How coaching actually works…
and why it works so well.
The first conversation
Everything starts with a 30-minute conversation. Relaxed, exploratory and entirely without obligation. This is your chance to get a feel for how I work, ask whatever questions are on your mind and begin to articulate what you’re hoping coaching might do for you. It’s also my chance to understand where you are and what you need. And to be honest with you about whether I’m the right coach for this particular journey.
There’s no pitch. No pressure. Just a proper, honest conversation between two professionals.
If it feels like the right fit, we’ll talk about how you’d like to work together. There’s no single answer to that. Different people need different things.
Some clients prefer to start without a fixed commitment, working session by session as their goals evolve. There’s no minimum number of sessions and no pressure to sign up for more than feels right.
Others find it helpful to work within a defined programme: A structured series of either six or ten sessions, held fortnightly, with a clear arc from where you are to where you want to be. These programmes include email support between sessions, so you’re never waiting until the next call to get a thought out of your head or a decision made. You’ll also receive carefully chosen resources throughout. Reading, tools and prompts deepen the work between conversations.
Both approaches work. The right one depends on your goals, your working style and how much structure you find helpful. We’ll figure that out together.
Fees are discussed during the discovery call and tailored to the engagement. If you’d like an indication before we speak, feel free to get in touch.
How sessions are structured
Coaching sessions are typically 60 to 90 minutes, conducted via video call or by phone or in person in the Ruhr area, whichever works best for you and your circumstances. We’ll agree a rhythm that suits your life: some clients prefer weekly sessions, others work better fortnightly or monthly. What matters is consistency and momentum.
A coaching engagement usually runs across several months, giving us enough time to go deep, track progress and make change that sticks. That said, I also work with clients on shorter, more focused engagements when the goal is specific and the timeline is tight.
What to expect in the room
Coaching sessions are yours. The agenda, the pace, the direction. My job is to ask the questions you haven’t thought to ask yourself, to reflect what I’m hearing, to challenge the assumptions you’ve stopped questioning and to help you find the clarity and courage to move forward.
You’ll leave sessions with genuine insight and practical next steps. This isn’t therapy and it isn’t mentoring. It’s collaborative thinking at its sharpest. And most people find it simultaneously the most challenging and most energising professional conversation they have.
Working with an organisation?
If you’re commissioning coaching for a leader or team within your organisation, the process works a little differently. Find out how I work with corporate clients, what to expect and how engagements are structured.
Questions people usually ask before they reach out
Is coaching the same as therapy?
No, and the distinction matters. Therapy typically explores the past to understand and heal. Coaching works in the present and future. It’s about where you are now, where you want to be and what’s standing in the way. I’m not a therapist and don’t work therapeutically. If something comes up in our conversations that would be better addressed with a therapist, I’ll say so honestly. Many people find coaching and therapy genuinely complementary, working with both at the same time.
How do I know if I’m ready for coaching?
The short answer: if you’re asking the question, you probably are. The slightly longer answer: coaching works best when you have a genuine desire to think differently. When you are willing to be honest, including with yourself and have enough stability in your life to do the work. You don’t need to have a clear goal. Many clients arrive knowing only that something needs to change. That’s a perfectly good starting point. The discovery call is precisely where we figure out whether coaching is right for you, right now.
What if it doesn’t work?
It’s a fair question and one I’d rather you ask now than wonder about later. Coaching works when two things are true: the coach is the right fit and the client is genuinely engaged. The discovery call exists partly to assess both. If after a few sessions it isn’t working as either of us hoped, I’ll say so directly. I’d rather have that conversation than continue something that isn’t serving you. That said, in my experience, the clients who ask this question are often the ones who get the most out of the process. The self-awareness that prompts the question is exactly what coaching builds on.
How is what we discuss kept confidential?
Everything discussed in our sessions is confidential. I work to the ethical guidelines of the Association for Coaching, which include a clear duty of confidentiality. In corporate engagements, the boundaries of confidentiality are agreed in advance with both you and your employer. Typically, your organisation receives a summary of themes and progress, agreed with you beforehand, but never the content of what we discuss. The exception to confidentiality, as with all professional relationships, is if I have serious concern for someone’s safety.
Do you only work with people based in Germany?
Not at all. Most of my clients are online. I work with professionals across Europe, the UK, the Middle East and beyond. Sessions are conducted via video call, at times that work within Central European hours. In-person sessions are available locally in the Ruhr area, and occasionally in other parts of Germany by arrangement.
How much does coaching cost?
Coaching is an investment. I’ll always be straightforward with you about what to expect. I discuss fees in detail during the discovery call, where we can match the format and investment to what you actually need. If you’d like a general indication before we speak, feel free to get in touch by email and I’ll give you a straightforward answer. I work with both private individuals and organisations, and fees reflect the engagement type and duration.
Do you offer a free first session?
The discovery call – 30 minutes, no charge, no obligation – is the first conversation. It’s not a taster session or a sales pitch. It’s a proper, honest conversation about where you are and whether coaching with me is the right move. You’ll leave with useful clarity regardless of whether we decide to work together.
What languages do you work in?
English and German are my primary coaching languages.
Still have a question? Ask it in the discovery call or drop me an email and I’ll reply personally.