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Many believe a difficult session is one where you don't feel like you don't know the answers. But sessions are not about giving your client answers. Coaching is about guiding and supporting, helping your client to come up with their own answers. Creating a space for them to have revelations. Then doing your best to make them accountable, encouraging them and making them feel like they're not doing this alone. But sometimes, you'll come across challenging sessions that will block you from this process.
I've found that there are two type of sessions that are the toughest.
1. The first one is when you see a client who has very little to no motivation.
They don't give you anything to work with. They are vague and don't seem like they want to be there. You're confused why they hired you. And you find out their wife or girlfriend made them seek coaching. Or they know they need something but not sure what. So it's like pulling teeth. The sessions feel flat with lots of awkward silences. You ask him what he would like help with in his life and he answers "I don't know. I just know I'm not happy." So you keep digging and it's exhausting and you start to dread the sessions.
Quick story. I had a client once who saw me once a week for nearly a year. He came to me because his marriage was in trouble but he never wanted to talk about his marriage. I would ask him questions about it and he would dart around it and talk about other things. But he seemed to enjoy the sessions even though we didn't talk about much. Or at least I didn't think we did. I leaned later than it wasn't about what we talked about. It was about him feeling alone in this world and just needing a friend. And this is what was difficult as a life coach, because I didn't sign up to be someone's friend. If we're not "helping" people, we don't feel worthy as a coach. So my resistance had more to do with my insecurity as a coach than with him. So I accepted where he was at and what he needed and decided to lean into it. I even told him to bring a beer for one session so we could have beers and really bro down.
If you haven't had a client like this, it may be difficult to imagine. Just "hanging out" with someone may feel like you're not doing your job. But remember, the content of the sessions isn't as important as the space that's created and the dynamic of the relationship. People will need and value an authentic connection with you more than anything else.
And this is how you mentally adjust to these types of difficult sessions. Once you accept that they are paying for the space you are creating and you as a unique Individual, since there is only one of you in this world, the sessions won't be difficult anymore. You'll put less pressure on yourself to be a "life coach" and just be. And there is tremendous power in being. It pulls you out of your head and the labels we put on ourselves.
If you have grown a social media following, the other piece to this, and what people are paying for, is the experience of engaging with someone they've been reading or watching. It might seem superficial but there is value there. The client I mentioned above has been following me for a while and I'm sure a part of why he saw me was because he was a fan of The Angry Therapist. They are paying for that access it's fair because you've worked hard to build a following. You've produced a sh*t load of content and spent endless hours engaging with your community.
Remember, you have to meet the client where they are at. And you have to be okay with sessions going slow or lacking light bulb moments. You have to be okay with just "hanging out", if that's what they need. Of course you should have goals for your clients but do not place expectations on how your sessions should look like.
Because the best sessions are the unexpected, the ones where they take a life of their own, and that can't happen if you are tracing a blueprint.
2. The other type of difficult session is if your personality clashes with your client.
Personalities clash sometimes. This has happened to me several times and it will happen to you. Because you are a person and you have a story and triggers and preferences. There are some clients you will love as people and others not so much. First, don't beat yourself up. There may be many reasons why they are rubbing you the wrong way that you are not aware of. They may be triggering something in you or reminding you of someone who has hurt you. Whatever it is, It can be a blocker from helping the client.
So what do you do when you come across a client you feel as if you dislike?
First, take a minute and ask yourself what is it about the client you don't like? Is it who they are, their attitude, life choices? Are they treating you with disrespect? Do they remind you of someone? An ex? A friend who annoys you. Your dad? Where is the resistance coming from? Always look inward first.
Then once you understand why you feel as if you don't like this person, ask yourself if you can look beyond it. Maybe you need to process it with your own therapist or life coach? Remember, leaning into and exploring people who give you resistance can be rich soil for growth. Or maybe you're not at a place where you want to take this on. That's completely okay. Don't put pressure on yourself just because you're a life coach. You should do what you feel is best and fair for the client. And if you're not in a place to open this can, don't. Refer them to someone else.
Quick story.
I had a client whose wife was a victim of assault. He trusted me and was completely transparent which I appreciated but he confessed that he felt like it was kinda her fault. It was really difficult for me to hear that or understand that point of view. He also had a lot of angry energy which is a huge trigger for me. I could have explored my resistance and worked through it I'm sure. He wasn't a bad person. He was hurting. But I wasn't in a place in my life to process and work through this. And that was okay. So I referred him to someone who I thought could help him more than me. I didn't tie my value as a therapist / life coach to this or situation or my unwillingness to work through this. That being said, if you have a pattern of not wanting to work through your resistance with clients, then that's something you should look at closely.
Instead of having fear of difficult sessions, know that they come with the journey of coaching. They're inescapable. But they are gold to learn and grow from.
Happy coaching.
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- Click to find out more about the Catalyst Life Coaching Intensive run by myself and Noelle Cordeaux.
