Look Beyond the Surface

The Secret to Lasting Success for Coach Practitioners

Coaching is an incredibly rewarding but demanding profession. While, we as coaches, devote ourselves to guiding others toward growth and success, this work can sometimes come at the expense of our own well-being. To be effective and resilient, coaches need to invest in our own wellness – not just as a “one-off” exercise, but to develop and maintain a life that cultivates a sustainable wellness journey.

Globally, a recent ICF research report¹ showed that 85% of coach practitioners reported that they have clients who request help with their mental well-being, with business and career issues being sited as a contributing factor, how do we as coaches support our clients when we don’t create a well-being mindset for ourselves. The good news is, 65% of coaches agreed with the statement that “employees’ mental well-being is being supported better than in the past”, encouragingly, showing that businesses are making improvements to support employees well-being.

When we talk about “mental well-being”, we have to consider that it’s a state of positive psychological functioning – or in other words, our ability to cope with the stresses of life.  In a world full of global uncertainties and change, our ability to cope is critical to thriving and not just surviving life.

This is just the beginning. There’s still a long way to go, with 73% of coach practitioners looking to continue or expand on helping client’s mental well-being.  Therefore, our own focus on well-being is more crucial than ever before. Our ability to focus on our clients growth, to maintain presence, to cultivate a coaching mindset, all comes from our ability to set our own needs aside for the growth of our client.

However, the secret is not to focus on what we know, but to consider what’s underlying in our mental, emotional and physical wellness. Identifying the nuances of the messages our body and mind is giving us and the implications of how it shows up in our day to day – impacting how we are in our personal and professional lives.  Is your coaching mindset, confidence and presence impacted by your thoughts and feelings at a point in time?

This is just one of the questions we ask in the CPD course on Cultivating Well-being in Coaches and their Clients. It’s an opportunity to peel the onion on the complexity of you as a person, to look beyond the surface of “what we know is not quite working” and to identify the small, enduring changes that helps us to align ourselves with the mental and emotional fortitude to thrive in our coaching careers.

For example, emotional wellness means understanding and managing our emotions effectively. For coaches, emotional balance is vital to maintaining empathy without absorbing the stress or anxiety of clients.

These feelings can often be a subtle indication that, as a coach, you might be absorbing more of your client’s emotions than you realise. While empathy is essential for understanding and connecting with your clients, it’s equally important to maintain boundaries that protect your own well-being. When you leave a session feeling drained or unsettled, it’s a sign to reflect on how you’re engaging in the process. Are you too emotionally invested? Are you taking on their struggles as your own? Recognising these moments can help you create strategies to not only identify these emotions, but also manage them. By processing these feelings, you not only preserve your energy but also ensure that you can continue to provide the clarity and support your clients need to grow.

Also, this may not just be with clients, your personal life impacts you, there are no “work hat” and “home hat” that you’re able to swap and change, are you identifying the feelings when you meet with certain colleagues, friends or family?  How does it impact your mood, your energy, your focus when these moments arise?  How do you course correct when you’re about to go into a coaching session?  Reflecting regularly on emotional wellness helps coaches build resilience, which is crucial for long-term sustainability in the field.

Whether you’re an internal coach or a coach practitioner running your own business, a wellness journey is most effective when it’s sustainable. Rather than aiming for perfection, coaches can focus on small, manageable actions that contribute to each dimension of wellness. Over time, these habits form a balanced routine that supports coaches in feeling fulfilled and empowered in their lives and careers. By viewing wellness as an evolving process rather than a destination, coaches allow themselves the flexibility to grow and adapt. This journey is enriched by reflection and aligned with personal values, making it meaningful, achievable, and deeply rewarding.

Although we may offer a range of tools and strategies for our clients when it comes to well-being, the ICF survey¹ also shows that the most effective strategies are those that are focused on self-reflection, self-growth and self-care. The focus on the person to identify the moments of mental and emotional impact, the awareness raised by their understanding and taking the steps to a journey of sustainable wellness, is the secret to lasting success.

For coaches, investing in wellness isn’t just an act of self-care; it’s a commitment to their clients and profession. We need to consider a range of dimensions when we look at our overall wellness, not just the areas we know so well, such as physical and emotional wellbeing, but a range of other wellness dimensions that create us as a whole person.  A more holistic wellness approach is crucial in supporting our resilience, energy, and fulfilment, bringing back purpose and joy into our profession. By focusing on sustainable practices and regular reflection, coaches can build a wellness journey that not only enhances their lives but also allows them to show up fully for their clients, as well as in our personal lives for our friends and family. Embracing the wellness journey offers a roadmap to balanced, empowered living and strengthens a coach’s ability to make a lasting, positive impact.

Reference: ¹ – International Coaching Federation (ICF) Snapshot Survey 2024 – Coaching and Mental Well-Being

If you would like to start on the sustainable journey to wellness, join us for the next cohort of Cultivating Well-being in Coaches and their Clients CPD programme on 23 January and 20 March 2025. Register now!