The Blog

Why I became a Co-Active® Coach

co-active coaching Apr 14, 2022
...And how it led me to create my business 

 

Pause.

 

Before I get into it, I want to pause here because many people don't exactly know what coaching is. Admittedly, neither did I until two years ago. On top of the confusion, there is a lot of stigma out there, "ohh are you a life coach"?  We've all seen or heard of "life coaching" on TV or in media and it's usually the butt of a joke. Coaching as a whole, can be unregulated, which adds to the confusion and misconceptions. When I experienced actual coaching myself, I was made aware of the power, ingenuity and need for it in our workplaces, homes and communities. 

 

So what is a coach? 

 

Coaching lives in the present moment and aims to move the client forward into the future they want, while holding them accountable to it. A coach knows the client is creative, resourceful and whole, and holds the client as the expert of their own life. Through the use of powerful questions, active listening, intuition and techniques a coach will bring to light the clients needs, goals, blocks and future state dreams. Coaching takes place in a one-on-one environment (virtual or in-person), contains a coaching agreement, designed alliance (how the coach and client agree to work together) and a big agenda (what does the client wants, their big goals). In each coaching session, the client is responsible for the topic and focus. A coaching session usually lasts 45-60 minutes and a contract usually lasts a minimum of 3 months (meeting every 2/3 weeks) and can be as long as 12 months. 

 

Who can be coached? Anyone. Coaching can be for anyone in any circumstance of life, with any topic. Coaching is utilized to help process the wisdom you already have inside, bring it to light and create actionable items to make it a reality. With this, clients can come as they are. Some typically coaching topics: Career change, leadership changes, big goals, a life change, blocks in progress. 

 

A couple distinctions: a coach is not a consultant, consultants give advice based on their option. Coaching is not counselling. Counselling is a healing therapy that is looking for a diagnosis and works in the past and present. 

 

My Why

 

As long as can remember, I was asking people powerful questions. Ask anyone. Whether we were sitting by a campfire at a 30th birthday party or I was eight years old wanting to understand the deeper parts of my parents - I wanted to know.

What I didn’t realize at the time, was that I was coaching. I was deeply curious about other people, their inspirations and passions. I wanted to know what challenge them and kept them up at night. 

So for the past 6 years, after obtaining my bachelors degree in Business Management, I have been working with leaders and executives in organizations - primarily in a group facilitation sense in leadership development capacities. I coach leaders on team effectiveness, self- awareness work and goal setting. It's been an pleasure and joy. And through this work, I became interested in one-on-one coaching. 

In 2019 after Arlen was born, a new phase of my life began. I would call it ‘transformation after trauma’. I was made aware of so many parts to myself that I didn’t know existed or hadn’t accepted yet. It was raw, visceral and lonely. It was also incredibly beautiful, inspiring and connected me to the parts of myself I only dreamed of. 

At this time, I was connected with a coach. She was real and open and I watched her magically transform a room full of people into inspiration. She didn’t do it with a speech or presentation, she did it by opening peoples minds. I was hooked, what was this? 

Coaching now had a name. 

 

Enter Co-active Coaching 

 

In January 2022 I "virtually" arrived at the Co-Active Coaching Institute (CTI). Co-active coaching means “being in movement together”. There’s a heavy emphasis on being and doing. How are we showing up and what are we doing as we show up. 

Co-Active Professional Coach Training is widely recognized as the most rigorous professional coach training and certification program in the industry. As the largest and most established professional coach training organization in the world, CTI has trained over 65,000 coaches, including employees in more than a third of the Fortune 100 companies. Co-Active Training Institute has 30 years of expertise and 62,000 trained coaches doing changing work for our communities. With the booming coaching industry, it was important that I received the top notch education with the most credible institution and that's what I found at CTI. 

 

The Co-Active Method

 

The Co-Active coach training takes places over 5 modules, equaling 103 hours of learning and practice in a classroom environment. Each consecutive course became more elaborate and focused on the 3 foundations: Fulfillment, Balance and Process coaching. The concepts became concrete, yet fluid as the blended together in synergy. I witnessed a complete transformation in my cohort and myself. The experience would easily be in my top three most transformational experiences of my life.

Graduating on Sunday April 2022 from the co-active coaching Institute created the fire in me to take the leap. I knew it was now time to start my business. 

 

Whats Next.. My Business Launch (HOORAY!)

 

Once my co-active training was completed in April, the next step is certification. Certification takes place over a 6 month period and requires relationship with clients. Thus beings my journey, (dun-dun-daaa) launching my coaching business! HOORAY! Courtney Marchment Coaching is born. With my launch I am committed to creating a business that wholeheartedly supports and is in service of my clients. I am committed to learning and growing in this next adventure, knowing it will be challenging and life-changing. 

I am offering one-on-one coaching and team effectiveness.

If you have any questions about becoming a coach or hiring a coach, don’t hesitate to comment or reach out to me directly.