Orchestrating Change: A Journey from Musician to Coach

Having a 20-year musical career and spending over 15,000 hours in a practice room alone deepened my relationship with my introverted self. In those moments of crafting skills, something shifts, and you become more aware of your feelings and emotions, constantly questioning what lies behind them. I always had a natural interest in analysing people, pondering their thoughts and what drives their actions. On the other hand, I analysed my own thoughts and feelings.

This interest naturally extended to psychology and psychoanalysis, both of which deeply fascinated me. However, I realised that pursuing formal qualifications in those fields would take many more years. Coaching emerged as the perfect next step—a practical and accessible way to channel my passion for understanding the human mind while helping others reach a higher level of consciousness.

Breaking Patterns and Embracing Coaching

Coaching is a simple yet powerful tool that has a profound impact on behaviour. All change begins with noticing what wasn’t noticeable before. Although I was often aware of the thought loops that kept me stuck, coaching gave me the tools to break through those barriers. It has helped me disrupt unhelpful patterns and gain clarity. I’m a very habitual person and continually work to overcome the natural human resistance to taking action.

When my willpower inevitably wanes, coaching provides the structure and guidance I need to refocus and move forward. As long as I can see the plan ahead or the next step, I find the motivation to keep going, and using coaching questions helps me uncover those steps. This was part of what led me to explore a new psychology-related course, and during my research, I came across The Coaching Academy. I remembered attending The Coaching Academy's free Introduction to Life Coaching event years ago, where I had immediately fallen in love with their approach. At that time, I couldn’t pursue it further because I was busy with my university coursework, but now I was ready to take the leap.

The Transformative Power of Coaching

One of the most rewarding aspects of my coaching journey has been witnessing my clients' "light bulb" moments. There’s something truly amazing about the moment a question lands and sparks a breakthrough. Reflecting on what made those moments happen has been both fascinating and informative. These experiences have not only deepened my understanding of others but also helped me uncover insights about my own personality and overcome numerous personal obstacles.

The online platform of resources was incredibly valuable, offering easy access to a wealth of materials at any time. The audio tele-classes provided profound insights into the coaching process, helping me refine my approach and deepen my understanding. Additionally, The Coaching Academy's training workbooks became a cornerstone of my learning, offering endless opportunities for reflection and encouraging me to question and challenge myself in meaningful ways. The exercises in the workbooks increased my self-awareness every time I completed them and helped me shape the type of coaching I wanted to pursue.

Empowering Clients and Creating Impact  

I now help employees build the confidence, communication skills, and leadership strategies they need to succeed, particularly those transitioning into leadership roles or changing careers. I also support clients in overcoming common leadership challenges, such as managing teams effectively, navigating workplace dynamics, and balancing their responsibilities with personal growth. My favourite tool to use is perceptual positions. It helps clients disconnect from their biased self by encouraging them to step out of their personal perspective. This technique uses three viewpoints: their own (1st position), the other person’s perspective (2nd position), and a neutral observer’s perspective (3rd position).

One of my favourite pieces of feedback came from a coachee who shared how deeply we managed to explore during a particular session. He thoroughly enjoyed the process and always looked forward to digging deeper. As a result of our work together, he was able to suddenly improve his relationship with his daughter by applying what he had learned about active listening and empathy. Another client successfully transitioned to a high-level position within their firm, using strategies we developed to boost their confidence and refine their leadership approach.  

Focusing on Growth and Transformation  

I want to work with a very short list of clients - more than five - make sure I make a huge impact on their lives. My focus is on providing deeply personalised support that helps clients achieve transformative results both personally and professionally. Understanding what the client truly needs is at the heart of what fascinates me about coaching. It all starts with our perception, which must be free from judgment and bias.

We need to make sure that we take care of ourselves well enough to serve others effectively. Start now. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can start building the skills and experience needed to make a difference. Be open to learning, embrace feedback, and commit to ongoing personal development - it’s the foundation of becoming an effective coach.