The two main reasons why coaching in person, face-to-face, is the preferred format compared to coaching online are:
- In a face-to-face meeting I get a better sense of who you are and where you are at, since in a face-to-face meeting you are present as a whole person. Communication takes place on so many different levels; words, tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, eye movements, etc. And regardless of how exquisite modern technology is, it still can’t convey the full scope of all of those communication components. So, meeting in person helps me understand you better, e.g. in regards to your self-awareness, your strengths, your difficulties, and also your emotional-psychological state.
- Equally, because I am also present as a whole person, you probably get a better sense of who I am, where I am at, and how well I understand you, when we meet in person. Meeting in online consultations or telephone consultations simply isn’t quite the same.
Nevertheless, there are times when face-to-face meetings in person are simply not feasible…
You may consider online coaching or phone coaching…
if you live in a remote area, or live too far from my office to be able to attend in person;
or if your circumstances prevent you from seeing me in person;
or if you don’t feel that you are quite ready yet for meeting in person;
or if you simply don’t feel the need for face-to-face coaching;
or for other reasons of your own.
If you are unsure whether what suits you best are face-to-face meetings in person with me, or coaching online (or over the phone), the best thing to do is to contact me now! Then we can have a chat about it, and together work out what will be best for you in your situation.
If you are already sure that you want to do online coaching, or perhaps telephone coaching, but you want to know more details first, then you can read more below.
Note: If you are suffering from serious mental health illness, Personal Life Coaching online or phone would most likely not be an appropriate option for you. If this is the case, you are recommended to consider seeing me for personal counselling & psychotherapy as a first step.
My approach to Life Coaching Online & Relationship Coaching Online
The fundamental principles of my approach to Online Life Coaching are the same as when I provide Life Coaching in face-to-face meetings. So, even if you are considering Personal Life Coaching Online (or over the phone), it may be useful for you to read a little bit about my approach on these pages: Personal Life Coaching & Meaningful Life Coaching.
Similarly, if you are considering Online Relationship Coaching (or over the phone), you may want to read this page: Relationship Coaching first.
Whether you want to do online consultations or phone consultations, the process begins with the same first step. You contact me by phone or email, and let me know a little bit about yourself and about what you would like me to assist you with, as well as ask any questions that you may have about the process. Once we have established that we understand each other, and will be able to work well together, we schedule a time that is suitable to us both for your first actual appointment.
If you have a device (computer, tablet, or smart phone) with a microphone, speakers and camera, and that can be connected to the internet, then we can meet via Skype, or if you have an Apple device, via FaceTime. Doing online consultations via Skype or FaceTime is always the preferred option if we can’t meet in person, since it at least allows us to see each other, not only to hear each other’s voices. But if you don’t have a suitable device for doing online coaching, phone coaching can also work quite well.
Payments for online and telephone consultations are always made in advance, typically via PayPal secure online payments system. But if you prefer, you can pay either with a cheque or with a money order that you send in the mail – as long as it reaches me before your session.
If you have questions about how any of this works, or if you simply want to go ahead and schedule your first appointment, don’t delay – contact me today!
Please notice:
My services are governed by the ethical standards of my professional associations;
Gestalt Australia & New Zealand (GANZ); Clinical Member (Reg. C568)
Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA); Clinical Registrant & Accredited Supervisor (Reg. Clinical 21665)
Nevertheless, telephone and online consultations are NOT available to clients residing in the USA or Canada, due to prohibitive legal limitations in current professional indemnity insurance policies.