Why I became a coach

In my professional career I have been a supervisor, professor, counselor and intern supervisor. I enjoy working with individuals in the mentoring role and developing a relationship with them. My ability to listen attentively, ask probing question and support individuals to be self-reflective have been honed over time. There is a synergy that occurs between two people when they connect authentically and deeply.

I have met individuals who are coaches and I wondered how coaching is different than the social work roles I have held. Then, many years ago I was sitting in a meeting and heard men talk about their transition from a full-time work setting into activities they enjoyed because they had time to purse their interests. It was then I began to recognize that a professional coach could play a role to support individuals as they explore their next steps.

My professional skills have served me well, yet I was yearning for my next adventure. I wondered how coaching might be the next step. Another professional I know was aware of my interest in coaching and referred several people to me for coaching. I enjoyed the coaching role and became interested in stepping into the coaching role more fully. 

I had the opportunity to work with someone I know who was participating in a training program to become a coach. I used our meetings to really take a look at becoming a coach. More importantly, I focused on what was holding me back from taking that step to become a coach.

As a result of my own coaching experience, I decided to enroll in a six-month coach training program. I was exposed to some ways of thinking and engaging with people who had something that really mattered to them and they wanted to explore. The coaching method I learned went beyond merely exploring to action from a new perspective. When I completed the program, I had integrated my professional skills and knowledge with what I learned during the training.

There is more to why I became a coach. I enjoy seeing individuals I coach examine old behaviors and ways of thinking. Any change requires self-reflection and the coaching method I use includes homework focused on self-reflection and curiosity. We also work on exercises to develop insights about what they want to achieve and identify the related behaviors to achieve their goals.