Fact: Even coaches need to wrap up their thoughts after a coaching session.
Yes, while coaching clients through their concerns is an amazing experience, it’s also important that you are able to get a hold of your thoughts and emotions after each coaching session.
This will allow you to still be your #bestmeever thereafter as you understand yourself and your space after each session. If you’ve been coaching for some time, you will understand how heavy and draining some sessions can be, especially back-to-back ones. So unburdening yourself afterward is essential.
Allow me to share five questions you can reflect on as you decompress after each coaching session.
1) How am I feeling now?
It’s very important to assess your emotions after a coaching session. Are there any new emotions that surfaced? Were you triggered by anything? What are they telling you? Take a few minutes to feel and recognize all the emotions to better understand where they are coming from and how you can deal with them accordingly. This also helps you manage your emotions to ensure you don’t let them get the best of you as you go through the rest of your day.
2) What did I discover about myself in the process?
Each coaching session is a learning experience for both the coach and coachee. Be mindful of what you learn during each session. What is your client teaching you? Being open to new discoveries can help you grow as a coach. You might be surprised by the new insights you can derive from conversations with your clients only if you keep your mind and heart open as you listen intentionally, bias-free.
3) What must I compliment myself on based on today’s session?
Celebrate progress, no matter how big or small. Coaches are expected to always be at our best during sessions. It’s important to reflect on your improvements and obstacles you overcame along the way. It can be as simple as asking a powerful question that leads your client to a breakthrough or becoming more comfortable with a seemingly difficult client. Acknowledging your own wins can inspire you to keep going (and growing) in your practice.
4) What can I do differently the next time around?
No coaching session is perfect, so take note of areas for improvement which you can address next time around. Take note of your client’s feedback to further guide you as you reflect on what else can be done to fine-tune your own practice. Don’t stress too much if you don’t perform as well as you would have liked in a session. Simply take note of what you’ve learned and do better the next time with a different take on things, of course.
5) What can help me decompress now?
Take time to put yourself first and recalibrate. Shake off any negative energy you may have absorbed during your session in whatever way that works best for you. What can help you feel (and be) better? Whether that means taking a walk, grabbing an ice cream, playing with your dog, or watching Netflix to take your mind off things as you take off your coaching hat, do it. You deserve it.
Reflecting after a coaching session is just as important as recalibrating your space before starting any coaching session.
At the end of the day, the goal is to always consider your own needs and wants as you practice and know that as a coach, you are just as important as anyone else.
Myke Celis, M.A., PCC
Myke Celis, PCC, MA, is a multi-awarded global coach and international best-selling author. He is also the powerhouse behind the #bestmeever coaching platform across multimedia. Known as a celebrity life coach in the Philippines, Myke is a highly in-demand coaching expert and resource person across print, radio, TV and digital media. On the side, he is a part-time radio host, a TEDx speaker, and a coaching columnist for MarketingInAsia.Com. More recently, he was awarded as the Bronze Winner in the Best Wellness Coach category of the 2022 Coach Awards and recognized as a finalist for the 2022 Philippine Bahaghari Awards for Pride LGBTQ+ Leader for his contribution to the coaching industry and the LGBT community.
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