For 2025, we’re excited to launch a new way of celebrating your remarkable accomplishments! Every Friday, we’ll feature one of two inspiring coaching journeys: a ‘Student Story,’ showcasing the journey of a recent graduate, or a ‘Graduate Catch-Up,’ where we catch up with alumni later in their coaching career. First up is a ‘Student Story’ from Jessica Wewer who is a Life Transition Coach. In her coaching practice, she works with individuals navigating periods of transition and transformation. Through thoughtful coaching conversation and structured reflection, she helps her clients uncover their aspirations, reconnect with their passions, and design a clear path forward.
I had a conversation with a friend who had done a coaching course at work and I had a lightbulb moment - that’s what I should be doing! It didn’t come out of nowhere: I have always enjoyed reading magazines that focus on self-improvement and mindfulness. I reflect regularly on life each month and year. So, I googled “life coaching course.” and The Coaching Academy's free 'Introduction to Life Coaching' webinar appealed to me as an easy way to explore further, and after that I was hooked! The other thing that influenced me was taking part in group coaching myself. It was a powerful realisation that everyone has different values and strengths, and therefore our goals and the shape of our lives is unique to us.
I’ve moved forward in lots of areas as a result of coaching, like establishing an exercise routine, making career decisions and improving my relationships. The coaching I’ve received has given me an insight into the kind of thoughts that hold me back and where I’m likely to get stuck. I am braver and more confident in taking action towards what I want. Finishing my qualification and setting up my business included.
To progress I found I had to dedicate protected time to it. One thing the trainers advised, and I found to be true, was that if you rush in and out of sessions it affects the focus and quality of your coaching. My personality is introverted, and I like structure, so although the live sessions were powerful and informative, what I enjoyed most was the clear process to follow through the diploma, a checklist of tasks to complete, really well supported by all of the written and recorded resources on the learning portal. I also really enjoy The Coaching Academy's free monthly ‘Coaching Conversations’ online events to get lots of different perspectives on coaching.
I offer coaching sessions to ‘transitioners’ - anyone who is in a new phase of life and wants to reevaluate; what do they want from this phase? How are they going to get there? What is different from the last phase? These phases of life could include parenthood, midlife, retirement, a new decade, or a change in circumstances or location.
In my coaching practice I help clients who have noticed their lives have changed. Perhaps they find themselves in parenthood, midlife, retirement, a new decade, or a change in circumstances or location. They might be lacking purpose or joy. By allowing them to reflect, get perspective, dream and plan for what they want, they are able to embrace their new phase of life. I currently offer 1:1 coaching in a block of 6 sessions or 12 sessions in 12 months for a transformative year. Seeing the effect of my coaching questions on my coachees. Making them think, seeing options and perspectives they hadn’t seen before, moments of realisation and hearing their feedback that reflected all of that.
One of my favourite coaching question to use with clients is: “What thought would you find more empowering?”. I’m really interested in the connection between thoughts, feelings, actions and results and find exploring this with a coachee can be really impactful.
A common thread in feedback from my client is that they feel well listened to and found the questions I asked thoughtful which helped them move forward. They have learnt new things about themselves which has enabled them to find more joy and make progress in a way that suits them.
I’m most curious about somatic coaching as I think it could really enhance coaching sessions to be aware of what the body is telling us, as well as our analytical mind. It’s something to explore and in the future could add another level to my coaching practice.
I’d like to respond to what I’m hearing in my coaching sessions about the main challenges of transitioning through life’s phases and create an online programme as part of my services. In the long term I would love to offer a coaching retreat. I think it could be really valuable for clients to take time away from their everyday lives and really focus on what they want.
The first step is listening. Listening carefully in your everyday conversations and notice the reaction and what you pick up. Once you begin training, start practice coaching session as soon as you can as it’s the best way to learn. Even if it’s out of your comfort zone like it was for me! There’s nothing like investing a bit of time and resource into yourself to help you (and those around you) live your best life!
Thank you Jessica for sharing the inspiring story of your coaching journey!
The Coaching Academy was established in 1999, and is now the world's largest coaching school.
In that time we have trained over 14,000 people to become life coaches.
We are accredited by the International Coach Federation and the Association for Coaching, and we're rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
