One on one coaching is like having a regular coffee date with a really curious friend who thinks you’re fascinating. And the best part is, it’s all about you!
Seriously, though, one on one coaching can be helpful if you’re really feeling stuck and you’re not experiencing any movement on your own. It gives us an opportunity to look deeply and specifically at your situation and craft ways to transform it into something you adore.
So how do you know if I’m the right coach for you? Here’s what I bring to the table.
- I’ve been there. This is obvious if you’ve been reading the blog at all, but it’s worth saying. I’ve been through the PhD, I’ve been on the job market, I’ve been an assistant professor. I didn’t go up for tenure, but I held the hands of my friends as they did. All of that means there’s a lot you don’t have to explain about how academia works, and I won’t tell you you’re lucky you get summers off.
- I don’t have a dog in this hunt. In other words, I don’t have a stake in what you do next or how you configure your life — unlike your friends, your colleagues, your partner, your adviser, or your parents. My job is to support you while you figure out what will be most life-giving for you.
- I will always take you seriously while not taking whatever situation you’re in terribly seriously. You are awesome. Life? It tends to be sublimely ridiculous a lot of the time. And I like that about it. Even when it’s uncomfortable.
- I’m an optimist, but I’m not going to blow sunshine up your ass. I believe deeply that the universe is abundant and life is pretty damn cool and that there’s a life and a career out there for you that will make you deeply, deeply happy. But if you were living that life right now, you wouldn’t be considering hiring a coach. Until we get you to that fantastic life, I’m all about affirming reality as you’re experiencing it.
- Did I mention that sometimes I swear? I do. Sorry.
- I’ve got a basic cultural competence in a pretty wide variety of areas, so whatever your identity, experience, life style choices, or orientations, I’ve probably got you covered. And if I don’t, well, it’s my job to go get some competence.
- And this probably goes without saying, but all one-on-one coaching is confidential. If someone knows about our coaching, it will be because you shared that with them. Even if we’re Facebook friends, I’m not going to let on that you’re a client. And that means you can share anything without fear of it going anywhere it shouldn’t.
Since coaching, like all relationships, is a two-way deal, here’s what I ask my clients to bring to the table.
- A commitment to your own happiness and joy. If you aren’t invested in bettering your life, your money is better spent elsewhere.
- Curiosity about your own experience. Coaching involves sitting with ourselves and seeing what’s really there. Do you want to know?
- A sense of humor. Seriously, the universe is hilarious sometimes. A little levity goes a long way towards dealing with the crappy parts.
- Authenticity. To make things better we’ve got to look at the difficult stuff, the dark stuff, and the stuff you don’t like to admit. Your showing up as your whole, messy self is what makes our work possible.
I offer two different forms of one on one coaching: twice-monthly phone sessions or ongoing email sessions. How do you know which you should choose?
Phone sessions will work best if:
- You can set aside regular time to talk without interruption, with additional time on either side to think about where you are.
- You process information better by speaking than by writing.
- You need a regular, scheduled meeting time to help you set aside time to work on this.
Email sessions will work best if:
- Your schedule or your responsibilities make it difficult to set aside regular, uninterrupted phone time.
- You process information better by writing than speaking.
- You tend to be self-motivated or you prefer a slow-and-steady ongoing pace.
In either case, we can schedule a free half-hour information session by phone to answer any questions you may have.
Phone sessions are $150 per hour. Email rates are $125 a month.
(Looking for my scheduling page? It’s over here.)