Coaching Skills in Practice, Part A

Chapter 1 Introduction
What is Coaching?
Coaching (or life coaching as it is sometimes referred) is a general term for working with an individual (or company in
some cases) to improve and enhance aspects of an area which, for the client, they may need or want to change
(Grant & Greene, 2004).

Zeus and Skiffington (2000) have identified the coaching relationship to be one that focuses on change and
transformation. The coaching relationship is:
Essentially a conversation
About learning
More about asking the right questions than providing answers
Another way to look at coaching is that it helps maximise an individuals performance (Gallway, as cited in Whitmore,
1996).

Grant and Greene (2004) have identified the origins of coaching to have started in the 1960s when the business world
used techniques from the discipline of sports coaching. Such techniques, for example utilising pressure and stress
and setting performance targets were used in staff training and development.

Coaching has also incorporated techniques from a number of other disciplines such as human resources, mentoring,
counselling, training, and consulting which have helped make it the discipline it is today (Grant & Greene, 2004;
Skiffington & Zeus, 2005).

Coaching focuses on the different areas of an individuals life (as with counselling). Grant and Greene (2004) have
identified seven main themes in life coaching. The themes are:

Benefits to the employee:
1. Clarify what the individual wants from life
2. Set effective goals
3. Monitor progress on the journey of change
4. Stay focused and challenged
5. Stick to commitments
6. Continually reassess and re-examine ideas, plans and strategies
7. Identify values

Counsellors (working as coaches) work with the following underlying notions (Grant & Greene, 2004):
1. People are essentially able
2. You know yourself best so accept your own definition of your situation
3. Acknowledge and take the credit for your successes
4. Focus on the solution, not the problem
5. A problem is something that you have, not are


The Difference between Coaching and Counselling

There are many differences and yet many similarities between counselling and coaching. The following reading is
designed to provide an understanding of the differences between these professions.

Differences between Counselling, Psychotherapy and Life Coaching

Before suggesting some differences between counselling or psychotherapy and life coaching, I stress that there are
many similarities. Both counselling and life coaching aim to help clients lead fulfilling lives. In addition, they leave the
client with the right to choose what sort of life to lead. Some counselling approaches, in particular the cognitive and
cognitive-behavioural approaches, contain a large coaching element within them.

Though they do not emphasize the word skills, approaches like rational emotive behaviour therapy and cognitive
therapy aim to teach and coach clients in key mind skills and, to a lesser extent, in communication skills so that they
can deal better with the problems for which they came to counselling. Life coaches can gain much from being familiar
with theories of counselling and therapy (Corsini and Wedding, 2005; Nelson-Jones, 2006a).

Now lets look at some ways that life coaching differs from conventional counselling and therapy. The goals of life
coaching are both positive and stated in the positive. There is an assumption of seeking mental wellness rather than
overcoming mental illness. Though an exaggeration, there is some truth in Peltiers comment: High performance
athletes are coached; sick, weak or crazy people get therapy Peltier, 2001: xix).

Life coaching is not geared towards those who problems are best described by the latest version of the American
Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Such people require psychotherapy.
Coaching clients are not worked within psychiatric hospitals. Often very competent people seek life coaching; they
want to be even more effective in leading their lives. Normal people also seek life coaching to maximize aspects of
their potential and get more out of life. Life coaching does this by bringing psychological knowledge to address
everyday issues and problems such as relationships, health, career, finances and spiritual concerns, among others.

Though there is some overlap, the clients for life coaching differ from those for counselling and therapy. Clients come
for counselling very often because they are suffering and in psychological pain. They want to feel, think and act at a
level that they regard as normal for the society of which they are a part. At the very least, they want to stop continually
feeling very low. Approximately 10 per cent of the population will need counselling at some stage of their lives.
However, even normal people can feel unfulfilled. Clients seek life coaching to gain ways of or skills for becoming
even more successful and happier than they already are. Rather than being motivated by pain, they are motivated by
gain. Their problems are often more to do with achieving their positive potential than dealing with negative issues.

They may realize that, during their upbringing, they were not systematically trained in many of the skills for leading a
successful life. In addition, they may want coaching to face new challenges in their lives. There is a vast potential
market for life coaching in the 90 per cent or so of people who do not need counselling. In addition, many who have
been counselled may not need counselling. In addition, many who have been counselled may later want life coaching
to become even happier and more skilled at living.

There are many broader reasons why there is a need for disciplined life coaching. With the increase in economic
affluence in the Western world, there does not appear to have been a corresponding increase in overall happiness.
For example, the divorce rate in countries like Britain, Australia and the USA is about 50 per cent of first marriages,

with many also failing at subsequent marriages. In addition, the increased mobility and time spent at work by both
sexes has contributed to a breakdown in traditional support systems, such as the extended family and local church.

People are bombarded every day by information that often causes them to questions how they are living. Arguably,
this is a more challenging time in which to live. Not only are the former sources of support in decline, but there is a
whole new range of problems with the rapid increase in changes brought about by technological invention. However,
there is also a whole new range of opportunities with the increase in psychological knowledge and the possibility of
using this knowledge to help not just therapy clients but also the rest of the population to lead happier lives.

Alongside the difference of life coaching goals to those of counselling and therapy, the ways of attaining them also
differ. With its main emphasis on working with non-disturbed people, life coaching is less likely to be conducted with a
psychodynamic approach. Mutual goals are established quite quickly in life coaching. If anything, life coaching directly
encourages and trains clients in how to deal with and improve their present and their futures, rather than to
understand their past.

The nature of coaches relationships with clients also differs from that in counselling. Already I have mentioned that life
coaching may be conducted over the phone as well as in person. With coaching clients in general being less disturbed
than counselling clients, coaches need to spend less time in helping clients listen to themselves. Though good active
listening skills are still vital for effective coaching, and though clients are regarded as the main sources of information
regarding how to lead their lives, coaches can be more active in making suggestions about areas that require work
and what skills clients need to attain in them.

The assumption is that so long as the coach is not overbearing, clients are well enough to discuss issues with
coaches rather than automatically agree. Though some clients may want to be coached in a person-centred way,
many clients are prepared for the coach to take a more active coaching role than that in traditional counselling. Once
client and coach settle on objectives, they agree on ways to attain them as quickly as possible. While many
counsellors work within an educational approach, coaches can often be seen as emphasizing the training of clients in
skills even more than in counselling. Thus the coaching relationship is both facilitative and didactic, the exact mixture
between the two depending on the needs of the client at any given moment.

Another issue is that of the language of coaching. Some counselling approaches, such as the person-centred
approach, have counsellors conceptualizing clients in a different language to that in which counselling is conducted.
Counselling is conducted mainly using the clients language, and clients do not use person-centered terms like self-
actualizing and conditions of worth. Psychodynamic counsellors also do not fully share their language of their
approach with clients. In life coaching, coaches use everyday language to describe and train clients in how to become
more effective. This is a similar attitude to that taken in cognitive-behavioural therapy. However, cognitive-behavioural
approaches like rational emotive behaviour therapy and cognitive therapy tend not to focus on a full range of mind
skills, and also tend not to use the word skills. As mentioned previously, I think it advantageous to use skills language
and to identify the mind skills and communication/action skills that the client requires.

One of the ways coaching can differ from counselling and therapy is that often clients do not mind other people
knowing that they are being coached. Many life coaching clients see their coaching as something positive to share
with others rather than as a sign of weakness.

Source: Nelson-Jones, R. (2007). Life coaching skills: How to develop skilled clients (pp. 6-9). London: SAGE
Publications, Inc.



Chapter 2 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

What is CBT?
Coaching (or life coaching as it is sometimes referred) is a general term for working with an individual (or company in
some cases) to improve and enhance aspects of an area which, for the client, they may need or want to change
(Grant & Greene, 2004).

The cognitive behavioural approach is based on the notion that a link exists between our thoughts, emotions and
behaviours. Emotions are triggered by reactions to thoughts that we may or may not be consciously aware of. We may
act on the basis of these emotions, without thought of their origin or consideration for the possibility that the thoughts
triggering the emotion may, in fact, be distorted or incorrect.

In the process of cognitive behavioural coaching, the aim is to examine client thinking and teach strategies to identify
and change distorted thinking, emotions and beliefs as well as skills and strategy training to modify behaviours.

Main Concepts

Consider the following diagram.



Figure 1: The connection between core beliefs, thoughts, behaviours and emotions.

Notice that there are four concepts that make up this interconnected model.

Core beliefs:

Long held, often rigid, beliefs that individuals hold about themselves, other people and the world. These beliefs may
be so fundamental, a person does not recognise them as beliefs at all, but rather, as the way things are. (Example
core beliefs: I am unworthy; I am lovable; I am important; I am insignificant.)



Automatic Thoughts:

Words or images that go through a persons mind without conscious effort. Automatic thoughts occur naturally and
often go unnoticed by the thinker.

Behaviours:

Actions carried out by an individual in response to thoughts or emotions. Behaviours are usually the only observable
aspect of the Cognitive Behavioural model.

Emotions:

The subjective feeling response of an individual as a result of a thought or pattern of thinking.

Consider the following example:

Scenario

Three different people have the same experience. They all attend the same life coaching group to improve their
communication skills. At one of the sessions, the coach gets them all to stand up and make a speech.

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3
Core Belief
Person one has a core
belief that she is unlovable.
Person two has a core
belief that she is important
and significant.
Person three has a core
belief that she is an
inadequate person.
Automatic Thought
Oh no, no-one liked my
speech.
I think I did well, I cant wait
to get my results.
I know I havent done a
good job because I never
do anything well.
Emotion Feels rejected
Feels confident that she has
done a good job and
everyone liked her speech
Feels inadequate and
stupid
Behaviour
This person goes home
and sulks about the task
This person stays back to
speak to the teacher about
how well she did.
This person is stressed
about getting results.

Techniques

A part of working with clients within the CBT realm involves the identification and modification of automatic thoughts
and core beliefs. Before identifying the automatic thoughts and core beliefs, the following describes a number of
common thinking error categories:

1. All-or-nothing thinking: You see things in black and white categories. If your performance falls short of
perfect, you see yourself as a total failure.

2. Overgeneralization: You see a single negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat.

3. Mental filter: You pick out a single negative detail and dwell on it exclusively so that your vision of all
reality becomes darkened, like the drop of ink that discolours the entire beaker of water.

4. Disqualifying the positive: You reject positive experiences by insisting they "don't count" for some
reason or other. You maintain a negative belief that is contradicted by your everyday experiences.


5. Jumping to conclusions: You make a negative interpretation even though there are no definite facts
that convincingly support your conclusion.

Mind reading: You arbitrarily conclude that someone is reacting negatively to you and don't
bother to check it out.

The Fortune Teller Error: You anticipate that things will turn out badly and feel convinced that
your prediction is an already-established fact.


6. Magnification (catastrophizing) or minimization: You exaggerate the importance of things (such as
your goof-up or someone else's achievement), or you inappropriately shrink things until they appear
tiny (your own desirable qualities or the other fellow's imperfections). This is also called the
"binocular trick."

7. Emotional reasoning: You assume that your negative emotions necessarily reflect the way things
really are: "I feel it, therefore it must be true."

8. Should statements: You try to motivate yourself with shoulds and shouldn'ts, as if you had to be
whipped and punished before you could be expected to do anything. "Musts" and "oughts" are also
offenders. The emotional consequence is guilt. When you direct should statements toward others,
you feel anger, frustration, and resentment.

9. Labelling and mislabelling: This is an extreme form of overgeneralization. Instead of describing your
error, you attach a negative label to yourself: "I'm a loser." When someone else's behaviour rubs you
the wrong way, you attach a negative label to him, "He's a damn louse." Mislabelling involves
describing an event with language that is highly coloured and emotionally loaded.

10. Personalization: You see yourself as the cause of some negative external event for which, in fact, you
were not primarily responsible.

As well as common thinking errors, there are a number of false beliefs clients may have about themselves, others and
the world including:
1. It is necessary to be approved and loved by all people;
2. It is necessary to have a high degree of order and certainty in order to be happy and perform well;
3. Some people are wicked and deserve to be condemned, punished, and banished from any social contact
and perhaps even exterminated;
4. That it is necessary to be competent and successful in all those things which are attempted;
5. Emotional unhappiness and disturbance are caused by frustration, disappointment, and bad treatment by
other people;
6. That it is the past and all its bad experiences which continually ruin the present and which can never really
be overcome;
7. It is possible to measure human worth and to assign a global value rating to individual persons;
8. Life should be entirely pleasant and enjoyable and any frustration, discomfort, or pain would be
unbearable;
9. It is possible and necessary to control the attitudes and affections of other people.
Adapted from: Bard, J. A. (1980). Rational emotive therapy in practice. Champaign, Il: Research Press.







Identification of Automatic Thoughts and Core Beliefs

Techniques that may be used in identifying a clients automatic thoughts and/or core beliefs include:
The downward arrow technique
The sentence completion technique
Other questioning techniques
Downward Arrow Technique
In this technique, the coach asks a series of what does that mean? questions, followed by what does that mean
about you? to reveal a core belief.

The example that follows portrays a client who is anxious about her ability to lead her team to the required sales
targets.

Coach If you dont meet the sales target, what does that mean?
Client I will be demoted.
Coach And what does that mean?
Client Im no good at my job.
Coach And what does that mean about you?
Client That Im a failure [core belief].

The final coach question what does that mean about you? often reveals a core belief.

Sentence Completion Technique
Coaches can prompt a client to complete a sentence as a way of uncovering underlying core beliefs. This can be done
either as a fill in the blanks exercise or by the coach prompting in conversation.

Example

On a whiteboard or piece of paper, the coach could write:

1. I am[hopeless]
2. People are[dismissive]
3. The world is[frightening]
The client could fill in the gaps to reveal core beliefs about themselves, others and the world.

Example 2

Alternatively, a coach may leave a sentence incomplete in conversation. Such as:

Client I am so scared about not meeting my sales targets.
Coach Youre scared because.
Client Because that will prove Im a failure.


The Downward Arrow and Sentence-Completion are techniques outlined in: Neenan, M., & Dryden, W. (2000).
Essential cognitive therapy. London: Whurr.

Other Questioning Techniques

The coach asks a range of questions to identify the clients thinking/beliefs. For example, how did you feel? What was
going through your mind? Why did you feel that way?

Modify Automatic Thoughts & Core Beliefs

It is the coachs role once the automatic thought and/or core belief have been identified, to challenge the client to
change his or her thinking. Techniques used to question the validity and challenge automatic thoughts and core
beliefs include:
1. Questioning techniques
2. Replacing false thoughts or beliefs with realistic ones
3. Use of a continuum
4. Positive data logs
Questioning Techniques

The following are questioning techniques used to challenge an automatic thought or core belief:

1. Examining the evidence
What is the evidence?
What is the evidence that supports this idea?
What is the evidence against this idea?

2. Looking for alternatives
Is there an alternative explanation?

3. Evaluating the consequences
Whats the worst that could happen?
Could I live through it?
What is the best that could happen?
What is the most realistic outcome?

4. Questioning the effect
What is the effect of my believing the automatic thought?
What could be the effect of changing my thinking?

5. Action planning
What should I do about it?

6. Double standards
What would I tell________ (a friend) if he or she were in the same situation?

Adapted from: Beck, J. (1993). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: Guilford Press.

For example:

Mitch is in the process of learning how to play golf as he believes it is an important way to network with clients.
However, whenever he heads toward a golfing range he feels exhausted and annoyed.


Through the process of coaching, Mitch, identified that he has an automatic thought that says, dont try because you
will fail whenever he approaches something new.

The coach attempts to question Mitchs automatic thought by using Questioning Technique 3 from the table above
[Evaluating the consequences].

Below is a transcript of part of the coaching session with Mitch.

Coach - Mitch, I want you to think about the automatic thought we have just identified, dont try because you will
fail. Tell mewhats the worst thing that could happen if you tried?

Mitch - Well, I guess I could fail miserably at golf and make a complete fool of myself in front of clients, or worse, my
colleagues.

Coach - And, if this were to happen, could you live through it?

Mitch - Ha, ha. I guess I would live through it. But I might be the brunt of a few jokes for a while.

Coach - (Smiling) Yes. Well how about you have a think about what might be the best that could happen if you tried?

Mitch - Well... the best that could happen would be that I realise I am a natural golfer and I immediately play rounds
well under par.

Coach - Uh huh... and tell me Mitch, what do you think is the most realistic outcome?

Mitch - Well, I suppose the most realistic outcome is that I will be okay. I wont be great at the game, but I probably
wont be dreadful either.

Replacing False Beliefs

This technique focuses on replacing the false belief (or automatic thought) with a more realistic or rational belief. For
example, for the belief "it is necessary to be approved and loved by all people", you could replace it with, "it is not
possible to be approved and loved by all people. I will just be myself and if people do not like me, I am ok with that.

It is the role of the coach to assist the client in replacing false (sometimes called irrational) beliefs with beliefs that
are more realistic.

For example:

False Belief
(or irrational belief)
Realistic Belief
(or rational belief)
It is possible and necessary to control the
attitudes and affections of other people.
It is not possible for everyone to love
and approve of us. Often what one
person likes another dislikes. Im better
off being myself and letting
compatible friendships develop
naturally, rather than worry about
pleasing everyone.


Use of a Continuum

Core beliefs are often constructed in all-or-nothing terms (such as If Im not a success, then Im a failure). The use of
a continuum (i.e. a scale from 0% to 100%) introduces shades of grey into clients thinking, thereby helping them to
develop more balanced and realistic appraisals of themselves, others and the world (to arrive eventually at the mid-
point on the continuum... (Neenan & Dryden, 2000)

For example

Imagine a client has a core belief that she is incompetent.
The coach can consider the alternative belief...I am competent and ask:

Coach- In percentage terms, how competent are you?

The client may respond:

Client- Ahh, I dont know, probably about 10%

The remainder of the coaching session may be used to discuss recent experiences that have contradicted the feeling
of incompetence for the client. At the end of the session, the client may be asked if she would like to reassess her
original percentage score.

The continuum can be used as a regular reference point to monitor the clients progress toward the middle of the
continuum (i.e. to a more balanced appraisal of themselves).



Positive Data Logs

Keeping logs or diaries encourages the client to collect information over the weeks and months to support their
adaptive beliefs; this method reduces their tendency to discount the positive information and focus only on information
that endorses the old belief (information processing errors) (Neenan & Dryden, 2000).

For example:

Through coaching Gemma has discovered that she has a core belief -Im incompetent. As Gemma works in a sales
and PR role, this core belief is impacting on her ability to develop rapport with her clients.

Gemmas coach suggests keeping a Positive Data Log. The Data Log is used to reinforce a more adaptive belief for
Gemma. That is, there are many occasions in which I am competent.


This means that Gemma will be asked to record every event that is counter to her core belief. That is, anytime
Gemma perceives she has acted competently, she notes the experience down. Heres an extract from Gemmas
Positive Data Log:

Date Event
10/11
I ran into Jacob from the sales team. He said that he had heard
(through the grapevine) that my new clients found me to be very
personable and friendly. It sounds like they will sign the contract.
13/11
Delia asked me to about the best way to handle a disgruntled
client. It seemed she really valued my input.
14/11 Reached weekly sales targets.
17/11 Scouted for clients and added three new clients to my portfolio.
21/11 Surpassed weekly sales targets.

Initially, clients may find it difficult to extract experiences from their life that are counter to their core beliefs. The core
belief acts as a strong filter through which experiences are perceived.

It is the role of the coach to be alert to the time that the daily experiences clients report about their life supports an
adaptive belief.


Chapter 3 - Solution Focused Coaching

What is Solution Focused Coaching?

The solution focused approach is characterised by being goal and action orientated; a shift away from the previous
therapeutic focus on the past and the problem. Solution focused coaching is based on the assumption that clients
know the best way to approach the achievement of their goals.

It is the role of the coach to assist clients in developing effective goal setting strategies and to help generate
alternative ways of approaching goal achievement.

Main Concepts

The solution focused approach is underpinned by twelve (12) assumptions that are interrelated and guide the coach's
conversations and interactions with their clients.

Assumption 1: Focusing on the positive facilitates change in the desired direction.

As solution-focused coaches engage in conversation with clients about what they are doing that is working or about
what they will be doing, the clients are able to form mental pictures of themselves solving their problems. By focusing
on positive situations rather than negatives (such as problems) a client is more likely to be energised into making
changes.

Assumption 2: Exceptions help to build solutions.


This assumption highlights that people sometimes get stuck into only one set of expectations of what the solution will
look like. Exceptions may be seen as inconsequential because, to their way of thinking, the exceptional times do not
represent real solutions or because the exceptional times are inconsistent. The solution-focused approach
emphasises the benefits and significance of all exceptional times. By identifying instances when a problem did not
occur the client can develop a more positive outlook and may begin to see the potential for building solutions.

Assumption 3: Nothing is always the same.

Clients are not stuck in the problem situation but every moment their problems are changing and they are able to
move from one state to another. A solution-focused coach can use change, whether positive (in the direction of the
goal) or negative (moving away from the goal), to generate client awareness.

Assumption 4: Small changing leads to larger changing.

People usually use the same attempted solution for all problems. By making a small change in the attempted solution
to the problems, clients can change in several different situations simultaneously. Recognizing their previous
exceptions or changes, clients are empowered with the belief that they can find solutions to other, more difficult
issues.

Assumption 5: Clients show us how they think change occurs.

If clients dont do what coaches say, or if they do something else instead, we do not believe that they are resistant
but rather that in their thinking this is the best thing to do at the time. Coaches take clients at their word. Coaches are
in touch with the clients approach to change not their own.

Assumption 6: People have all they need to solve their problems.

The emphasis of the Solution-Focused approach is not upon the cause or maintenance of the problem, but upon the
faith that each individual is capable of solving their problems. The responsibility is upon the coach to be flexible and to
facilitate change toward what the client wants. The client is not dependent on the coach, but has within themselves the
ability to reach their goals.

Assumption 7: Meaning is created through our interactions.

Meaning is created through interaction with the environment. Meaning changes depending on the context. Meaning is
not imposed on us but is rather a result of interpretation.

Assumption 8: Actions and descriptions are circular.

There is a circular relationship between how one describes a problem or goal, what action one then takes, how one
describes these actions and results, what further actions one might take, and so on.

Assumption 9: The meaning of the message is the response you receive

Despite the senders intention when sending a message the actual meaning of the message is found in the response
that s/he (the original sender) receives back.


Assumption 10: Coaching is a goal or solution-focused endeavour, with the client as expert.

The Solution-Focused approach assumes that the client is able to decide what it is that they want or, at least, what
they dont want. The client has the store of data which will be examined in coaching for traces of solutions that have
already worked. The client is the expert who finally decides what they want to work on.

Assumption 11: Any change in how a goal is described affects future interactions with all other involved.

The meaning we ascribe to a problem, solution or goal affects the way in which we approach it. By conceptualising a
problem, solution or goal differently we can modify the approach we take with it in the future.

Assumption 12: The involvement of external parties is dependent on whether they share the same goals and desire to
make something happen.

This Solution-Focused assumption states that membership of the treatment group is dependent upon whether the
individuals share the same coaching goals and the desire to make it happen.

Techniques

A coach using solution focused techniques works with the client to identify goals which then guide the
coaching/counselling process. The coach focuses on what the client wants, not what the coach thinks he/she needs.
In using solution focused techniques, coaches are encouraged to be flexible with their approach.

The use of appropriate language is an important factor in the success of the solution focused approach. In particular,
the coach should remain enthusiastic about the clients exceptions and accomplishments.

We will be focusing on three of the techniques used in the solution focused approach:
Miracle question
Exception question
Scaling question
Miracle Question

The miracle question is a technique used to paint a picture about what the client wants. Here is an example of the
miracle question from a coaching session.

Coach: So you are thinking about leaving your current occupation as a firefighter to do something else.
However, you are not sure what you want to do?

Client: Thats correct. Im just not sure what I want to do anymore!!!

Coach: Suppose you were to go home tonight, and while you were asleep, a miracle happens. This miracle
means that when you wake up tomorrow, everything will be different. How will you know the miracle
happened? What will be different?


Client: Well, I suppose I would be waking up and leaving for work happy. I would not have to work different
shifts anymore and could feel like Ive got time to have a social life.

The miracle question has been adapted from: Bertolino, B., & OHanlon, B. (2002). Collaborative, competency-based
counseling and therapy. Boston: Allyn & Bacon

Exception Question

Another techniques used is the exception question. The exception question is employed to find out what strengths the
client may have from past experiences. These strengths may then be applied to the clients current situation rather
than teaching the client new skills.

Examples of exception questions include:
Tell me about times when you felt happy at work.
Tell me about times when you felt you were achieving things.
When was the last time that you felt you had a better day?
What was it about that day that made it a better day?
Can you think of a time when the problem was not present in your life?
When was a time that you were the most happiest in your life?
Exception questions adapted from: Corcoran, J. (2005). Building strengths and skills: A collaborative approach to
working with clients. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Scaling Questions

Scaling Questions are used to invite clients to rate an issue on a scale of one (worst the problem may be) to ten (no
longer a problem).

There are three ways the scaling question may be used:
The progress scale for example:
On a scale of zero to ten where ten is your life the way you would want it to be and zero is where things are as bad as
they could possibly be, where are you right now?
The next step for example:
What would have to happen for you to notice a small improvement so that you could say things have moved up a little
bit on the scale?
Willingness and confidence scale for example:
On a scale of zero to ten how willing are you to do something to make things better? or On a scale of zero to ten
how confident are you that things are going to get better?


These questions may be used to determine how the client sees things, how willing or confident the client is to
implement change and if small amounts of change has occurred already.

Scaling questions adapted from: Turnell, A., & Hopwood, L. (1994). A Map for doing solution-focused brief therapy.
Case Studies in Brief & Family Therapy, 8(2), 39-75.

Conclusion

Throughout this professional development course you have investigated what coaching is and how it is both similar
and different to counselling. You have also examined the two main theoretical applications of coaching: cognitive
behavioural therapy and the solution focused approach.

References

Bard, J. A. (1980). Rational emotive therapy in practice. Champaign, Il: Research Press.
Beck, J. (1993). Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: Guilford Press.
Burns, D. D. (1989). The feeling good handbook. New York: William Morrow.
Neenen, M. & Dryden, W. (2000). Essential cognitive therapy. London: Whurr.
Nelson-Jones, R. (2007). Life coaching skills: How to develop skilled clients (pp. 6-9). London: SAGE
Publications, Inc.
Skiffington, S., & Zeus, P. (2003). Behavioural coaching: How to build sustainable personal and organisational
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Turnell, A., & Hopwood, L. (1994). A Map for doing solution-focused brief therapy. Case Studies in Brief &
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