Life Coaching

Those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything.  George Bernard Shaw

Quick jump:

Why might I want Coaching?
There are lots of reasons for considering coaching, both in your personal and professional life.

  • Personal
    • Taking stock: awareness and acceptance
    • Seeking clarity, meaning, balance
    • Motivation and purpose: sorting out what�s important to you
    • Confidence
    • Decision making, committing to decisions
    • Overcoming phobias
    • Stress management
    • Communication skills
    • Clearing a creative block
    • Relationships
    • Family
    • Health
    • Life balance
    • Organisation, prioritising
  • Professional
    • Management- managing up and down
    • Leadership
    • Presentation Skills
    • Drive, commitment
    • Time management, Life/work balance
    • Preparing for retirement
    • Changing career direction
    • Interview skills

    • Recently I have had a number of clients facing redundancy, who have wanted to explore their options in a safe environment. I have also been working with a number of writers.

If you connect with any of these ideas, if they ring a bell, or you can see the relevance for you, coaching might be for you.

Coaching: how does it work?

click here to open an pdf of an article published in Diva Magazine about what it is like to have NLP coaching from Change from Choice

Coaching is about you, the client. You are the expert in your life, so as a coach I do not provide advice. I provide you with a sounding board, I ask questions that give you the opportunity to reflect on how best you can find the resources you need to deal with your challenges. Coaching is a supportive role, but it can also be challenging. If you want me to, I will hold you accountable for taking the actions that you have suggested will make a positive difference. The relationship between client and coach is based on trust, equality and exploration, focussed firmly on you, and how you want to shape your future. An important thing to remember about being coached is, that although it may sometimes be tough, it should also provide you with validation and above all it should be fun.

Appointments
Appointments are normally by phone, but it is also possible to set up face to face meetings for local clients (I am based in South London). There is a secure internet chatroom in the client area of the website, for real time online discussions, for those who either are unable to use the phone, or simply do not like it.

"Intake" session
An initial appointment of between 1.5 to 2 hours where we go through documents which you download from the website, or I email or post to you in advance. It is up to you whether you complete these in advance of or during the session. These help me get an idea of who you are, and what issues you want to work with. At the end of this session we will decide together whether we want to continue working together, and if so, how long for and how often. Neither of us is committing to further sessions by agreeing to the intake session. It is usual to set up about 3 hours worth of further sessions, normally 30 minutes at a time, over a couple of months; but it is up to you to decide what will suit you best.

"Self" coaching

One of the joys of coaching is that the sessions are in many ways only a small part of the process. The thinking you do between sessions is far more significant. You may find yourself, as I did, several days after a session, mulling peacefully on something and grinding to a halt half way down a street thinking, "hang on a minute!" as a long held assumption about your life crumbles to dust.

What fees do you charge?
Current Life Coaching fees for individuals

I am currently charging £70 an hour, payable by cheque made payable to Cherry Potts, in advance of each session or group of sessions. Although An intake session may take up to 2 hours I will only charge for 1 hour 30 minutes, this means that you only commit to £105 for the initial intake session, and then pay up front for any subsequent sessions. I offer a substantially reduced rate for full time students and those in receipt of benefits; I want everyone to be able to experience coaching, regardless of their income.

Comments from Coaching Clients:
 
Cherry has been an inspiration, helping me to think, and now make a creative and fulfilling life.  She was able to realise my individual wishes and aspirations so that I could act on them; listening to me and asking me imaginative and thought provoking questions, which enabled me to reflect and put into action what I really wanted to do. Cherry helped me set goals and tasks I was able to achieve.  Previously I had been spending time on what I thought I ought to do; I was unorganised, unfulfilled and feeling life was passing me by at a rapid rate.  Now I am producing creative work and becoming the person I really am.This is all due to life coaching  - 'Change from Choice':  I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to make the best out of their life.
Carole Callaghan, Artist

Conquering the fear of flying was literally life changing.  Before coaching my fear had been so great I was unable to think of flying without feeling physically sick, adrenalin, palpitations, weakness in the knees. The coaching enabled me to make three trips in quick succession without the physical manifestations I had encountered previously. Although I do not think I will ever enjoy flying it has enabled me to go on trips for pleasure which I would never have done before The biggest factor that made it work for me was being able to trust the coach. That enables the breaking down of barriers and being able to voice feelings without fear of embarrassment or of being judged.
Michele Larbi, London

Thank you so much for your gentle attention and sound coaching practice.   I really appreciate your professionalism and I love working with you.
Catherine Casolani

Cherry has helped me to make changes that have enriched my life on many levels. I suddenly seem to have more time to do the things I most enjoy, and a greater insight into my own creative processes. Best of all, situations I previously found challenging now seem like opportunities waiting to be grasped. Sorry it's taken so long - been too busy doing the things I most enjoy : )
Paul Ashby, Graphic Designer

Being coached by Cherry has transformed my relationship with my daughter. It’s like being on a ship on a stormy sea, then finding a safe harbour, a real feeling of ‘terra firma’. It has given me calm, and something to hold on to.
M.P., London

Cherry has been mentoring me, in creative writing, for some time now. I have always found her to be; cheerful, helpful and professional in her assistance. Rarely a week goes by when I do not receive some additional material by email or, once, snail mail, that is of some use to me in my fledgeling Writer's career.

Cherry has used her passion for writing, her considerable 'people skills' and her family background, to assist me in my search to be the 21st Century's version of William Shakespeare!
Paul Mitchell, Writer