Life Coach Training
Lesson 9
Preparing for Your Session – Part 2
Your coaching session starts long before you meet with your client. Your coaching session begins with the preparation of your own consciousness. The clearer and more centered you are when you enter your session, the more effective your results. Anything you can do to deepen your connection to your Higher Power is a gift to yourself and your client.
Take any steps you can to set your positive mental and emotional tone for the session. Meditate; pray; do yoga or tai chi; do affirmations; walk in nature; take a bath; listen to music; dance; listen to or watch an inspiring lecture or video; read an uplifting book; or have a cup of tea. Use any method that brings forth your best self.
Never rush into your coaching session from another activity. Always take at least a few minutes to transition from activities preceding it. If you are driving to a session, allow extra time so you don’t have to rush or risk arriving late.
For many years I have been using an affirmation/prayer from A Course in Miracles before my coaching sessions, lectures, and meetings. It is simple and easy to remember, and can be employed in a minute’s time. At first it is better to delve into it for a longer time in prayer and meditation. Then, when you become attuned to it, you can tap into its essence quickly.
(The Course uses patriarchal language, so if you prefer, you can substitute “She,” “It,” or “Spirit” for “He.” Those terms are less important than the essence and purpose of the prayer.)
I am here only to be truly helpful.
I am here to represent Him Who sent me.
I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do,
because He Who sent me will direct me.
I am content to be wherever He wishes,
knowing He goes there with me.
I will be healed as I let Him teach me to Heal.
– from A Course in Miracles, Text, p. 28
I am here only to be truly helpful.
The key words in this phrase are “truly helpful.” Consciously applying this idea could be the meditation of a lifetime! Ask yourself, “How in this coaching session (or this moment in any situation in life) can I be truly helpful? What does my client really need? What would bring the greatest healing, peace, or relief?”
You may have an idea of the form help should take, or the client may have an idea of how he should be helped, but that form may not be truly helpful. The client may be set on a course that will bring him more pain or give him what he thinks he wants, but not what he really wants or needs on a spiritual level. Or the client may be thinking too small and needs to expand his vision. Or perhaps he is not grounded and has a lofty ambition that overlooks being present and effective in the now moment. If you can tune into where true wisdom and guidance live, rather than your preconceived notion or the form of help requested or demanded, you will truly help your client.
If you are not sure what true help looks like, remember that real healing is inner peace, and help your client to find that.
I am here to represent Him who sent me.
You are not the healer. The real healer is the Great Spirit, pure life force. The essence of that Force is love, joy, well-being, and inner peace. When you are aligned with those attributes, you are a clear window through which the light of truth can shine.
You are not here to represent your limited self, ego, intellect, or your worldly career goals. You are here to represent Higher Power, Which is eager, ready, and willing to work through you. When you put the small self aside and let Higher Power guide your coaching session and your relationship with your client, you will surely succeed.
I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because He Who sent me will direct me.
You are not alone as the coach in your coaching session or practice. You have access to the wisdom, power, and grace of God. At any time you feel stuck, unconfident, or at a loss for words or wisdom, turn within. Ask your Higher Power what It wants you to say or do, and you will know.
If you are not sure what to do, do nothing or be silent until you receive guidance.
I am content to be wherever He wishes, knowing He goes there with me.
You might wonder, “What am I doing in this situation or with this person?” You might think it is a mistake that you got together. You may be resistant to some of the client’s words or behavior. You may feel intimidated by something you know about the client. None of this matters. There are no mistakes in the great design of life. Your client has been sent to you for a good reason. If you feel stuck with a person or in a situation, ask yourself, “What is the gift for me and my client? How can I trust that this is a right connection? How can I apply spiritual truth to this moment to create a win for everyone involved?”
I will be healed as I let Him teach me to heal.
Coach and client always benefit mutually. Your coaching practice is as much for you as it is for the client. Never believe that you are there only to help the other person. All blessings move in both directions simultaneously, for all healing is shared.
The meaning, practice, and results of The Healer’s Prayer go far beyond the life coaching format. The prayer can and will help you in all aspects and interactions of your life. You can use it before entering an interview, negotiation, or planning meeting, or if you are to meet with someone with whom you are experiencing upset or conflict. This prayer absolutely, always works if you utter it sincerely. Use it well and it will open many doors for you.
You can also do a visualization to set the tone for your coaching session. Sit quietly for a few minutes with your eyes closed and picture a joyful, productive session. Imagine the client receiving all that she seeks, and more, and you feeling fulfilled as coach. Do not dictate the content or specific outcome of the session, but tap into the feeling you desire for yourself and your client. Imagine the client thanking you profusely and departing with a sense of wholeness and enthusiasm. If you are coaching as a business, visualize the client handing you a substantial check, paying you gratefully. Stay with the visualization until you sense that your success is already a reality.
Exercise
1. Memorize the healer’s prayer from A Course in Miracles and record it below, from memory:
2. At your first opportunity, take at least 15 minutes to be with and meditate on this prayer, line by line. Read each phrase and then close your eyes and go inward to ask and recognize how you can apply this affirmation to your coaching practice, to any particular clients, and to your life.
3. The next time you are in the position of coach, teacher, or helper, say this prayer before you begin. Use it as well for a meeting or negotiation session. Stay with the prayer until you absorb its essence. Then notice how well your coaching, teaching, or meeting goes.
4. At your next opportunity, practice your self-created visualization of a positive, productive coaching session. Stay with it until you get the feeling that it is already so. If it helps you, write out your vision:
Affirm:
My coaching sessions and my life succeed
because I partner with Higher Power.
I am spiritually well-prepared for all of my sessions and meetings.
My inner preparation creates maximal results for my clients and myself.