52 Freaking Concepts???

A few years ago when I was beginning my journey as a life coach, I acquired a list of 52 key coaching concepts that I work with and focus on.

I used this list because I noticed that even though I work with so many diverse and different people, some common issues and concepts come up in most of my work, despite their different roots.

I have shared this list with many, many, clients, and it got me thinking that I have never shared my rationale for sharing this list with them, nor why I continue to use it in my coaching.

There’s the obvious answer that having these concepts consolidated helps me as a coach, and provides an easy reference point for when I need to refocus on the concept at hand or narrow down what I’m working with. Let’s be real - we all have a helpful little tool that we reach for at work when we’re stuck!

But the real reason I’ve developed an appreciation for this list runs much deeper. It began with one client, a little over three years ago.

I was in session with a lovely woman named Lilla, and she and I were in our second session together. She was struggling to describe what it was she wanted to work on, and how she was feeling. She joked “You know, I wish you had a ‘feelings wheel’ like my therapist does, so I could tell you better what I’m thinking and feeling”. She was laughing, but I perked up immediately and pulled the list out of my bag.

I told her “It’s no “feelings wheel”, but it might help” and she grabbed the list and spent a few minutes looking it over silently. She perked up, and we got to work identifying and choosing concepts that resonated with her, and by the end of the session we had a clearly defined set of things to work on, and Lilla had language to describe what she wanted out of our sessions.

My 52 key concepts list makes frequent appearances in my sessions now; whether it’s in my groups, teens/parents, 1-2-1’s, and it’s even made an appearance at a speaking event! It’s a tool I have come to cherish and appreciate for both its complexity and simplicity.

52 concepts may seem like a lot, but I firmly believe that all are needed because of the complexity and nuance that we experience in our lives. I cannot work with and capture the full intricacy of my clients, without each of the 52.

If you’re interested in learning more about these 52 concepts or think you would benefit from a coach, reach out for a free consultation with me. Who knows which of the 52 concepts will resonate with you most?