Enlighten, enable, empower...

Providing the opportunity for young people to learn about themselves and learn how to manage thoughts, feelings and actions is a true gift.

Coaching is the gift that can teach, nurture and develop essential life skills that support and sustain young people's personal growth and wellbeing, now and for life.

Coaching helps children jump life's hurdles

Why consider coaching?

While growing up can be a wonderful and exciting time, young people can experience difficulties in life. Each age and stage of development brings a new chapter and learning for all. Each child responds to situations differently, where one might express their thoughts and feelings others may find this difficult. Children may repress their emotions and their behaviour may start to change. It is normal for both parents and children to feel challenged at times and coaching can be a useful solution.

Offering impartial, non-judgemental support, coaching provides a space where young people talk about their hopes, dreams and fears, and be supported to become aware of their strengths and values. Effective and sustainable, it helps create clarity and by encouraging independent thinking and responsibility assists young people to identify possible options for forward movement with solution focussed thinking. It can make a big and lasting impact, helping young people to recognise their full potential and having the confidence and tools to achieve it.

What does a youth coach do?

A coach provides guidance and mentorship to children and young people, I support young people gain a range of life skills and develop personally and/or academically. In a safe non-judgemental space, children can speak freely about what is on their mind, share thoughts, hopes and dreams and work towards clear goals that will assist them tackle and overcome challenge, helping them to grow and succeed.

What are the benefits?

Whatever the focus, coaching offers an opportunity for children to identify their needs and discuss concerns. It helps them to discover and build life skills that enable them to make good choices and effectively deal with life's ups and downs as they navigate the important and influential developmental years - coaching provides support as they jump life's hurdles.

The skills gained through coaching promote personal development and, importantly, are effective in supporting mental health and wellbeing, now and for years to come.

Young people who engage with coaching can benefit in the following ways:

They have the opportunity to talk about difficult subjects
They are encouraged to see the the world from a fresh perspective
They learn to manage big emotions
They get objective, non-judgemental support
They learn to build essential life skills
They can begin to set goals for forward movement
They will leave with a sense of clarity, enlightenment and empowerment

Why do young people come to coaching?

There are many reasons young people come to coaching, some of which are mentioned below.

Each child, family and situation are unique and therefore I welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements and explore how coaching may be of benefit. Please go to the contact page to get in touch - I look forward to hearing from you...

Anxiety

Using a combination of coaching and cognitive behaviour therapy based techniques young people learn about the link between thoughts, feelings and actions.

Adopting a solution focused approach, coaching encourages children to explore options in relation to situations, empowering them to respond rather than react.

Confidence

Confidence coaching can help those who are reserved, anxious or shy to believe in themselves.

Effective in helping young people to embrace their uniqueness and overcome obstacles, coaching helps identify personal strengths and explore challenges, creating more ability to embrace the opportunities life has to offer.

Change

Change is ever present in life and whether the outcome be viewed as positive or negative, it can sometimes difficult to navigate.

Coaching is an effective way of helping those who are finding change challenging to cultivate a positive mindset, build levels of resilience and learn goal setting skills that can help manage change.

Getting on, falling out

Whether exploring specific friendship issues or general social skills, relationship management is a popular coaching topic.

With a focus on communication and listening skills, coaching assist children to reflect, consider perspective and learn about themselves. All with a view to enhancing their communication and relationships with others.

Self-esteem

Low levels of self-esteem can affect the way young people think and feel.

Coaching can encourage the identification of positive attributes and achievements, helping to combat unhelpful negative self-talk and build a 'can do' mind set.

Learning techniques that help create positive thought patterns and how to set and achieve goals underpins growth in this area.

Resilience

Resilience or the ability to overcome, try again or accept situations can be developed and learned.

Often linked to confidence and self-esteem, coaching helps children build resilience through raising awareness and addressing what may be influencing their thoughts and feelings. Clarity and knowledge are the building blocks that underpin the acquisition of skills and techniques that build resilience and the ability to sustain it.

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Personal power
Positive thinking
Problem solving and decision making
Relationships
Raising resilience
Self-esteem building
Self-talk, challenging negative thoughts
Supporting special educational needs
Transition, changing school
Teen brain - adolescent challenges

Kind words...

Parents

"We have seen an improvement in self-esteem and that he has started to think for himself more. He is also showing improved resilience."

"Thank you so much. He feels more confident in himself and it is clear to see. He believes in the importance of setting goals"

"Within weeks he was noticeably happier and more confident in his social interactions. He is able to face his fears and has become more assertive in explaining what he wants/needs. The change in A was wonderful."

"What a difference, she's full of life and happy again."

"I have noticed her confidence has improved."

"There are less battles now we have all agreed family rules."

"Our daughter’s increasing ability to “beat” her anxiety facilitated a greater sense of calm which in turn helped family life to jog along more easily. We are hugely grateful to Sally for all that she has done for both our daughter and for our family as a whole”.

Children

"Thank you for helping me through the tough times."

"Thank you for giving me coaching and helping me calm down, I really appreciate it."

"I haven't been so stressed when it comes to homework and school. I have become more positive and confident."

"Thank you for teaching me so many good things"

"This is my favourite part of the week, I love being able to talk about things"

"I like that you listen to me and help me work out what to do. I have told my friends and they would like to go to coaching too."

“Sally was a welcome breath of fresh air at a time when we, as a family, just didn’t know which way to turn. We had tried every road we knew of to help our daughter with her increasingly crippling anxiety, yet nothing was helping. Sally made an instant connection with our daughter, which facilitated an easy and trusting relationship between them. We quickly saw an improvement and, more importantly than anything else, our daughter started to put together a “box of tricks” to help her keep swimming when previously the water would have felt too deep."

Young people

"You helped me think about how I speak to other people. I have learned that how I act towards people has an effect on how they act towards me. Changing the way I speak and act has stopped me getting into so many disagreements."

"I still use the things I learned when I came to coaching before. Talking about how I feel helps and setting goals helps me to get things done."

"I feel much better. I am not worrying as much and use the things you have taught me to make myself feel better. It makes me feel in control, which feels good."

"I am much more confident when I meet new people or go to places I haven't been before."