Coaching in action Learning to unlearn

In their second session together, the award-winning coach Kim Morgan helps her client Chrissie* relinquish the reins and overcome her relationship difficulties

- Kim Morgan

Chrissie had left our last session planning to have an honest conversation with her partner about their relationship. She felt that they were drifting in different directions, and if they didn’t face up to their difficulties together, their relationship could be in real trouble.

As I waited for Chrissie to arrive for her coaching session, I was feeling a bit anxious. Chrissie was a charismatic, powerful, whirlwind of a person, and I wondered whether she had approached the conversation with sensitivity, or like a bull at a gate. It soon became clear she had taken the latter approach!

I could see that Chrissie was upset. ‘I went straight home after our last session and I didn’t pull any punches. I told Jez* all about your coaching, including the “woo-woo” exercise you made me do.’ (It wasn’t ‘woo-woo’ and I didn’t make her do it!) I managed my irritation and didn’t react. I asked, ‘What was Jez’s response?’