Like Socrates, but less annoying

on opening my doors as a coach

Photo by Jordan Ladikos

In my last post, I shared a journey that started in burnout recovery and ended in unexpected territory: reconnecting with a sensitivity that gave birth to much of what I now care about, particularly the two personas I called the mystic and malcontent.

One side effect of this will be a new series of writings. But in the meantime, I wanted to share some life updates and expand on the slightly less heady—but no less exciting—themes of how I am going to put food on the table.

A lot of what I write about focuses on bringing awareness to limiting ideas, meeting ourselves with vulnerability and finding ways to move through (vs escape out of) what stands before us.

Outside of the keyboard, I enjoy helping others to grow and have been fascinated by the best ways of facilitating this kind of transformation, whether through talk, theory or meditation, and whether through managing & mentoring at work or just a meaningful conversation between friends.

Writing is close to my heart, but I don't just want to write about these things. Synthesising and sharing ideas is exciting but I want to help people find ways of bringing these truths alive in themselves. Knowing That One Crazy Trick or the latest lifehack won't cut it. We need dialogue and practice to turn ideas and aspirations into living wisdom.

Coaching feels like an inadequate term to cover this. But I think it’s the best we have so far. Modern coaching has integrated many key insights from the psychological, cognitive & transformative approaches to human wellbeing over the last 40 years, and pared it with a forward-looking and humanistic attitude.

It leans on the accumulated wisdom of a community that supports people hungry for change, each day. Good coaches move skilfully in and out of many areas, drawing out assumptions, fostering authenticity and inspiring action, whether that's conceptual, emotional, somatic or spiritual. They live in the corridors and work with people to coax into being something new and unknown; a kind of philosophical midwifery.

All of the above explains why I was drawn to the profession and why I want to put working with people in this way at the heart of what I do.

I opened my doors as a coach a few weeks ago, starting to coach people as I finish my training as a Transformative Coach at the Animas Centre for Coaching. This will lead to accreditation with the International Coaching Federation (ICF).

Getting to work with people in this way has been so energising. The rush of seeing people light up with insight and determination is only matched by my own joy in getting to share it with them.

I will be working with people in a few different ways.

• As a life coach, I will be supporting folks through the liminal spaces in their lives, whether that’s working through transition, aspiring to change or struggling with things as they stand.

• As an executive coach, I will be supporting leaders and founders to thrive and succeed without losing touch with the rest of their lives.

• As a contemplative guide I will be supporting those drawn to awakening, a transformative engagement with the deepest truth of things, through meditation and inquiry.

For more detail on all of this, see the shiny new coaching page on my personal website. If you are interested in any of the above, then I'd love to hear from you. Anyone can book a free call to discuss, and there's no obligation beyond that.

I have 4 regular spots left. My rates are currently reduced but will increase in the new year. Right now, I'm not going to turn anyone away due to lack of funds, so please reach out if you're curious.

Finally, if you have friends or family who are considering some support in any of the above areas, please pass my website along! Thank you in advance.

These are the first steps in a larger vision that will include working with people in person, getting them out into woods and atop hills, whilst integrating breath and bodywork to address tension and trapped emotion. These practices have helped me so much and have even more to offer to those who feel increasingly disconnected from what's going on in their bodies.

Alongside coaching, I have also turned on paid subscriptions on Substack. All content will remain free for now, but this might change in the future.

Besides my writings here, I am going to be working on some paid guides and video content on awakening, building better digital workflows, saner approaches to organising your life and some unorthodox how-to's for surviving burnout. By subscribing you'll have first access to initial versions as they arrive.

I love to write and I'd like for this to be the beginning of guides, books, courses and much more. Your support here will help make writing a viable part of the future for me. Thank you.