How Will Coaching help you?

Frequently Asked Questions

answers

Why hire a coach?

People hire coaches for a variety of reasons. You may want to create a healthier, happier, more meaningful life, enhance your career or make the job you have more fulfilling, take on greater leadership in your organization or community, and/or be an agent of transformation in your organization, community and the world. Ultimately, if you are seeking to be more effective and more powerful in how you move through the world, coaching may be profoundly helpful.

I have skills that include helping you reconnect with your inner brilliance, shift entrenched ways of seeing things and embrace the various parts of yourself while navigating the challenges facing you in work and and life. While I am interested in you moving forward and realizing your goals, I also support you in getting clear and aligned with what matters most, so that all parts of yourself support your forward movement.

Sande Smith Coaching profile photo

More FAQs:

How do you differentiate from other coaches?

When you work with me, you’ll have someone who sees you as already capable and resourceful. I’ll ask you questions, listen deeply, and help you strategize, create and adhere to an action plan that reflects your brilliance, vision and values. Our sessions will be creative and a multi-channel experience: you’ll use writing, drawing, movement, sound – all forms of connecting with your inner genius, depending on what resonates with you.

I bring my full self to our work together, including my values, my lived experience and various identities which include being a Black woman from a working class background who has a college degree, along with my skills and passion as a creator and a professional communicator.

As a certified coach, I also bring the skills gained through my training through The Coaching for Transformation program which included a focus on the role that institutional oppression and structural racism plays in people’s lives.

How long do you think I should sign up for?

The minimum number is 8 sessions over a period of 8 to 16 weeks. You can choose to do sessions weekly or every other week. This will give you the chance to both integrate what you’re discovering and take action to realize your goals. Plan to spend about an hour between sessions on activities that reinforce the work we’re doing together. You may find it helpful to do up to 6 – 12 months of coaching, depending on your goals.

How much does it cost?

I offer a sliding scale from $200 – $300 per 55-minute session. I ask that you select the cost based upon what you’re able to afford. If you will be sponsored by an organization, please consider the higher rate.

For new clients, I offer a complimentary exploratory call that includes 30 min of free coaching. You can schedule a call here.

Can I get my job to pay?

Check with your human resources department. Many organizations have programs to encourage the development of their staff, and coaching is one option that may be covered.

Where do the sessions happen?

We can do the sessions via video conference, such as zoom, or on the phone, so you can be anywhere. It’s important that you have a good phone and/or reliable internet connection.

Can I have free session to see if I like it?

If you’re thinking about working with me, I offer a complimentary exploratory call that includes 30 min of free coaching.

To make the most of the call, I’ll ask you to bring a challenge that you’re facing and then during the conversation, we’ll work together to explore what’s important to you and brainstorm some actions you can take right away to get unstuck. You’ll get a taste of coaching, and you’ll gain some strategies for moving forward.

If you’re curious, I invite you to set up a call.

How will I know you understand my problem?

Tell me more. I’ll bring my deep listening, so that the questions I ask you will be informed not just what you say, but how you say it. I’ll hold up a mirror so that you can better understand what you’re conveying and what effect that has. I’ll encourage you to be bolder and more daring, while giving you space to notice what arises. I’ll ask you questions to better understand what you’re seeking to address and what success would look like for you.

What do I have to do to get the most out of this?

Be willing to slow down and be present during the sessions. Take risks by speaking what comes up. Envision and speak the impossible. Take responsibility for shaping our coaching relationship to best meet your needs. Be honest about your motivations, needs and desires. Experiment with different ways of thinking and talking about obstacles you’re facing. Take action between sessions on the things that you have identified as important to you.

What if I'm not happy?

If you’re not happy, I ask that we discuss it. Honesty and trust are critical for our relationship to grow and for you to achieve the results that you’re seeking. You can stop the coaching at any time. If you want to stop, please give two weeks’ notice.

How do we get started?

Send me an email and let me know you are interested. After we talk, I will send you a welcome kit, which includes our agreement and guidelines for working together. It also includes a questionnaire for you to fill out and describe the results you’d like to see in three months.

How is coaching different from therapy?

The International Coaching Federation defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. As an certified coach, I am skilled in the ICF core competencies.

Psychotherapy frequently focuses on the past and on helping people to heal and address suffering caused from conditions such as depression, anxiety, phobias, traumas and addictions. Whereas coaching is primarily learning and action-oriented, and seeks to help you fulfill your life purpose, dreams and goals. It is not uncommon for people to work with both a therapist and a coach at the same time. Other times, people choose to take a break from coaching to work in therapy with issues that emerge.

Do you have any reviews?

I have testimonials from previous clients that you can read throughout my website. Here is one from a recent client that is a good example of my coaching style and results:

” Nearly 40 years into my career, I found myself at a professional crossroads. I was approaching my 60th birthday, but not ready to retire.  After leaving a longtime job to start a consulting practice, I was not getting as much work as I wanted, and struggling to identify the primary focus of my business.

I wondered if I should give up on the idea of working for myself, and seek a full-time position with an employer. Deep inside I knew I had a lot of experience and wisdom to share with the world, but I didn’t know how to translate my interests, passions and particular skill set into soul-satisfying paid work, especially at this advanced stage of my career.

The soul-satisfying part is important to me and that is where Sande came in. From the start, her work was designed to elicit self-reflection, peppered with insights and observations about what she was hearing from me.  The work was challenging and pushed the boundaries of my comfort zone at times, but it was worth it!

By the end of our eight sessions I was clear that I did not want to apply for a job with an organization, and I felt in touch with my own deepest desires professionally, almost as if I had reclaimed a lost part of myself. Beyond that, I ended with a list of tangible actions that will help me move forward. Already new projects are starting to come in, and I have a strong sense of direction for the coming year.

– Naomi Hunter

I’m excited to partner with you to reconnect with your inner power, radiance and joy. Supercharged and aligned with your values and unique gifts, you’ll move more confidently and easily into the next level in work and life.

clarity

Sande Smith ReLuminate Coaching

Client Challenges

Coaching is a powerful tool for getting from where you are, to where you want to be. Through our sessions together, I help you see and transcend the particular circumstances and beliefs that may be limiting you. Here are some common challenges you might be facing and a few strategies you can try right now on your own:

Results from Coaching with me

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photo of Nikole Collins Puri CEO of Techbridge Girls

I started working with Sande to navigate disengagement in my nonprofit organization and it has proven to be a transformative experience. Through her insightful guidance and unwavering support, I’ve shifted my perspective in meaningful ways that have improved both my leadership abilities and personal fulfillment.

With Sande’s guidance I have let go of perfectionism and embrace the value of recognizing and celebrating the contributions of others, even when their approach differs from mine. This mindset shift has fostered a deeper sense of collaboration and trust within my organization.

Perhaps most significantly, I’ve learned to release the need to take full responsibility for everything. Sande has taught me to share ownership and to approach challenges with grace, understanding that growth is not always linear—it can be messy and uneven, and that’s okay.

I would recommend you work with Sande because her coaching has been an invaluable asset to my growth as a leader. Her wisdom, compassion, and practical strategies have helped me lead with authenticity, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.

– Dorothy Atzl, Executive Director, Arts Council of Rockland

photo of Nikole Collins Puri CEO of Techbridge Girls

When I started working with Sande, I was less than 6 months into my first role as an Executive Director for a small non-profit theater. I had relocated for the role and was adjusting to life in a small town while working as the only full-time person at my organization. I felt isolated and was looking for ways to connect and engage.

 

I appreciated the warm, thoughtful space that Sande provided for reflection and growth. I felt equally challenged and supported.

 

By nature, I am solution-driven and a fairly positive person, but at times, I struggled with who to turn to and trust in this new environment. I appreciate that I could identify and discuss potential options and find a solution without bringing my frustrations into the community.

– Mary Alice O’Connor, Director, Indian Lake Theater

lead

Sande Smith Art ReLuminate Consulting