In this episode of Inside the Coaching Conversation, I share a real coaching conversation with Linda as she explores resistance around two possible master’s degree paths. What begins as a conversation about discernment uncovers a deeper story about identity, old narratives, and what she believes may or may not fit who she is becoming.

In my debrief, I reflect on something I almost missed because I was focused on my own coaching development. I was intentionally working to establish and maintain the coaching agreement, especially as the conversation shifted. But in concentrating on the competency, I missed an opportunity to recognize that Linda had already found the insight she came for.

Instead of asking, “What should we explore next?” I could have slowed down and helped her integrate what she had already discovered.

It’s a reminder that our goal isn’t simply to demonstrate the ICF Core Competencies well. It’s to use them in service of the person in front of us.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why a shift in the conversation doesn’t always mean you need to establish a new direction
• How moving too quickly back into exploration can bypass an opportunity for deeper integration
• Questions that can help clients explore the impact of a new awareness and what they want to do with it
• Why focusing too closely on demonstrating a coaching competency can sometimes distract us from what the client actually needs
• How reflective practice can help you move beyond “Did I demonstrate the competency?” to “How well did this serve the client?”

As you listen, consider where you might have slowed down, stayed with an insight longer, or helped the client connect what she discovered to her larger discernment journey.

Resources mentioned:

• Reflection Guide for Coaches
• Using a Custom Prompt with RaeNotes AI Assessment

Work with me:

If you would like to learn about working with me, I offer life coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision.

• Learn more about life coaching for neurodivergent and out-of-the-box thinkers and those who support them.
• Learn more about mentor coaching and coaching supervision for neurodivergent coaches or coaches working with neurodivergent clients.

Leave a comment:

https://crystalwagner.net/beyond-the-agreement-knowing-when-to-move-to-next-steps/

In this real coaching conversation, my client comes in overwhelmed by a seemingly simple decision: whether to buy a new car. So many options, questions, and competing considerations leave her unsure where to begin.

Throughout the session, I notice several opportunities to explore deeper meaning, identity, and beliefs, and I invite her there. But that isn’t what she needs from this coaching session. What helps her move forward is recognizing that she’s trying to solve the entire problem at once and breaking the decision into manageable steps.

In the debrief, I reflect on the difference between developing higher-level coaching skills and feeling like we need to demonstrate them in every session. I also explore feedback from a Raynotes AI assessment suggesting that I could have stayed longer at the meaning level, and why I don’t agree.

Sometimes powerful coaching goes deep. Sometimes it’s tactical and strategic. The question isn’t, What level am I coaching at? It’s, What will best serve this client right now?

In this episode, you'll hear:

• Why following the client can be more important than demonstrating a particular coaching approach or skill level
• How a clear coaching agreement can help you stay focused on what the client actually wants from the session
• What I would do differently to hold the coaching agreement more consistently
• How overwhelm and executive function challenges can affect decision-making for clients with ADHD
• Why developing PCC- and MCC-level coaching skills outside the session can help you use them more naturally and flexibly inside the session
• How I use AI coaching assessments as a tool for reflection without automatically accepting the feedback they give me

Resources mentioned:

• Reflection Guide for Coaches
• Using a Custom Prompt with RaeNotes AI Assessment

Work with me:

If you would like to learn about working with me, I offer life coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision.

• Learn more about life coaching for neurodivergent and out-of-the-box thinkers and those who support them.
• Learn more about mentor coaching and coaching supervision for neurodivergent coaches or coaches working with neurodivergent clients.

Leave a comment:

https://crystalwagner.net/deep-coaching-isnt-always-better-coaching/

After years of being needed by others, she found herself in a new season of life, ready to discover who she was beyond the roles she had always filled. Together, we explored that question through rich metaphors as she reflected on what it might look like to move from being needed to being known.

After the coaching demo, I invite you behind the scenes as I reflect on my own coaching. I share where I believe I unintentionally influenced the conversation, what I learned from reviewing the session, and how this reflection is shaping my growth as a coach. 

If you're working toward an ICF credential or simply want to become a more intentional coach, I hope this debrief encourages you to embrace reflective practice as one of your most valuable development tools.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How client-generated metaphors can deepen awareness and unlock new insights.
• An example of how silence and spaciousness can be some of the most powerful coaching tools.
• How easily a coach can unintentionally lead a conversation instead of partnering with the client.
• Questions I would ask differently if I coached this session again.
• How reflective practice helps you recognize your growth edges and expand your coaching skills over time.
• Why reviewing your coaching conversations builds confidence and strengthens your coaching presence.

Resources mentioned:

• Reflection Guide for Coaches
• Using a Custom Prompt with RaeNotes AI Assessment

Work with me:

If you would like to learn about working with me, I offer life coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision.

• Learn more about life coaching for neurodivergent and out-of-the-box thinkers and those who support them.
• Learn more about mentor coaching and coaching supervision for neurodivergent coaches or coaches working with neurodivergent clients.

Leave a comment:

https://crystalwagner.net/who-am-i-from-being-needed-to-being-known/

How do you improve as a coach after your training is over?

In this introductory episode of Inside the Coaching Conversation, I share the reflective practice I use to learn from my coaching conversations. Rather than striving for perfect coaching, I focus on intentional practice—taking time to notice patterns, recognize strengths, explore growth edges, and become more aware of the impact I have on my clients.

You'll hear how I reflect immediately after sessions, when I use more structured reflection, how mentor coaching and coaching supervision have shaped my development, and how I use RaeNotes AI alongside my own observations to deepen my learning.

This reflection process is the foundation for every episode in this podcast. After each real coaching conversation, you'll hear the reflections I wrote as I considered what stood out, what I learned, and what I want to carry into future coaching sessions.

Whether you're preparing for an ICF credential, working to strengthen your coaching skills, or simply looking for practical ways to develop a reflective coaching practice, this episode provides the framework you'll hear throughout the other episodes.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why I make reflection a regular part of my coaching practice
• The questions I ask myself after coaching sessions 
• How I use deliberate practice to strengthen my coaching skills
• How mentor coaching, coaching supervision, and AI fit into my learning process
• What to expect in future Inside the Coaching Conversation episodes

Resources mentioned:

• Reflection Guide for Coaches
• Using a Custom Prompt with RaeNotes AI Assessment

Work with me:

If you would like to learn about working with me, I offer life coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision.

• Learn more about life coaching for neurodivergent and out-of-the-box thinkers and those who support them.
• Learn more about mentor coaching and coaching supervision for neurodivergent coaches or coaches working with neurodivergent clients.

Leave a comment:

https://crystalwagner.net/how-to-reflect-on-your-coaching-conversations/

On this podcast, you'll hear examples of coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision sessions, mostly with neurodivergent and divergent thinking clients or coaches who are supporting them. There will be other episodes periodically as they have something to offer us too. 

You'll be able to listen to the calls themselves in their entirety and learn by hearing an example. Most episodes will also have a reflection after the call about what stood out to me and growth edges I would like to work on improving. 

These calls are real, unscripted, and unedited. They are not examples of perfect coaching. Instead, they are representative of what a typical coaching conversation is like for me.

If you would like to learn about working with me, I offer life coaching, mentor coaching, and coaching supervision.

• Learn more about life coaching for neurodivergent and out-of-the-box thinkers and those who support them.
• Learn more about mentor coaching and coaching supervision for neurodivergent coaches or coaches working with neurodivergent clients.

Resources mentioned:

• Reflection Guide for Coaches
• Using a Custom Prompt with RaeNotes AI Assessment