. Happily married couples experience conflict just as much as couples who divorce. The difference is that happy couples have learned how to resolve their conflict in an effective way.

Get in touch (via a PM) if you are interested or would like more information.

[malumbu]

Sounds like a 'normal' long term relatioship to me. My other half often looks at my posts, so I may be sleeping in the spare room tonight.

You did not include: my partner spends too much time on social networking sites

vs

My partner spends too much time on the I Pad.....

[Browncoffee]

Just got off the phone with your other half, Malumbu. Look forward to meeting you;-)

On a more serious note, coaching in general is not for 'fixing' anyone or any relationship....nor is it a way to work on relationships that are not "normal". Ultimately, it is about having the courage/desire to 'look in the mirror' as an individual or as a couple, raise self awareness, so that you can appreciate/celebrate what you have but also, self-correct where/if you find a need to.

For both individual and corporate clients, I offer a complimentary 'sample session' because it is important that clients get a taste of coaching, how it differs from counselling etc before they decide whether it is the right solution for them. It is equally an opportunity for me to ensure that they are the right clients for me and where that is not the case, to refer them to other coaches (and/or counsellors) in my network that I believe to be the right match for them.

[malumbu]

Yes, I understand where you are coming from.

Now this no doubt isn't supposed to be a discussion thread, but....

An awful lot of people claim/advertise to be life coaches nowadays. My 'other' wife is a colleague who drives me mad for a variety of reasons. She is or was a life coach, and from time to time I see her go into coaching mode where she does 'if I was in your situation' which drives me mad. Example "my word that meeting went on for so long", reply "If I was you I would have made an excuse and left". The response should have been "did you think of leaving" or " was there not a chance to make an excuse and leave" ie a question not an instruction. I've done lots of management and influencing courses, putting your feet in their shoes etc. But when I feel someone is trying to do it to me I find it annoying to say the least.

Now good readers you are probably saying what an arrogant pig I am, and poor partner/work mates.

The simple question is how do we differentiate between those coaches who talk the talk, and those who can also walk the walk.

[Browncoffee]

"If I was you,....." is not a coaching approach. That is the difference between coaching and mentoring. A coach's question comes from a place of genuine curiosity, powerful questioning etc so let's call it a place of 'asking'.

A mentor's questions come from a 'telling' place. People generally hire mentors who are where they would like to see themselves (e.g I provide mentoring to other coaches because I can tell them how I have got to where I am - which paths I recommend versus none). People generally confuse coaching with mentoring and/or counselling.

On the other hand, a coach is no expert and there is no better expert on you, than yourself. As a coach, I work with clients to identify their values (unique to them) so that they can align their roles, activities etc to them so they can be fulfilled. I am also trained to identify and challenge their self-limiting beliefs so they can differentiate between genuine, justified fears and fears driven by self-limiting beliefs.

Yes, life coaching is unfortunately not YET regulated in the UK so anyone can work as a life coach if they feel they have the right skills and qualities. My recommendation is that you do your research and where possible/necessary, work with coaches who have accreditation and/or membership of professional coaching bodies.

To get accredited and gain membership, coaches are required to go through extensive training, supervision and continuous professional development. They are also required to adhere to the code of ethics of the relevant coaching body. So, if you need to differentiate between someone who talks the talk vs walks the walk, this is a possible starting point. I would also ask for a sample session to get an understanding of their coaching approach and gauge chemistry.

Disclaimer: Please note that I am NOT saying all coaches that are not accredited or members of a coaching body are not good enough. I know a lot of excellent, successful coaches who have no accreditation. It is not a requirement! The ultimate test is that of chemistry. To be able to partner with someone and create that 'safe environment', it is important that you have the right connection.

[Browncoffee]

Thanks for your PMs. Certification clients found.