
What Is Psychological Coaching?
Coaching is a supportive space that facilitates self-development and personal growth through enquiry, discussion and purposeful conversation. It is a facilitative learning and developmental space that aims to enhance self-knowledge, self-awareness and ultimately self-management through supporting insight into intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning. The overall aim is to support the client to make and sustain desired changes, typically in the domains of health and wellbeing, work and career or lifestyle and relationships, thus facilitating optimal functioning, enhanced performance and fulfilled potential in each of these domains.
Coaching achieves change through supporting the client to clarify their objectives, aims, ambitions and hopes, thus providing direction, focus and the identification of concrete goals. The coach and client work collaboratively to explore effective approaches to goal attainment, with the coach drawing on active listening skills, socratic questioning and a range of tools and techniques to support with enquiry, exploration and progression towards goals. Through the adoption of such tools and techniques the client is able to identify strengths, resources, skills and tools that they possess or need to acquire to facilitate growth. They are also supported to identify barriers to change and to explore solutions to these.
Traditional coaching practices were noted to stem from counselling and psychological therapy approaches. There is much overlap in the skills, techniques and approaches utilised in coaching and psychological therapy and the two approaches compliment each other well. Psychological coaching approaches reflect traditional approaches to coaching, whilst utilising psychological models, theories and therapeutic approaches to inform and deepen self-insight, knowledge & understanding. Psychological coaching is typically delivered by psychologists, who are trained to doctoral level and whose practice is informed by advanced training in psychological models and therapy. Thus they possess specialist knowledge with regards to intrapersonal processes and interpersonal functioning, which offers an enhanced perspective on human functioning and relational effectiveness. Psychological theory and models can be applied throughout the coaching journey, from the initial establishing of the coach-coachee relationship, to the assessment and goals identification phase, to the change-focused phase.
The Coach-Coachee Relationship
The formation of a respectful, collaborative and egalitarian relationship is central to coaching practice. Indeed, throughout relational approaches such as therapy and counselling the therapeutic relationship is well documented to be an active component of treatment, contributing to treatment outcomes and success. This is no different in coaching; the working alliance formed in the coaching relationship is central to goal attainment and success. Psychological models and theories, with their emphasis on human and interpersonal functioning, are well placed to provide a framework for the development of effective working alliances and relationships in coaching.
A pertinent psychological theory that is utilised to inform the development of the coaching relationship is attachment theory. Attachment theory posits that attunement, predictability, consistency and reliability from a caregiver, alongside the demonstration of characteristics such as warmth, compassion and non-judgment ensures that the child develops a secure attachment. Where the child receives inconsistent, unpredictable or rejecting responses from a caregiver, it is posited that they develop an insecure attachment style. Ones attachment style is thought to be stable throughout the lifespan and influences how they respond and interact with others and the world. A secure attachment assists with the creation of a safe and secure base within the individual, providing them with the confidence to explore their environment, enter into novel experiences and engage in relations with unknown others. An insecure attachment style can impede this confidence and result in more avoidant or ambivalent ways of relating with the world and others.
As with psychological therapy, the coach looks to replicate this sense of safety within the coaching relationship by demonstrating the characteristics of the caregiver that promotes a secure attachment style, facilitating the development of safe and secure base for the client in sessions. For example the coach looks to be predictable, consistent and reliable in their timings, organisational skills and ways of relating to the client, and warm, compassionate and non-judgmental in their response to the clients disclosures. The presence of this secure base in coaching sessions facilitates a sense of safety and trust in the client, increasing their confidence and willingness to be open and vulnerable with the coach and fully explore their current situation and interpersonal and intrapersonal experiences without reservations.
Another key psychological model that informs the development of the coach-coachee relationship is Person-Centred Therapy (PCT). Similar to attachment approaches, PCT approaches advocate for the development of a therapeutic environment that is accepting, non-judgmental and empathetic. The coach creates this environment by displaying genuineness, congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathetic understanding. The coach endeavours to contain their own beliefs, feelings and world view, instead prioritising an understanding of the clients frame of reference. The coach also holds a sense of optimism and belief in the client. The client is framed as an expert in their life and leads the direction of sessions, while the coach adopts a non-directive, yet supportive, role. This style of relating is again thought to create a safe and secure base to explore difficulties from, whilst creating space for strengths, growth and self-actualisation.
An integration of these models provides a framework for the development of an effective working alliance between the coach and coachee that ensures the presence of a safe, secure and trusting base, permitting the client to be honest, open and vulnerable during sessions. It also provides a space where the client feels accepted, valued and encouraged, enabling them to explore ways to reach their full potential.
Assessment & Goals Identification Phase
Psychological coaching assessments benefit from the utilisation of a range of psychometric tools and psychological assessment measures to enhance the clients insight into the self. Personality inventories such as the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument can provide advanced insight into intrapersonal and interpersonal preferences and functioning, whilst psychological assessment and screening tools such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory can provide important insight into the presence of affective factors. An understanding of these preferences and functioning styles can provide vital information regarding factors that may interfere with effective functioning and goal attainment, as well as identify the strengths that the client can draw on in the pursuit of their goals and self-development.
To further enhance insight into prominent interpersonal and intrapersonal factors influencing functioning, psychological coaches can draw on schema questionnaires to inform an understanding of cognitive and relational templates that the client may hold. Alongside gentle exploration of the clients early life experiences, the Young Schema Questionnaire and Brief Early Schema Questionnaire (BESQ) can facilitate identification of cognitive, behavioural, relational and affective patterns present in the individual. This information facilitates formulation of the impact of the clients early life experiences on identity and relational templates. As we have explored, attachment theory advocates that our early interactions with caregivers shape our beliefs about the self, others and the world more generally. These deeply held beliefs are often referred to as internal working models, schemas or templates and shape and influence how everyday interactions and experiences are appraised and perceived, thus can be particularly pertinent in how a client responds in the present day.
Drawing on formulation approaches from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be particularly useful here, informing an idiosyncratic understanding of the clients internalised concept of their external and relational experiences. Utilisation of Beck’s longitudinal formulation can facilitate insight into the clients key early life formative experiences, the impact of these on their deeply held ‘core beliefs’ about the self, others and the world and the compensatory strategies they may utilise in their daily lives to protect from more negative core beliefs. An understanding of the clients schemas, templates and compensatory strategies is an important element of assessment as such processes operate very powerfully in everyday life, resulting in rigid and inflexible rules and strategies that lead to reduced behavioural repertoires and openness to change. Thus identifying those that require modification can ensure interpersonal and intrapersonal barriers to change and goal attainment are identified, considered and addressed early on in the coaching work.
Psychological tools that can assist with goal formation during the assessment phase include the ‘Values Compass’ and ‘Values Bullseye’ worksheets that are utilised within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to identify and clarify the clients core values. This can inform a direction for the work, goal and objective planning, as well as identifying areas in the clients life that clash or contradict values-based living. A further tool that may be beneficial here is the ‘wheel of life’, which facilitates an exploration of the domains of the clients life that are important to them and how closely aligned they are currently living to each of these domains. Disparity and mis-alignment on these tools can indicate areas of focus as well as tap into the motivators and drivers for change.
Change-Focused Phase
The focus of coaching is on change, growth and development. Whilst this typically differs from the traditional focus of psychological therapy (e.g. to resolve distress, remove a problem), many of the key techniques in psychological therapy can be efficacious in the coaching realm.
As noted above, drawing on psychological models such as CBT and schema therapy can aid with enhancing the clients self-awareness and understanding of idiosyncratic patterns and processes such as interpersonal and intrapersonal templates that influence cognitions, behaviours, affect & relations with others. Such therapeutic approaches can also aid with the reconfiguring and modification of the more unhelpful, irrational or erroneous cognitive, behavioural and affective patterns. For example cognitive interventions within CBT support clients to identify key or ‘hot’ cognitions that may form self-limiting beliefs that impede behaviour change and interpersonal effectiveness. Utilising a range of techniques such as scaling, pie charts, psycho-education, behavioural experiments, evidence exploration, fact-finding and socratic questioning the client is supported to examine the utility, helpfulness and rationality of the cognition and generate new, more helpful, rational and realistic cognitions that more accurately reflect the persons circumstances and experience. The ‘testing out’ and the ‘living’ of these new beliefs can create deeper-level, more lasting change, facilitating the evolution and modification of more unhelpful, negative or unpleasant core beliefs, templates and schemas.
Behavioural-based CBT interventions also possess utility in coaching work. Activity scheduling, graded exposure and SMART goal setting techniques can facilitate strategic, measured and paced behaviour change, adopting a realistic and sustainable approach to change and goal attainment. The graded and structured stance of such approaches can help to navigate common barriers to change and goal attainment such as anxiety, lowered confidence, lowered self-esteem and a sense of overwhelm. The behavioural skills-acquisition element of CBT also has utility in coaching work. Social skills training and assertive communication skills development can aid with enhancing interpersonal effectiveness, whilst relaxation skills training and stress management approaches are hugely beneficial in lowering autonomic arousal & heightened affective distress that can create barriers to action, change and successful implementation of skills. The inter-related nature of cognitive, behavioural and affective processes means that successful behaviour change further supports cognitive and affective modification, again creating a more helpful and effective sustained cycle of change.
Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT) is also often employed in coaching work as it aligns effectively with the coaching approach. SFT is a future-focused therapy that facilitates the identification of future hopes and goals, whilst identifying the clients pre-existing transferable strengths, resources and skills that can be utilised to enhance goal attainment. Techniques such as scaling, measured goal setting and exploration of success in prior similar situations facilitate the development of concrete objectives and the discovery of inherent skills & knowledge that can support the person in their progression towards these objectives.
This style of conversation supports a focus on solutions, successes, strengths, skills and resources, rather than on failures, inadequacies, short-comings and problems. Thus it facilitates the opening up of new narratives about a situation and ones capacity to be effective in it by uncovering previously subjugated stories and narratives that offer helpful information and re-writing previously dominant stories and narratives that contribute to stuckness and created barriers to solutions and progress.
Techniques from ACT can also be effective in coaching approaches. As noted above, ACT’s emphasis on connecting with values can inform the development of the clients goals, ensuring that they are inherently motivating, fulfilling and rewarding to the client (rather than set by external others, societal expectations or cultural influences). As well as providing direction, values identification work can support with identity exploration, consideration of lifestyle preferences and
health and wellbeing objectives.
A further benefit of utilising ACT approaches in coaching is the emphasis on committed action in the service of ones values, despite the presence of intrapersonal discomfort. ACT acknowledges that unpleasant or negative cognitions, affect and physical sensations are an inherent aspect of human functioning due to their survival functions and therefore attempts to remover or change these processes are often futile or counterproductive. Thus rather than supporting clients to change these processes, ACT supports clients to develop psychological flexibility - the ability to be aware and accepting of internal unpleasant experiences, allowing them to be present whilst continuing to persist in values-based actions. The client is supported to develop psychological flexibility through the use of metaphor, experiential exercises and techniques such as mindfulness and thought defusion practices. Adopting an ACT approach is attractive in coaching owing to the clients focus on goal attainment and barrier removal, many of which are intrapersonal processes.
Psychological Coaching in Practice
Psychological coaching can be utilised to support clients to be more effective, efficient and successful across a range of areas including career, health and wellbeing, interpersonal and lifestyle domains. It can be utilised to facilitate enhanced insight into the self, increasing self-knowledge and self-awareness, and facilitating a clarification of ones preferred direction, focus and objectives. This improved self-understanding, alongside skills development and acquisition, can be utilised to perform more effectively in ones career, relationships and personal life.
Common themes that psychological coaching can effectively support clients with includes role and life transitions, career and organisational change, development and growth, living well with a health condition, achieving personal ambitions, enhanced performance in sports and hobbies, identity exploration, interpersonal effectiveness and achieving an effective work-life balance.
If you feel you would benefit from coaching, or would like to contract coaching for your organisation or employees, please do get in touch here for a complimentary consult. Third Wave Coaching offers highly specialist psychological coaching, provided by qualified clinical psychologists who are passionate about supporting self-growth and personal and professional development.

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