![A loft studio with a whiteboard sketch of a route and a window onto open hills](https://viacara.com/img/content/approaches-coaching-feature-light.webp)

# Coaching

Learn how coaching works, what the main coaching styles are, how it differs from therapy and how to tell whether a coach is the right person for you.

## What is *coaching*?

Coaching is built around a goal you choose. A coach helps you get clear on what you want, what stands in the way and the next step. The focus is forward.

Coaching is not therapy

Coaching has a developmental focus. It works on goals, change and action, not on understanding the past or recovering from trauma. A coach does not treat, diagnose or cure a mental health condition.

If your mental health is the problem, a therapist or counsellor is the right place to start. [How to find the right professional](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/).

The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy draws the line. Counselling is reparative: it works to resolve emotional conflict. Coaching is developmental, working on behaviour and what you do next.

That difference shapes the rest of this page. If you want to understand why you feel the way you do, a therapist is the right place to start. If you know roughly where you want to go, a coach may be.

Source: [BACP: coaching](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-1)

## How it *works*

Most coaching runs as a series of conversations, often six to twelve, each about an hour. The coach asks questions rather than giving answers. You do most of the talking, and you leave with something to do before the next.

The focus of *coaching*

- **The client's goal** The coach helps the client name what they want to work towards.
- **Room to think** The coach asks questions. The client looks at what they could do.
- **Action and learning** Client and coach discuss actions and what the client learns from them.

Coaching focuses on growth and action. Counselling can work with painful feelings and inner conflict. The roles have different limits.

A coach will not tell you what your goal should be. They will hold you to the one you set, and when you slip they ask what got in the way. Between sessions, the work is yours.

Coaching can happen in person, by video or by phone. Many coaches work with people across the country, so where you live matters less than it might.

Sources: [ICF: core competencies](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-2), [BACP: coaching](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-1)

## The main coaching *styles*

Coaches train in different traditions, and the label tells you something about how the conversations will feel.

Where coaching styles place their *focus*

- **GROW** The coach asks about goals, life now, choices and next steps.
- **Co-active** The coach works with the whole person and the bond they build together.
- **Ontological** The coach explores links between words, feelings and the body.
- **Somatic** The client notices how their body responds. They practise new ways to move and act.
- **Strengths-based** The coach explores what the client does well and how they could use it.

These styles focus on different parts of the work. They are ways to coach, not levels of training.

- **GROW coaching.** A structured model with four steps: goal, current reality, options and what you will do. Practical and short-term, with a clear plan at the end of each session
- **Co-active coaching.** Starts from the idea that you are creative, resourceful and whole. The coach works alongside you on your whole life, not one task, and uses the relationship itself as the tool
- **Ontological coaching.** Works on how you see yourself and the world, through language, mood and the body. Suits a change of identity, such as stepping into leadership, more than a single fixed goal
- **Somatic coaching.** Pays attention to what your body does under pressure. New responses are practised physically as well as in conversation
- **Strengths-based coaching.** Starts from what you already do well and builds the plan around it, rather than fixing weaknesses

Many coaches blend two or more of these. The question to ask is which one they lean on, and why.

Sources: [Performance Consultants: GROW model](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-22), [Co-Active: overview](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-23), [Newfield: ontological coaching](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-24), [Strozzi Institute: pathways](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-25), [van Zyl et al. 2020](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-7), [Whitmore 2017](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-3), [Kimsey-House et al. 2018](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-4), [Strozzi-Heckler 2014](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-5), [Linley 2008](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-6)

![The whiteboard seen from the chair, with the first step of the route circled](https://viacara.com/img/content/approaches-coaching-mid-light.webp)

Coaching starts from where you want to be and works back to the next step

## Positive psychology coaching

Positive psychology studies wellbeing and the conditions in which people do well. Positive psychology coaching brings that research into the coaching room.

Strengths within *coaching*

- **Personal strengths** The coach helps the client name their strengths and the support they have.
- **Chosen goals** They connect the work with what the client wants to achieve.
- **Ways to use strengths** They explore how the client could use those strengths in daily life.

This work draws on research into strengths and wellbeing. Coaches do not all use the same steps or tools.

One review describes it as short to medium term work on your own strengths and resources. The same review found no agreed definition of the term.

Two frameworks come up again and again. Martin Seligman's PERMA names five parts of wellbeing: positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment.

The VIA classification sorts 24 character strengths under six virtues. Its publisher says the survey shows what is strong, not what is wrong.

An early meta-analysis of positive psychology exercises reported moderate gains in wellbeing. A 2019 re-analysis corrected those studies for small-sample bias.

It found the gain in wellbeing small, and much smaller than first reported.

A review of workplace coaching pooled twenty studies. No single framework beat the others, and coaches who blended frameworks did no worse.

In Britain, the University of East London runs a master's degree in applied positive psychology. The British Psychological Society runs a Division of Coaching Psychology.

Its forerunner began in 2002, in response to concerns about poorly trained coaches.

Sources: [van Zyl et al. 2020](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-7), [Butler & Kern 2016](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-8), [VIA Institute: character strengths](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-9), [Sin & Lyubomirsky 2009](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-10), [White et al. 2019](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-11), [Wang et al. 2022](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-12), [UEL: applied positive psychology](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-13), [BPS: coaching psychology](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-14)

## *Neuro-linguistic* programming

Richard Bandler and John Grinder built neuro-linguistic programming in the early 1970s. They studied communicators they judged effective, among them Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir and Milton Erickson.

What NLP calls *patterns*

- **Thinking and meaning** The professional explores how the client makes sense of what happens to them.
- **Language and behaviour** They look at how the client uses words and acts in different settings.
- **Modelling** They explore patterns in how other people think, speak and act.

ANLP describes these methods; that does not prove they work. An NLP award alone does not qualify its holder as a therapist.

NLP is a set of techniques, not a therapy. Its professional body says an NLP practitioner is not automatically a therapist.

The same body says NLP and coaching are not the same thing. Many coaches use it as one tool among several.

One of its best known models says each of us leans on one sense: sight, sound or feel. NLP holds that words land better when they fit that channel.

The research base is small, and independent reviewers have not been kind to it. A critical review in the British Psychological Society's coaching journal found unique NLP practices poorly supported by research.

Its authors found no randomised controlled trial in the coaching literature they searched. That issue was built as a debate, and a paper arguing the case for NLP ran beside it.

A review of health research reached a similar verdict. Its authors added that this reflects thin research rather than proof of no effect.

One meta-analysis reports a pooled effect in NLP's favour. Its authors practise neuro-linguistic psychotherapy, and it pooled twelve mostly observational studies.

No law regulates NLP practitioners in Britain. Its own professional body says NLP is not a state-regulated profession.

One route does reach a recognised register. A neuro-linguistic psychotherapist accredited through the NLPtCA joins the UK Council for Psychotherapy register.

The Professional Standards Authority accredits that register. An NLP certificate on its own does not put anyone on it.

NLP's own professional body asks practitioners to avoid overstated claims. It says NLP should not stand in place of medical, psychological or psychiatric support.

Ask a coach who offers NLP what they use it for, and what they do not.

Sources: [ANLP: NLP FAQs](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-15), [Passmore & Rowson 2019](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-18), [Sturt et al. 2012](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-17), [Zaharia et al. 2015](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-19), [ANLP: what we don't do](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-16), [NLPtCA: about](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-20), [PSA: UKCP register](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-21)

## Who is it best *suited* to?

Coaching tends to fit when you:

- Have a change in mind and want help making it stick
- Are moving between roles, careers or stages of life
- Keep putting something off and want a steady push
- Want to lead, present or perform with more confidence
- Feel well enough to act, and want a plan rather than a place to unpack

It works best when your energy and your mood can carry the work between sessions. If they cannot right now, that is a signal in itself, and the next section is for you.

## What to look for in a *coach*

No law in the UK controls who can call themselves a coach. Anyone can use the title. That makes the coach's own accreditation the thing to check.

ViaCara accepts coaches accredited by the International Coaching Federation. A coach with another accreditation can register it, and we verify it before clients see them. Ask which body they belong to, and at what level.

Ask how they work and what a typical engagement looks like. Ask what they do if you bring something coaching is not built for. A coach who answers that last question well is one who knows their limits.

## When coaching is *not* the right fit

Coaching is not designed to work on the past, on trauma or on a mental health condition. Some coaches do specialise in working alongside people with mental health problems. The coaching itself still stays on goals and action.

If low mood, anxiety or something that happened is what stops you moving, start with a therapist or counsellor. A [person-centred therapist](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/) gives you space to explore without an agenda. Structured and practical [CBT](https://viacara.com/approaches/cbt/) is built for anxiety and low mood in a way coaching is not.

If you are at risk right now, [crisis support](https://viacara.com/crisis/) comes first. Coaching can wait, and a good coach will say so.

Not sure which you need? Our guide to [therapy, coaching or hypnotherapy](https://viacara.com/guides/therapy-coaching-or-hypnotherapy/) sets the three side by side.

Source: [BACP: coaching](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#ref-1)

On this page

[What is coaching?](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#what-is-coaching) [How it works](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#how-it-works) [The main coaching styles](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#the-main-coaching-styles) [Positive psychology coaching](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#positive-psychology) [Neuro-linguistic programming](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#nlp) [Who is it best suited to?](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#who-is-it-best-suited-to) [What to look for in a coach](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#what-to-look-for-in-a-coach) [When coaching is not the right fit](https://viacara.com/approaches/coaching/#when-coaching-is-not-the-right-fit)

Related

[Therapy, Coaching or Hypnotherapy?](https://viacara.com/guides/therapy-coaching-or-hypnotherapy/) [Understanding Different Approaches](https://viacara.com/guides/understanding-approaches/) [Finding the Right Support](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/) [Person-Centred Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/) [Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)](https://viacara.com/approaches/cbt/) [Burnout at Work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/) [Work and Career](https://viacara.com/support/work-and-career/)

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## References

1. British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (2024). *Coaching*. [bacp.co.uk](https://www.bacp.co.uk/about-therapy/types-of-therapy/coaching/)
2. International Coaching Federation (2019). *ICF Core Competencies*. [coachingfederation.org](https://coachingfederation.org/credentials-and-standards/core-competencies)
3. Whitmore, J. (2017). *Coaching for Performance: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership (5th edition)*. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. [openlibrary.org](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL28630210M)
4. Kimsey-House, H., Kimsey-House, K., Sandahl, P. & Whitworth, L. (2018). *Co-Active Coaching: The Proven Framework for Transformative Conversations at Work and in Life (4th edition)*. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. [openlibrary.org](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL26959754M)
5. Strozzi-Heckler, R. (2014). *The Art of Somatic Coaching: Embodying Skillful Action, Wisdom, and Compassion*. North Atlantic Books. [openlibrary.org](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL17582230W)
6. Linley, P. A. (2008). *Average to A+: Realising Strengths in Yourself and Others*. CAPP Press. [openlibrary.org](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL19939898W)
7. van Zyl, L. E., Roll, L. C., Stander, M. W. & Richter, S. (2020). *Positive psychological coaching definitions and models: A systematic literature review*. Frontiers in Psychology. [doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00793](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00793)
8. Butler, J. & Kern, M. L. (2016). *The PERMA-Profiler: A brief multidimensional measure of flourishing*. International Journal of Wellbeing. [doi:10.5502/ijw.v6i3.526](https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v6i3.526)
9. VIA Institute on Character (2026). *The 24 character strengths*. [viacharacter.org](https://www.viacharacter.org/character-strengths)
10. Sin, N. L. & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). *Enhancing well-being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice-friendly meta-analysis*. Journal of Clinical Psychology. [doi:10.1002/jclp.20593](https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20593)
11. White, C. A., Uttl, B. & Holder, M. D. (2019). *Meta-analyses of positive psychology interventions: The effects are much smaller than previously reported*. PLOS ONE. [doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0216588](https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0216588)
12. Wang, Q., Lai, Y.-L., Xu, X. & McDowall, A. (2022). *The effectiveness of workplace coaching: A meta-analysis of contemporary psychologically informed coaching approaches*. Journal of Work-Applied Management. [doi:10.1108/JWAM-04-2021-0030](https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-04-2021-0030)
13. University of East London (2026). *MSc Applied Positive Psychology*. [uel.ac.uk](https://www.uel.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/msc-applied-positive-psychology-mapp)
14. British Psychological Society (2026). *Division of Coaching Psychology*. [bps.org.uk](https://www.bps.org.uk/member-networks/division-coaching-psychology)
15. Association for Neuro-Linguistic Programming (2026). *FAQs relating to NLP*. [anlp.org](https://anlp.org/knowledge-base/faqs-nlp)
16. Association for Neuro-Linguistic Programming (2026). *What ANLP Doesn't Do*. [anlp.org](https://anlp.org/what-anlp-doesnt-do)
17. Sturt, J., Ali, S., Robertson, W., Metcalfe, D., Grove, A., Bourne, C. & Bridle, C. (2012). *Neurolinguistic programming: A systematic review of the effects on health outcomes*. British Journal of General Practice. [doi:10.3399/bjgp12X658287](https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12X658287)
18. Passmore, J. & Rowson, T. S. (2019). *Neuro-linguistic programming: A review of NLP research and the application of NLP in coaching*. International Coaching Psychology Review. [doi:10.53841/bpsicpr.2019.14.1.57](https://doi.org/10.53841/bpsicpr.2019.14.1.57)
19. Zaharia, C., Reiner, M. & Schütz, P. (2015). *Evidence-based neuro linguistic psychotherapy: A meta-analysis*. Psychiatria Danubina. [pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26609647/)
20. Neuro Linguistic Psychotherapy and Counselling Association (2026). *About NLPtCA*. [nlptca.com](https://nlptca.com/home/about-nlptca/)
21. Professional Standards Authority (2026). *UK Council for Psychotherapy accredited register*. [professionalstandards.org.uk](https://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/organisations-we-oversee/find-a-register/uk-council-psychotherapy)
22. Performance Consultants (2026). *Mission and vision: The GROW model*. [performanceconsultants.com](https://www.performanceconsultants.com/about-us/mission-and-vision/)
23. Co-Active Training Institute (2026). *What is Co-Active?*. [coactive.com](https://coactive.com/what-is-co-active/)
24. Newfield Network (2026). *How Newfield Coaches Work Their Magic*. [newfieldnetwork.com](https://newfieldnetwork.com/how-newfield-coaches-work-their-magic/)
25. Strozzi Institute for Somatics (2026). *Training Pathways*. [strozziinstitute.org](https://strozziinstitute.org/training-pathways/)

## Related

### [Therapy, Coaching or Hypnotherapy?](https://viacara.com/guides/therapy-coaching-or-hypnotherapy/)

A plain guide to the difference between a therapist, a coach and a hypnotherapist, what each is for and how to tell which one you need.

### [Understanding Different Approaches](https://viacara.com/guides/understanding-approaches/)

A plain-English guide to the main therapeutic approaches including CBT, person-centred therapy, psychodynamic and integrative methods.

### [Finding the Right Support](https://viacara.com/guides/finding-a-practitioner/)

A practical guide to finding a mental health practitioner who fits your needs, preferences and budget.

### [Person-Centred Therapy](https://viacara.com/approaches/person-centred/)

Learn how person-centred therapy works, what sessions look like and why the relationship with your therapist matters most.

### [Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)](https://viacara.com/approaches/cbt/)

Learn how CBT works, what happens in sessions and what NICE says about it, and read about its forms for sleep, pain and self-help.

### [Burnout at Work](https://viacara.com/support/burnout/burnout-at-work/)

Burnout has one official definition and it stops at the job. The three dimensions, the UK numbers and what a professional can change.

### [Work and Career](https://viacara.com/support/work-and-career/)

Changing career, stepping up, speaking, running a business or competing. How a coach can help you move forward, and when a therapist fits better.