What is Coaching?

Coaching is a powerful partnership between client and coach in a thought-provoking and
a creative process that inspires you as the client to maximize your personal and professional potential in the lifelong process of human learning, effectiveness, and fulfillment.

 

My experience is that empowerment comes from self-understanding and self-compassion. Coaching is a very powerful intervention to allow you to identify:

• The future direction you desire.

• The strengths you already have but may have not recognised or fully utilised yet.

• Your values - what is important to you.

• Old habits that no longer serve you.

• How to reframe your view of the world so that your words and thoughts serve you better.

• Changes in behaviour that build your confidence and self-esteem.

• Add joy to your life!

• How to connect to positive emotions and relationships

• How to feel more connected

• What to bring forward and what to leave behind    

I have worked for several decades as an actuary and consultant within the financial services and pension sector but have mentored and coached on an informal basis for many years.

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Through my own journey of personal growth and improved mental wellbeing, I have gained insight and increased my self-compassion.

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I bring this insight and commitment to compassion, empathy, and kindness to my coaching role and look forward to partnering with many more clients as they go on their journey of growth and fulfillment

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Who can benefit from coaching?

Anyone who is ready for change but feels that either the change is not achievable on their
own or who needs a safe confidential space to work on the change can benefit from coaching. A coach by providing that safe, confidential space and by really listening to the client supported by powerful questioning

can facilitate the clients identify, clarify and implement that change.

Some examples of change where coaching can be a powerful tool are given below but it’s the client that sets

the goal, not the coach. Working with a supportive coach, over time you can move forward and face negative
emotions, feelings, and fear about a situation and convert your existing talents into self-reinforcing confidence.

What we think of ourselves is what we become: and what we become in turn affects what we think of ourselves. Good self-esteem can be defined as appreciating your own worth and importance and being accountable for yourself and acting responsibly to others. Through the coaching relationship, we can work together and take concrete steps to better your self-esteem.

Very often people get stuck in familiar and unhelpful patterns and may forget what is good about themselves. The coaching relationship looks at how our thoughts, words, habits, and values may be re-framed to serve our future needs in a better and more fulfilling way.

Resilience is the ability to become strong, healthy, or flourishing again after a negative experience. Through the coaching relationship, you can learn ways to perceive more positively, think and talk more positively, believe in yourself, in others, and in an ultimately better outcome, and modify (through unraveling the facts) negative meanings we may have given to previous resilience-challenging events.

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Coaching can assist you to enhance your existing level of physical, cognitive, and emotional resilience. 
Coaching for stress management can help you to identify and address the main sources of stress in your personal or professional life.

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If the goal of a coaching relationship is to reduce or manage anxiety we look with the client to understand how and when they experience anxiety. We can work together to build on and supplement the tools the client has already to manage anxiety better in the future.

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What do my clients say about my coaching?

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I have been humbled by positive feedback from my clients including:

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"I can’t recommend Michael enough! I was unsure of what coaching was going into the sessions, but Michael explained everything well and helped me to feel at ease. He has a warm, genuine, and thoughtful demeanor and really knows how to listen to his clients in a non-judgemental way, while also asking insightful

questions to guide critical reflection." Post graduate student - Cork, Ireland 

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"I’d highly recommend Michael as a life coach, and I believe he is able to offer good support and advice to anyone needing some clarity and guidance.

I have really enjoyed coaching sessions with Michael. He has really listened to what I have to say fully, not just words I say, but he was able to give me feedback on my emotions which has helped me to take some important

decisions to move forward with my life situation.

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I found Michael, very authentic and constructive as a coach and he made me feel comfortable by explaining the confidentiality, and I feel heard and understood throughout. My confidence in myself has increased substantially since he started coaching me as he was able to help me re-frame my negative opinions and provide a positive way forward" Finance Professional - Dublin, Ireland

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"I would highly recommend Michael as a coach for people from all walks of life.

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Michael clearly has wisdom and a natural propensity for strategic thinking that has facilitated much more clarity for me in figuring out what I want in life and how I can work towards it in an optimistic but also realistic way"

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Big goals can feel overwhelming, but Michael has really helped me to see it’s all small steps in the right direction. It helps that he’s good craic too and makes the coaching experience enjoyable and full of laughter.

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I have gone from not knowing what coaching is to recommending it to friends and family – it’s such a helpful tool for navigating life in an authentic and impactful way." Heritage Manager - Dublin - Ireland

 

"I found Michael very easy to work with. His coaching has helped me to be a more confident person.  Focusing on the areas I am good at and strengthening where I am weak, so that I can finish studying and start my business.

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He reminded me of what we had covered previously and tracked my progress which was aiming towards my goals.  It allowed me to understand my issues and what was holding me back.

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I felt he was allowing me to find my own solutions which was good and worked better for me.  He always gave me an achievable focus for the following weeks. As a result, I have stopped using the phrase “I can’t”.  I look at things objectively first and try to find ways around them" New-business owner - Tipperary, Ireland

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"Michael helped me identify my values and realise how I could develop them into practical steps to live more in line with them. The sessions empowered me to see into the future positively, and I noticed a productive change in my confidence to achieve meaningful goals.

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This was supported by Michael's clear and motivational structuring of the sessions and the positive and assuring encouragement in response to my values.

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What was particularly of benefit to me was the considerate attentiveness, clear structure and direct responses to my needs and realisations.  This supported my current journey of reconnecting with my emotions, body and intuition, while assisting me to plan in a focused way for what I want in my near and distant future" Lecturer and Historian - London, United Kingdom

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What are the coach’s responsibilities?

In coaching the client controls the content and the coach controls the process so that the topics discussed in conversations at every session will be set by the client. It is the client’s responsibility to identify, plan for and achieve their goals.

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What are the client’s responsibilities?

For our coaching relationship to work well it will be important for you to come to your coaching sessions with an open mind and preparedness to try new things. In coaching, we will look at those things that enhance your progress and help you reach your full potential. In addition, we will explore those attitudes, behaviours, values, and beliefs that may hold you back and prevent you from doing the things you want to do.

To get the most out of your coaching sessions you have to be:-
- Prepared to try out new ideas or ways of doing things and reflect and learn from the experience
- Prepared to listen to feedback and act on it where appropriate to do so
- Prepared to spend time in between sessions working through any action points you set

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Is coaching confidential?

What you and I discuss during our coaching sessions remains entirely confidential unless you give me the information you want me to discuss with other people. The only exception is when something a client says causes me to believe they are a danger to themselves or others.

 

How many coaching sessions will I need?

An initial coaching engagement would typically involve 5 to 6, seventy-five-minute sessions.
These sessions will be after an initial short “chemistry” session to establish whether you want to work with me as a coach.

What are the costs involved?

I typically charge €125 per 90 minute session for 1:1 sessions or €650 for a block of six sessions.
However, the main cost is your commitment of time and effort in investing in yourself and being committed to the change you want.

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The introductory session is free of charge and further sessions will be at the agreed rate.