The Starting Point of a Session
Important things happen during a coaching session: awareness expands, perspectives shift, and commitments are made. But change doesn’t happen during the session—it happens afterward.
This distinction is critical. Having a good session but leaving the time between sessions unused seriously limits the impact of coaching.
Research shows that clients who practice between sessions make much faster progress. The process isn’t just one hour a week; it’s a continuous cycle of awareness and practice.
The First Thing to Do After the Session
Immediately after the session ends, take two minutes: What was noticed? What was the commitment? Were notes taken?
Making this brief note after the session prevents the “what did we talk about?” gap three days later. And it reinforces awareness—notes written while the experience is still fresh leave a much stronger impression.
Three Practices Between Sessions
1. Follow Through on Your Commitment What was committed to during the session? If this step is concrete—such as “I’ll give that presentation on Monday” or “I’ll dedicate 15 minutes a day to that project this week”—simply scheduling it on your calendar is enough. If it’s not concrete, it’s worth clarifying a bit more.
2. Brief Reflection Twice a week, for five minutes. Questions: How did my commitment go? What was challenging? What did I observe in myself? These observations become invaluable raw material for the next session.
3. Carry the Coach’s Question Forward Some sessions end with a question: “You can spend this week reflecting on this question.” Remembering this question once a day—over morning coffee, while walking—generates far more insight than the session itself.
Reaching Out to Your Coach Between Sessions
This varies by coach. Some coaches are available via text or email; others are not. Asking during the first session clarifies the policy.
If an urgent need to talk arises, letting your coach know—rather than saving it for the next session—is often the best approach.
Cevvela’s Perspective
- Clients who practice between sessions show much faster progress—the session serves as a starting point, and the real change happens in between.
- A two-minute post-session note: reinforces insights and provides material for the next session.
- Making the commitment concrete, practicing brief reflection, and carrying over the coach’s question are three key tools for between sessions.
- Asking about the between-session access policy during the first meeting makes managing expectations easier.
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