Yannick’s Coaching Lab features guest coaches from a broad variety of approaches, who showcase how they work as part of a live 45min coaching session, followed by reflections and Q&A with the audience.
Curious to know what this session was like? Have a peek at the Lab Report below or consider VIP membership to access the full recording of this and many more exciting sessions.
Yannick’s Coaching Lab #53 — Pascale Brady
Lab Report by Natalie Fraser
Session Summary
Pascale’s client requested that the session focus on motivation. She has always been a motivated, happy, excited person, yet has noticed recently less motivation and more ‘shoulds’ arising. This may be related to her career as a life-coach and counsellor, and intensive exposure to people’s issues. She would like to brainstorm potential new directions for work and life. From this session, the client gained a deeper understanding of who she has been before, who she is now and why, and who she would like to be moving forward.
Key Moments
Contracting Pascale and her client had met briefly the day before the coaching lab. During this meeting Pascale asked if her client would be happy for her to explore childhood experience should this be relevant, which were not ‘approved’ by the coaching bodies. Pascale often works in the dangerous ‘grey area’ between coaching and therapy. Her client confirmed she was happy with this, however, this did not arise in any depth during the session.
Zero ego in service of you – Is there anything important about you that you’d like to share that would make me a better coach for you? This initial question set the foundation of the coach-coachee equal roles. The client shared that they were usually in listening role rather than speaking role, and may find herself speaking a lot in this session. Pascale emphasized that the client is welcome to comment on her coaching style throughout the session so as to provide the best service for her.
Finding a Focus Pascale invited her client to explain what she would like to work on in this session, summarized this concisely in three points (less motivation, burnout, change), and asked what “would you like to have achieved by the end of this session that would make you want to do it again?” The client shared that she would like to work on all three topics, struggling to pinpoint one.
Motivation & Burnout: What’s the link? Pascale invited her client to discover ties between less motivation and her recent history. Her client picked up on the theme of ‘burnout’ which she had not associated with her experience. This led to a reflection of recent history, including covid, work, age, property, and family situations which have impacted her emotions and worldview.
Self-awareness Pascale validated her client’s claim that she is self-aware, recognizing her analytic abilities and considering what part of motivation is missing within this context. A changed sense of self (less bouncy, excited, more peaceful, slower) was identified, leading to a recognition of paradoxically wanting more of who she was whilst enjoying who she has become.
A vision of strength Pascale’s client drew connection between her current sense of slower, calmer self and a lack of fitness, recognizing that she would like to become physically stronger and set goals of how to implement this into a routine. Watching her mother age and become weaker was identified as another influence of this ambition.
Mourning Pascale proposed the theme of mourning who she was and being concerned about who she will become. This word felt too strong for her client, but the suggestion felt relevant.
Brainstorm Pascale’s client suggested she wanted to brainstorm and Pascale responded saying, “you start”. This led the client to asking Pascale for her suggestions and guidance. Pascale requested that her client explain what she meant by brainstorming. This back and forth found neither taking the lead, and instead led to the client sharing a recent memory of a holiday where she had achieved a dangerous 6 hour hike. Connections were explored between this and her career – starting groupwork instead of 1-to-1, in nature rather than a therapy space or online.
‘Niching ‘ Pascale picked up on her client’s interest in niching, revealing an innate spontaneous and ‘interested in everything’ characteristic, and how this impacts her ability to focus or specialize.
In the last 10 minutes, where are we taking this? Pascale discreetly raised awareness of the time, while inviting consideration of how best to use the remaining space.
Wise Woman Exercise You’re 120 years old, on your death bed, sound of body mind, but know it’s the end. Looking back at your life, what is it that you want to look back on that you are grateful about, feel proud about, have no regrets about?
Looking back: Pascale’s client’s first reflection was that she is pretty happy about how her life has been up until now. Pascale celebrated this in high energy, praise, and high fives.
Looking forward: Pascale then invited her client to reflect on what the proceeding years would look like to maintain this contentment which allowed specific important values and themes to emerge: health, connectedness, sharing care and wisdom, peacefulness, strength to speak up. Regrets were harder to imagine, leading the client to reframe her view on being peaceful.
Vision Pascale’s client realized that having time for herself to explore her vision was important for her. Practically, this looked like taking herself away from the house into nature with her notepads and pens, away from excuses to support others or do tasks.
Summary Pascale reflected on her client’s goals for the session and asked where they were landing with these themes at the end of the session. The client appreciated the space, reflecting on her struggle to have focused on one, which Pascale validated as a natural and special part of who she is “bumble-bee, butterfly”.
Accountability An accountability person was identified as important for the client to keep this vision going. The client identified her daughter, and Pascale offered her own services in the form of an email.
Insights & Take-Aways
“Zero ego in service of you” was how Pascale framed her role in the coaching relationship. Giving space for clients to speak up about what they want from the coach is part of the coaching growth and Adlerian approach.
The ‘magic wand’ exercise was very briefly introduced and could have led to interesting insights, but this was overshadowed by a different conversation with emerged alongside it.
Pascale’s interpretation was that she had possibly been too forceful and directive, which the audience and client did not experience. In reflection, the client considered that more direction and ‘authority’ could have been valuable too.
Pascale championed her client and built on her strengths throughout the session. While this didn’t obviously match the client’s energy to the audience, the client felt this was very reassuring to her. This was related to Pascale’s Adlerian psychology influence, which she explains briefly during the discussion.
ONE Goal and vision was a theme throughout the session, which Pascale brought in on many occasions and the client did not always pick up on. Pascale noticed that the client’s spontaneous character was mirrored in the flow of the session, and found the challenge was to stay respectfully focused on the overall goals [listed above]. This allowed a clear insight into the client’s innately spontaneous character. Connecting the dots rather than finding one goal was found to be valuable.
Whose agenda are we following? Discussions about ‘to goal or not to goal’ invited Pascale to remember this coaching foundation question which is important to hold in mind.
Protecting the coach The client felt aware of being filmed when she struggled to answer questions directly, feeling concerned about making sure the coach ‘looked good’. Pascale was concerned at this reflection that she hadn’t picked up on it, which she felt was ‘bad coaching’. Discussions reflected on how so much within interpersonal interactions is too discreet to pick up on.
Stacking Questions Pascale recognized that she ‘thinks out loud’ and often stacks questions or parks questions – yet the client did not pick up on this and found this spontaneity authentic.
Limits of Time Both Pascale and client were aware of the limited time together as part of the lab, which was found to impact certain interventions and the potential depth that could have reached, such as setting up the ‘wise woman’ exercise.
Family System Many family members were raised in relevant contexts during the session, which Pascale did not choose to explore in depth yet would have explored in future sessions together.
ACC to MCC This discussion explores several nuances between ACC and MCC coaching styles, including differences between suitable clients and a wider conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of different coaching trainings.
A list of all available recordings can be found at https://bit.ly/LabRecordings
This Lab Report was authored by Natalie Fraser
Natalie is an existential Counselling Psychologist, specialising in trauma and transformation, and curious about coaching. Interested in exploring life’s Big Questions? Find out more at: www.existentialofferings.com
