My Transformational Coaching Method | Clarity, Mindset & Action

Hello there! Nice to e-meet you! I’m Lauren, and if you’re reading this post right now, it’s probably because you’re interested in learning more about the wonderful world of transformational coaching!

Well, I’m so happy you’re here and even happier that you’re taking small steps towards transforming your life!

This post will be helpful for:

• Anyone out there interested in learning more about what I do as a coach, and how I can help you transform your mindset and design the life you desire
• Anyone interested in becoming a transformational coach, and who wants to learn more about the transformational coaching methodology
• Coaches who are looking for ways to implement transformational coaching techniques into their own coaching practices

I’ve structured this post in the form of a Q&A to answer some of the most common questions I get about coaching. You can hop around to any specific questions you have using the table of contents below, and if you’d like to learn more or discuss the possibility of working together, you can book a free 30-minute call here.

And, if you have any follow up questions, don’t hesitate to shoot me an email at lauren@laurenonlocation.com I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have!

So, let’s get started!

What is transformational coaching?

To understand the methodology behind transformational coaching, I think it’s first important to fully understand the word “transformation.” So, I’ll go ahead and let the Merriam-Webster Dictionary define it for you. According to the word experts, a transformation is a change in composition, structure, or character. A “metamorphosis” of sorts.

Yeah yeah, I know .. “Lauren, enough with the complicated jargon. Get to the point.”

Well, the reason I like to start with the basic definition of a “transformation” is to emphasize that our work together will bring about radical, lasting changes in your life. We dig deep, below all the surface-level stuff, to truly transform your deep-rooted thoughts, beliefs, and way of being.

Transformational coaching is the “vehicle” that gets you to where you want to go.

It’s all about the long-haul. Together, we embark on a powerful journey of self-discovery and exploration to help you become more self-aware. This process allows us to uncover your true “why,” or your purpose, and then we co-create a detailed plan to make sure your goals, actions, and beliefs are aligned with that purpose.

What’s your role as my transformational coach?

If transformational coaching is the “vehicle,” you can think of me as your guide. You’re in the driver’s seat. I’m simply the “GPS” helping you navigate any roadblocks, and bringing you back on track after any detours in your journey. I’m here to accompany you and keep you moving ahead, even when there are bumps in the road.

Ok… did I take the metaphor too far? ?

Anyway, as your transformational coach, you can think of me as a guide and an unbiased brainstorming buddy who is here to empower you throughout your journey. I’ll provide ongoing accountability and support through the transformation process and help keep you on track and moving forward. Together we will also navigate any obstacles or challenges that arise.

What I do as a coach is all about you. The coaching experience is customized to each individual person I work with and fully depends on your specific situation and what you want to get out of our time together.

Whatever your unique goals are, we’ll work on rewiring any negative thought-patterns and breaking through any limiting beliefs holding you back. We’ll uncover what’s truly standing in the way of your ambitions and figure out what it’s going to take to get you to where you want to be.

Our work together is a beautiful balance of alignment and accountability.

My Signature CMA Transformational Coaching Method.

Through years of experience working with clients all over the world, I have established a simple and effective transformational coaching process to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.

My signature CMA Coaching Method rests on the three pillars of Clarity, Mindset, and Action.

Rather than a one-size-fits-all solution, together we will work through a custom plan fit that fits your unique needs and focuses on these core areas to help you not only figure out exactly what you want and where you want to go, but also start taking the steps to get there.

How does your transformational coaching method work?

My ultimate goal through transformational coaching is to empower you with the confidence to trust yourself, follow your intuition, and look within to find your solutions moving forward.

As I mentioned earlier, we’ll first work on clarifying your “why,” and then identify any roadblocks, internal and external, keeping you from the life you desire to create. We map out your next steps and move forward with intentional actions to create a shift in your “being.”

And, that brings me to a few important concepts that we will focus on together:

“Being” vs. “Doing”

In coach training, we learn the difference in “Being” vs. “Doing.”

You can think of “doing,” in simple terms, as the actions you take. It’s quite literally what you do. Doing encompasses the decisions you make, as well as your habits, routines, and behaviors.

“Being,” on the other hand, is who you are. It’s what you find underneath all the doing. This includes your values, thought patterns, beliefs, stories, and assumptions. This part of you has usually been learned from others and conditioned throughout your life.

Transformational coaching is focused on creating shifts in your being. It’s the work at this deeper level that creates lasting change. Your actions will then follow and align with your new state of being.

Self-Awareness

In order to create shifts in your being, it’s necessary to first work on becoming more self-aware. This is where the journey of self-discovery and self-exploration come in.

Who are you really? What are your values and beliefs? What’s important to you, and what internal factors are holding you back?

Understanding yourself and your personal answers to the above questions will give us a foundation to work on moving forward.

Stories and Storytelling

Stories are your personal narrative or context. They are how you think, and how you interpret and create meaning around your experiences. Our “stories” are usually things we pick up over the course of our lives and begin to accept as “fact.” They are greatly influenced by our environment and those around us like family, friends, peers, bosses, and co-workers.

We tell ourselves stories all the time, and these stories impact how we think, feel, see ourselves, and even how we related to others. They play a crucial role in our lives, who we are, and what we do.

An example of a few stories I used to tell myself: 

• “Climbing the corporate ladder is the only way to live a successful life.”
• “Making money is hard. Being financially stable means working late nights and putting work above all else.”
• “As an American, it’s impossible to live in Spain long term.”

Until we identify the stories we’re living in, it’s impossible to rewrite them.

We constantly think and live within our stories. We often move forward with life based on these set narratives that we tell ourselves. BUT it turns out that we have the power to choose which stories to tell ourselves. AND if our stories are no longer serving us, we can swap the script for a more empowering one. That’s where transformational coaching comes in!

Limiting Beliefs

Our limiting beliefs are directly related to our stories ⬆⬆

Limiting beliefs are those stories that we choose to believe as our truth. We accept these beliefs as fact and use them to convince ourselves that certain things aren’t possible. These limiting beliefs are any judgments, experiences, doubts, feelings, and fears that we use to justify why something won’t work.

When we allow our limiting beliefs to influence our decisions, we are holding ourselves back from achieving what is really possible.

Negative Thought Patterns

Unlike your limiting beliefs (above), negative thinking patterns or negative feedback loops aren’t a constant. Rather, they tend to pop up when you are faced with an obstacle, challenge, or stressful situation and only further reinforce your limiting beliefs.

Over time, these nagging thoughts become a habit and we may not even realize that we’re responding negatively to outside stimuli. This is our mind’s attempt to maintain safety during uncertainty and a natural defense mechanism.

Through transformational coaching, we work on first consciously recognizing these thought patterns, and then rewiring them and replacing them with something more positive and empowering.

Our Transformational Coaching Partnership

You may have noticed that I’ve used lots of words like “together” and “co-create” throughout this blog post. 

 Well, as I mentioned earlier, as the coaching client, you are in the driver’s seat. 

One of my core beliefs is that you are the only one that knows what’s best for you. You are the expert of your own life.

As a coach, I’m here to guide you, keep you on track, and open your mind to new ways of thinking and different perspectives. I’ll also provide powerful reflections and constructive feedback when appropriate. BUT, throughout the whole process you are in control.

Our work together puts the power back in your hands.

Our coaching sessions are a safe space for you to think, open up, and be more intentional about your goals and actions.

It’s not my role to tell you exactly what to do or to provide all the answers. What I am here to do is to ask you thought-provoking questions and help you dig deep to uncover your answers and solutions inside yourself. I’ll point out any limiting beliefs and negative thought patterns that I’m hearing and help you see where you’re thinking is stuck or holding you back.

At its core, coaching is a collaborative relationship. I see you as an equal partner in our journey together.

What is the difference between a life coach and a transformative coach?

While transformational or transformative coaching does follow a specific methodology and coaching technique, it is also a type of life coaching. Actually, it’s often referred to as “Transformational Life Coaching.”

In general, the purpose of life coaching is to help clients discover, clarify, and achieve their goals. Coaching is a vehicle that provides forward momentum for effectiveness, personal development, and growth. There are all different types of coaches, approaches, and strategies to do this.

What sets my transformational approach apart is that rather than focusing on simply changing your actions and behaviors, we’ll work on creating lasting shifts in your “being” (explained above) and your mindset. I believe that better self-awareness is the first step in making meaningful shifts in behaviors and habits.

Many times this involves focusing on your self-image and perception, becoming aware of your strengths and weaknesses, uncovering “stories,” breaking up negative thought-patterns, and rewiring limiting beliefs.

Gaining self-awareness allows you to become the most empowered and authentic version of yourself.

Instead of chalking your situation up to “well, that’s just the way things are” or “I can’t help it. It’s out of my hands,” we’ll work together to take your power back and take back control of your life. You’ll be able to take personal responsibility for yourself and your situation, and also recognize how your way of being and unique set of values and beliefs contribute to your overall wellness, effectiveness, and level of happiness.

Transformational coaches focus on nailing down what makes up the person you are today and also who it is that you desire to become. Once we’ve got that figured out, we work together to bridge the gap.

What are your qualifications to be a transformational life coach?

I am a certified Life Coach and credentialed Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaches Federation. As an Associate Certified Coach, I am versed in and uphold the ICF’s Golden Standard and Code of Ethics. I have completed an Accredited Coach Training Program, completed a live performance review, and passed the ICF’s Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA).

I’ve also studied both the confidence coaching and transformational coaching model created by Joeel and Natalie Rivera of The Transformation Academy.

With 350+ (at the time of writing this) hours of professional coaching experience, I work online with clients from around the world, spanning three continents.

I take my coaching practice very seriously, and I’m very passionate about “walking my talk.” I actively and consistently seeking out learning and growth opportunities, work with my own coaches, and participate in workshops and seminars to sharpen my skills.

It is still not legally required to have any formal education or training to call yourself a “coach.”  Still, it was very important to me to get both certified and credentialed in order to confidently and effectively serve my coaching clients.

How does your transformational coaching method tie into travel and life abroad?

One of my core beliefs as a coach is: “You are the sum of the experiences you collect. Opening the door to new perspectives promotes personal growth and accelerates transformation.

While international travel or moving abroad is by no means 100% necessary to reach the kind of transformation I’ve outlined above [and I’ve worked with plenty of people who aren’t “travelers” or expats” and have still seen great results!], I do truly believe that getting a change of scenery will not only facilitate but so accelerate your transformation process.

Stepping outside of your usual circumstances comes with all kinds of benefits like allowing space to think, learn, and experiment with your identity. Traveling to a new city or living in a new country opens your mind to new perspectives and completely different ways of living. You will be humbled, challenged, and get a unique opportunity to see where you come from with an outsider’s eyes. You may even discover parts of yourself that you didn’t know existed.

Away from home, you’ll have a blank slate, and can be whoever you want to be. It’s the perfect environment for personal growth and self-exploration.

All that being said, similar transformations can be achieved without packing up your things and relocating halfway across the globe! You are the only one who can decide what is right for you, based on your own personal goals and ambitions. The reason I tend to focus on international experiences is that they have been a big part of my own personal journey!

Interested in learning more and seeing if transformational coaching is right for you?

Click below 👇 to schedule a free consultation, or shoot me an email at lauren@laurenonlocation.com with any follow up questions.