What is Transformational Coaching and how can it help you?

What is transformational coaching and how can it help you? What is the Transformational coaching model? What’s the difference between transformational coaching and life coaching?  How to find a certified transformational coach? How to get the most out of transformational coaching sessions?

Almost everyone knows this feeling, when you wake up one day and realize that you don’t want to continue living like this. You understand that something needs to be changed or some important decision needs to be made and you feel that you are ready for this.

It doesn’t matter what it is: your relationship, your job, place where you live, or something else. Or maybe you are not even sure what exactly you want to change but you know that you want to feel differently and you are ready to work on it. If you feel that you need some help or support on this journey, then this is a perfect moment to find a transformational coach.

What Is Transformational Coaching?

Transformational coaching is a non-leading, non-judgmental, non-advisory approach that is used to help people to create the desired change in their life and become happier.

By having sessions with a transformational coach, you are getting more clarity and awareness about yourself and your life situations. You find what you truly want and start moving towards it. A transformational coach helps you to connect with your inner wisdom and power.

Understanding yourself better, knowing what you want, better self-esteem, more confidence, motivation, and inspiration, moving towards your goals, and achieving them – these are just a few things that you can get from transformational coaching. If you want to know more about what results you can get check my post about 8 transformational life coaching benefits.

Transformational Coach vs Life Coach – Is There Any Difference?

Sometimes people ask: What is so special about transformational coaching? Is there any difference from life coaching?

The answer is yes and no. No, because we can say that transformational coaching is just one of the forms of life coaching. And yes, because the words “life coaching” are usually used when people talk about transactional or transitional life coaching.

Transactional, transitional, goal-oriented, or situational life coaching are all the same thing. And quite often people just say life coaching when they mean this approach. I will use the world transactional to explain the difference between these two forms of life coaching: transactional and transformational.

Transactional coaching is usually used to achieve a specific outcome. To move from point A to point B by setting a clear goal and a deadline. It works by changing your performance, and the result is easily measurable. Transactional coaching can be also used in business and a work environment. It is helpful when you need an accountable person. It can give you more motivation, help you to stick with a plan, have better time management. It is about solving problems and achieving goals.

Transformational coaching is different and used to create a change on much deeper level. It is not just about moving from A to B. It is also about finding: do I really need this B? And if not, what do I really need or want? What is my life about? Why do I make certain choices? How can I become happier? How can I have more fulfillment in my life? What is really important for me? What is holding me back? How can I change it? How can I become the person that I want to be? It is also about making important, sometimes life-changing decisions, and going through some difficulties and challenging times. It is all about your transformation.

Here you can watch my video and read more about Transactional vs. Transformational Life Coaching

I hope now it is more clear that transformational coaching is still life coaching. The differences that we are talking about are just between different approaches.

The Transformational Coaching Model

When we speak about the Transformational coaching model, we need to understand a few basic things. Firstly, transformational coaching is client-focused and can be experienced differently by different people. And secondary, transformational coaching is still a form of life coaching and is based on different models of traditional life coaching. Usually, a transformational coach uses many different models depending on the client and their current needs.

For example, there are certain models to challenge or change a limiting belief, but there are different ones to explore and work with a person’s core values. The approaches, that are used for goal-setting and getting motivation are different from the ones that are used to process difficult emotions and go through challenging times. And each model is never rigid. A transformational coach is always present with the client so they can easily switch between models and approaches through the session to get the best results.

However, there are four core concepts in transformational coaching. Transformational coaching is psychological, humanistic, integrative, and holistic. Let’s talk a bit more about each of them:

Humanistic

In transformational coaching, we always see clients as whole and unbroken. We know that clients don’t need to be fixed because they already have all the necessary resources to find what they need to do for the desired change. And as coaches, we just help them to connect with these resources, wisdom, and strengths.

Psychological

We explore the client’s psychological patterns and paradigms and how they influence the client’s reactions, decisions, and eventually their life as well. Sometimes a life-changing shift can happen when the client finally finds how some of their beliefs influence what’s happening in their life. And when a client changes their paradigm, it usually helps to create changes in almost every aspect of their life. That is how inner transformation changes the whole life.

Integrative

As I explained above, there is no such thing as some fixed transformational coaching model. A wide range of different approaches and models creates transformational life coaching. Each coach finds their unique way of working with each client and their unique situations by integrating the best tools from different schools.

Holistic

In transformational coaching, we take into account all aspects of the client’s experience: emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and somatic. We explore how all these aspects influence each other depending on each different client. Tools from CBC (Cognitive Behavioral Coaching) are very effective for this, and they bring a lot of clarity for the client and the coach.

These four core concepts and all the models from different schools and life coaching approaches create transformational coaching.

Find a Certified Transformational Coach

Life coaching is not regulated in the UK. It means that the same rules are applied to transformational coaching. Theoretically, anyone can work as a transformational coach.

However, it doesn’t mean that you need to trust anyone who calls themselves a transformational life coach. You can find a certified transformational coach becuase many schools still provide training for life coaches. Schools that are accredited by ICF (International Coaching Federation) need to meet certain requirements and quality standards. Only in this case, coaches can get their qualifications. That’s why many people look for a certified transformational coach.

For example, I’ve got my qualification in Animas Centre of Coaching because they are not only certified by ICF but more importantly focus exactly on transformational life coaching. And to get a qualification every coach needs to meet all the requirements.

However, there is no one right answer for everyone about how you should choose your life coach. Certification is not always the most important thing. But it can give you the information that the coach went through the training, supervision, mentoring and has basic needed skills and knowledge.

Choosing the right coach is not just about looking for qualifications. It is also about finding someone you will feel comfortable with and someone that you can eventually trust. That’s why most of the coaches offer free initial consultations or discovery calls. Don’t hesitate to use this opportunity. You can ask all your questions and check if the chemistry is right.

I also share a lot of useful information on my YouTube channel and in my blog. By watching and reading it, people can get tools and tips for personal development but also understand if my approach is something that they are looking for. I also share some examples from my life in my videos. By watching them people can know me a bit better before they decide to contact me.

Get The Most Out Of Transformational Coaching

Once you’ve chosen a transformational coach, you probably wonder: How can I make sure that I get the best results?

Choosing the right coach can be half of your success. But do you know that even if two people work with the same coach, they can have very different results? That’s because your results depend a lot on you, not only on your coach. If you want to know how you can get the most of your transformational coaching experience, check this video:

Tips that I cover in the video:

– Choosing the right coach

– How can taking notes give you more results?

– How do coaching sessions differ from chatting with a friend?

– How to implement the insights and results from the sessions into your life?

– When can you see your first results?

– The importance of focusing on small changes and achievements before you move to the next challenge or a new goal

Conclusions

Transformational coaching is quite a new approach in life coaching. It is getting more and more popular each day because people start to understand that the changes only in their performance are not always enough to achieve long-lasting results. To have a different life and different state, we need a transformation on a deeper level. A transformation, that starts in our mindset, the change of our main paradigms. 

Now you have enough information about transformational life coaching and tips on getting the best results from it. All you need is a desire to change and a decision to be committed to the process. And all the necessary help and support you can get from a transformational coach.