# 26 Lessons for New Coaches and Therapists ##### The advice we wish someone had given us when we were starting out (from those who've been there)  --- A few years ago, I asked therapists and coaches what advice they’d give to someone just starting out in the industry. And after collaborating *(and throwing in my own two pence)*, here’s what we came up with. Massive thanks to everyone who shared their wisdom. You’re absolute legends! So, if you’re a new coach or therapist *(or thinking about becoming one)*, here’s a list of advice to help you get started. *They’re definitely things I wish I’d known when I started out.* --- ##### 1. Listen to your clients. I mean, really *listen*. Don’t just ‘hear’ them. Pay attention to what they’re not saying out loud but still need you to understand. ##### 2. Be sure to enjoy what you do. If you enjoy what you do, you will never work a day in your life. ##### 3. Stay curious. Never stop learning. Always be a white belt. *You’ll never know it all – and that’s a good thing.* ##### 4. Find your thing and do it well. You don’t need a million skills or qualifications. Sometimes, less is more. Find your thing. Specialise in it. And get really bloody good at it. ##### 5. Follow your joy. What you’re passionate about now might change over time. *That’s okay.* Roll with it. Follow what brings you joy. ##### 6. Never judge. Meet every client with curiosity. Not judgement. Always. ##### 7. Trust your clients. They know themselves better than you or anyone else ever can. Help them believe that too. *Facilitate their self-learning.* ##### 8. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know. If a client mentions something you’ve never heard of, ask about it. *Get curious.* They’ll appreciate your honesty and effort to understand *their* experience. ##### 9. Be true to yourself. Know what feels right for you and what doesn’t. It’s okay to change your mind. *Trust your gut.* ##### 10. Learn from those who’ve done it. Everyone’s an expert these days. Trust in those that live it every day. ##### 11. Put in the time. There are no shortcuts to experience. Show up. Learn. Grow. ##### 12. Be patient. Don’t stress about lack of clients to begin with. *Have patience.* They will come. Trust the process. ##### 13. Treat every client like they’re your first of the day. Even if you’ve seen ten already. Each client deserves to be treated with your *full* attention and enthusiasm. If you can’t, it’s time to scale back. Quality matters more than quantity. ##### 14. Keep it simple. We all love to overcomplicate things, but… *Simple works. Always.* ##### 15. Understand your why. Why do you do what you do? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What drives you to want to help people feel or move better? Knowing your why will keep you going when things get tough. ##### 16. Invest in your education. Spend as much as you can afford on learning. *Make sure it’s practical, not just a fancy certificate.* ##### 17. Challenge everything. Question everything. Then question and challenge again. Never stop. If something doesn’t sit right with you, dig deeper. Learn to trust your instincts. Research what you don’t know. Take everything with a grain of salt. There is as much good advice as there is bad. Take it all in. *And learn from it.* ##### 18. Be authentic. Don’t trade your authenticity for approval. You are what makes your work unique. Own that. You might do the same treatments or therapies as someone else. Yet it is what *you* bring to your work that is most important. ##### 19. Remember – you are your business. No one else can do what you do because no one else is *you*. Forget the competition. There isn’t any. Learn to sell what *you* have. Not what you think people want. ##### 20. Embrace mistakes. You’re going to mess up. *It’s part of the process.* Embrace them. The more mistakes you make, the more you grow. Learn from it. Adapt. And move forward. ##### 21. Learn from your elders. There’s nothing like experience. *But remember:* Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add what is specifically your own. ##### 22. Work on yourself as much as your skills. Your personal growth is just as important as professional development. Coaches need coaching too. This really is non-negotiable. *Or at least it should be.* ##### 23. Make a list. Feeling overwhelmed? Write down what you need to do. Then break each task into tiny, manageable steps. Start small. Keep moving. ##### 24. Look after yourself. As a new therapist/coach, you think you have to take *everything* that comes your way. You don’t. Set boundaries early. Learn to say no. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first. ##### 25. Don’t compare your Day 1 to someone else’s Day 100. It’s easy to get lost comparing ourselves to those who have been in the business a lot longer than we have. *Never compare yourself to anyone.* Focus on *your* journey. ##### 26. Treat everyone like they could change your life. You never know who you are talking to. *They could just be the gatekeeper to your destiny.* --- ## There you have it... 26 little nuggets of wisdom for anyone starting out. *Remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.* And the more you show up as *you*, the better your clients (and business) will thrive. --- ## Special thanks goes to… Tanja Foy • Lisa Rowley • Jason Croucher • Samantha Dean • Rory French • Louise Huntley • Huw Buckley • Louise Clancy • Tracy Swindell • Rachel France • Julie Makarewicz • Sharyn Doris Oldman • Laura Inglis • Kirstie Wilton • Sarah Melton-Whitelam • Stevie Barr • Senae Mitchell • Martin Meredith • Jessica Cajka • Mairi Taylor • Nick Lingard • Melanie Jones • Helen Vickers • Debbie Ross • Sally Sisson • Fiona Higgs • Caroline Toshack • Susie Cubitt Cooper • Jeni Broughton