Fiona Reed

Fiona Reed Associates
www.fionareed.com

Coaching, for me, began 20 years ago with Dundee University Centre for Continuing Education working one to one with women returning to work and people leaving the Royal Air Force for civilian life. Later, in the early 90s, I ran coaching skills training for managers in B & Q and facilitated coaching groups (Action Learning Sets) for middle managers in the whisky industry. I now have a coaching practice of between 18 and 25 clients.

My training and facilitation work has grown concurrently and I have worked independently as well as for a management consultancy, designing and delivering management development programmes for all levels in the voluntary, public, and business sectors.

I have a BA (Hons) and MSc and trained with Eigenwelt studies (Newcastle-upon-Tyne), in counselling and group work, I have also done two years in the Foundations of Gestalt (psychotherapy) practice.

I am in my forties, based in rural Cumbria, and am a wife, mother, and step-mother.

I use nothing fancy - believing that coaching is about a good rapport rather than any specific method. I use brainstorming, pros and cons lists, forms to help identify top needs and values and life purpose, tasks between sessions, a bit of role play, some assertiveness techniques etc - but all these are second to the relationship we build up as client and coach and work with what seems appropriate in the moment.

In keeping with my values - I endeavour to combine honesty with courage and compassion to ensure that I take risks in the way I challenge clients and encourage them to take risks and push the boundaries of what they thought possible. It is pointless, in my view, to coach by pushing clients hard, without combining this with compassion as once a client is resistant, progress will stop. Eliciting motivation is key and that is done by working with compassion and courage together.

I consider professionalism to be important and clients will learn fast that I will deliver what I promise. The best way to find out more about my style is to have a complimentary session and see if it appeals to you.