How to Witness in Coaching

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About this episode

What can happen when a coach resists the urge to fix, reassure or move the conversation along, and stays fully present with the client instead? In this episode, we explore witnessing in coaching: the practice of being with a client as they encounter an emotion, insight or change, without needing to direct what happens next. We explain how witnessing is related to deep listening, but distinct from it. Listening communicates, "I hear you"; witnessing communicates, "I'm here with you while you encounter this part of yourself." We discuss the moments when witnessing can matter most: a client's emotion rising as they speak, a realisation they have never voiced before, or a new perspective that…