Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is coaching?

There are many great definitions of coaching. Essentially, coaching is about unlocking and maximising an individual’s potential by enabling them to learn through discovery, action and reflection.

What is transformational coaching?

Transformational coaching seeks to bring about increased awareness of a person’s model of the world – going to the core, deeply exploring their experiences and filters such as beliefs, values, attitudes, assumptions etc. – in order to create new possibilities for how one sees oneself, other people and the world around them.

What are the benefits of coaching?

Coaching is a personal investment in your healing, growth and development. Its impact extends to different areas of your life: giving you awareness and insight into who you are; helping to improve and strengthen your relationships; enhance your performance; and elevate your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.

When is a good time for grief or trauma-informed coaching?

When you’re ready.

Any point in your life where you’re experiencing a change that requires a shift in your thinking, attitudes and behaviours, a releasing of emotions and feelings that no longer serve you.

Some people consider themselves to be ever-transforming, and healing from trauma and grief can be life-long, so coaching is a longer-term, ongoing commitment for them.

Some people are experiencing a transitionary period in their lives and coaching is used to support them through it.

Others have reached a crossroads or a major challenge in their lives and would like support in getting unstuck, gain clarity about the options available to them, and how to move forward. 

What’s the difference between mentoring and coaching?

Mentors are usually subject matter experts – typically more senior and experienced than the mentee – who act as shortcuts to knowledge.

Coaches aren’t necessarily domain experts, but are trained in a range of skills such as listening, questioning, and utilise frameworks, models to support you in discovering the solutions to your own challenges.

What happens in a coaching session?

No two coaching sessions are the same. What’s discussed very much depends on whatever is most useful for the client. Each session – lasting 1 or 2 hours each – could involve a coaching exercise, somatic processing, reflection, through to goal-setting, to simply talking. The purpose of the session is to provide the client with a heightened awareness of themselves and the impact of their choices and behaviours.

Who is coaching for?

Anyone and everyone. You, me (I have a coach, too), he, she, they!

When can we begin coaching?

I now only take on a few private clients per year and I’m typically booked months in advance. I’ll only schedule a chemistry call if I have capacity to support more clients. Once we’ve had a chemistry call and you’ve confirmed you’d like to proceed with coaching, I’ll share my up-to-date availability with you. I don’t hold my availability, so coaching engagements must be booked in advance in order to be secured.

How often will we meet for coaching?

Coaching has proven to be more effective and productive when integrated frequently and/or deeply into an individual's lifestyle. The cadence options I offer are designed to reflect this. They are:

Via Zoom:

• Weekly: 1 hour sessions

• Fortnightly: 2-hour sessions

In person (2 hours only):

• Weekly: 2-hour sessions

• Fortnightly: 2-hour sessions

For longer coaching engagements (6-12 months+), it’s common for clients to start with weekly sessions and then shift to fortnightly sessions once they feel they have more inner-resource to progress with less support.

Based on hundreds of hours of coaching experience with my clients, coaching for 1 hour fortnightly does not provide enough momentum for individuals to experience optimal value.

There are 336 hours in 2 weeks; 224 of those hours, you’re awake (assuming you get 8 hours of sleep per night). If you’re dedicating only 1 of those hours to guided thinking, processing and planning, what are you doing for the other 223 hours?

Can I charge my personal coaching to my own business?

Sure thing – if you’re a micro-business owner. If you’re being charged the personal coaching rate, we’re boundaried within this scope.

I’m VAT registered; if you are, too, you’ll be able to claim the tax back when you complete your tax return.

How will I know if you’ll be a good coach for me?

Before beginning a coaching engagement, we’ll set up a chemistry call to gauge coach-client fit, and we won’t really know for sure until we start our coaching sessions. There are thousands of coaches out there, so to find the ‘right’ coach for you, factor in what you value most: rapport, expertise etc.. We’ll contract at least every three sessions to make sure you’re getting the right level and type of support you need from me.

I may be a suitable coach for you if...

• You’re ready to commit to coaching i.e. it’s something that you have personally identified that would be beneficial to your healing, growth and development;

• You’re looking for short-term support that will be the catalyst to your healing journey;

• You’re going through a transition or transformative point in your life;

• You’re willing to bring your whole self to our coaching sessions – warts and all!

• You’re willing to get introspective and would like someone to listen and help you ‘unpack’ some of your thoughts, behaviours, attitudes, feelings, emotions etc ...

• The services I offer and my areas of expertise are aligned to what you’re looking for;

• You’re ready to take responsibility and ownership of your life and your outcomes  (or already doing this!); 

• You trust that you have the answers and solutions to your own challenges, and capability for agency to your own healing, and would like my help to enable you to unlock those.

I may not be a suitable coach for you if…..

• You’re not comfortable or willing to open up, or sit with and process your feelings, thoughts, behaviours and attitudes; 

• You want coaching on areas outside of my expertise;

• You actually require therapy. If you're after a coach who integrates therapy, it’s worth taking a look at practitioners in the  AICTP directory.  

• You want me to give you  the answers and solve your problems or you want me to heal you – that power lies within you.

• Any of the above apply. And that’s totally fine. Other places you can look for accredited coaches include the ICF Coach Finder and Life Coach Directory.

What is the difference between a trauma-informed coach and a trauma therapist?

A trauma-informed coach has the acquired knowledge to identify trauma, is familiar with treatment and interventions for trauma, and is aware of factors that could affect a client such as re-traumatisation.

A trauma therapist is a specialised practitioner in treating trauma. They’re trained with deep knowledge of physiology, neurobiology, and anatomy. They’d typically be trained in specific interventions such as Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR), Somatic Experiencing (SE), Neuro-Affective Relational Model (NARM) and Internal Family Systems (IFS).

What happens if I need therapy?

Firstly, therapy is normal; do not be mislead by misconceptions around this mental health support. You are not defective.

I have an ethical responsibility to refer you to a therapist or other helping professions when the issue:

• is outside my competency and experience level;

• interferes with your daily functioning;

• is a barrier to making progress in coaching;

• is psychologically complex in nature and deals with deep-seated emotions.

It is never personal and we’ll talk through the situation. The best care for you always comes first.

It’s important to remember that referring you on to therapy is a suggestion, not a demand or instruction – the choice is ultimately yours to make.

If at any point, I feel that therapy would be more appropriate for you, we’ll discuss how best to bring our coaching engagement to a harmonious end. We’ll work together in making that transition as seamless as possible for you.

Although my work is not therapy, nor am I a therapist, coaching with me is therapeutic. My work can be categorised as ‘complementary therapy’.

How long does trauma-informed and/or grief coaching take?

It depends on your journey: where you’re at, and the complexity of your grief and trauma. Your outcomes are dependent on a range of factors, including the quality of your thinking and experiencing, the level of your commitment, and the consistency in your newly formed habits.

My coaching engagements last a duration of 3 months – this is only the catalyst for your growth and healing. It’s not wise to expect to be ‘fully healed’ (p.s. there’s no such thing) within that timeframe. As long as we’re alive, we’re always a work-in-progress.

What is contracting?

This is the term used to describe an agreement (verbal and/or written) between the coach and client to (re)align on a variety of elements e.g. goals for the coaching engagement, expectations, boundaries etc.

Do we have to do a chemistry call?

Yes, chemistry calls are recommended in order to give you peace of mind that I’m a suitable coach for you i.e. you feel safe with me, we’re attuned, and my style of coaching feels right for you.

As the coach – and especially given the nature of my work – I have a duty and responsibility to asses whether coaching is suitable for you. In some cases, therapy may be appropriate support. Some people may actually be seeking a mentor or advisor. A chemistry call helps determine the ‘fit’.

I’m not based in the UK. Can you still coach me?

I sure can! We can coach via Zoom. Taking time zone differences into account, we’ll find a mutually convenient time to meet.

I’m a middle-aged individual. Will the age difference impact the effectiveness of our coaching?

If it’s useful for you to know, I’m comfortable disclosing that I’m in my mid-30s. The typical age range of individuals I’ve coached is 28-55 – with folks in their 40s being my most concentrated group, closely followed by those in their 30s. The oldest individual I’ve supported in a full coaching engagement is in their 60s.

My own personal life experiences, extensive coach training and hundreds of hours of coaching experience make for a competent triune of support.

How do you say your brand/company name?

rbccmnq is my first name – Rebecca-Monique – but without the vowels. The brand can either be said as individual, spelled out letters: R.B.C.C.M.N.Q or as my name Rebecca-Monique.

Where are you from?

I’m British by nationality and based in London. I’m of Sierra Leonean descent.

What else is on your mind?