During coaching process I am using different models depending on the client and his or her goals, desired outcomes, preferential working style.

Once upon a time… I really would like to start in this particular manner, because a Wonderful Princess (I’ll call my client a Princess for the sake of narrative story-telling) very capable, assertive, truly beautiful, hardworking, was lost and could not find her way forward, even forgot her true self in the boring daily routine, she  could not find the joy in anything anymore and totally stuck in that gloomy, dreary, bleak life.

I am not telling you a fairy tale – it is just a day in the coaching life.

I described my client – at the time when this young woman approached me for coaching she was exactly like that – feeling responsible for her grown-up sister after family’s big loss, grieving for 15 years, putting her personal life on hold to the point of a full destruction.

In this case we were taking into consideration the scope of the whole life, not a few goals only. In the circumstances when my client felt quite desperate and helpless I thought it would be beneficial to use a creative method being more of an observer, perceiving the situation from the distance and giving it slightly poetic air, making it more colourful. The fact that this method  called “Hero’s Journey” added some romantic notes too.

  1. Ordinary Life or Prologue – the start of the journey – totally the stage I described above. “Can’t be worse” And if it is not changed now, it will be no future whatsoever, “one blur existence”
  2. The Call to Adventure. The situation is quite urgent – “make or break”. It is time to address all the issues simultaneously – professional life and personal. And yes the Prince is involved. What kind of a Fairy Tale could be without one? 
  3. The Meeting with Ally Meeting a Life Coach – discussing the client’s values, inspirations – her true self, when she feels alive and enjoying her life at the most.
  4. Crossing the First Threshold. The Princess is deciding to change the job – being highly qualified and very experienced in her field, she does not have a doubt about a successful outcome – and move to the part of the country within the Prince’s kingdom. Preparing her sister for a big change in her own life.
  5. The Trials.  After the first successful job interview finding something better than planned before. Everything is going perfect with the sister. The Prince is overwhelmed and not supportive or proactive, which is quite unexpected. Then again the coaching process is about my client’s actions…Her decision is made – it is not about the Prince as such, but about moving in a different direction in life, as discussed before. The Princess is clear on priorities in her life…not the gloomy, dreary, bleak life, but a life to enjoy and live in full like she used too.  She goes for it – new job, new city, new everything!
  6. The Prize Fantastic job, where she  is valued and appreciated, bright lights of the new city with her old friends. The Princess is so happy and beautiful that Prince can’t possibly imagine the life without her. That engagement ring beats all the prizes under the sun.  It is  not the end of the story it is the beginning of a new adventure!
  7. The Return and Renew                                                                                                   This stage could be the 2nd volume altogether about the Princess living happily ever after… with new challenges and new victories.

That was 3 sessions coaching process with the client who followed her action plan, in spite of being scared and  being vulnerable. For support we were in touch between sessions and it was fantastic when she so proudly shared her successes during this courageous journey.

She is a beautiful, determined and an incredible woman I had a pleasure to work with.

Reference: Joseph Campbell (monomyth): The Hero’s Journey; Christopher Booker: The 7 Basic Plots.