Information about Coaching

 

Coaching concentrates on present and future goals, helping the young person to understand the way their brain and personality works. At Fit 4 Life, we work with individuals to discover what helps them self-regulate, introducing skills and strategies, and setting goals to support their mental health and well-being. Coaching is a comprehensive process that may cover different areas of a person’s life, including home, family, health, spirituality, relationships, education and recreation.

 

What Can You Expect from Coaching?

 

Our coaching is very relaxed and informal, so your child feels as comfortable as possible. Fidget toys and colouring options are always available, so they don’t have to sit still. Please let them know that continued eye contact is not expected of them.

 

Each session can be adapted to your child’s needs on the day, but typically looks like this:

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· General catch up & getting to know the child.

· Asking about their struggles and highlights that week.

· Asking how they got on with goals set the previous week and setting new goals for that week.

· Going through a skill and learning with a worksheet something new about mental health and well-being.

· Finishing off with a mindful exercise and setting a new goal and task for that week.

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The topics we cover

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Each session can be adapted to the young persons needs on the day, but typically we cover the following areas across the six sessions:

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· Learning about our triggers, emotions, how we feel emotions in our body, our thoughts and behaviours.

· Our stress responses can be fight, flight, fawn or freeze. We look at how we react in certain situations and how can we manage/regulate to have more positive thoughts and a better outcome.

· Looking at our 5 senses and how the child can use tools to help self-regulation.

· Creating a box or a place in their home where they can do this.

· Empowering children to help themselves through:

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- Self-affirmation

- Self-care

- Sleep hygiene

- Healthy eating

- Setting a routine

- Finding a hobby they are passionate about

- Moving their body

- Talking to someone

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Further Coaching

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We welcome parents and children who are interested in continuing with coaching after the initial six sessions. The more someone understands the way their brains work and are able to express ourselves to others, the more resilient they become and the better able they are to be kind to themselves and others.

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Further topics we may explore include:

· Mental health (Anxiety, depression)

· Neurodiversity

· Love languages

· Family dynamics

· Friendships, bullying & social media

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Mindfulness

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Each session always ends with mindfulness exercises. The child learns how to body scan and find areas where there is tension in their body. They will be

taught how to tense and then fully relax. They will learn breathing exercises and how to calm their busy mind, bringing their focus to their breath to feel grounded and present.

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The primary aim in the coaching sessions is for the child to feel heard, respected and in control. We want them to feel safe to put down any masks they have to put on each day, so they feel empowered to be fully themselves.

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About the Coach

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Hi! My name is Annalise Desmond.

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When I was child, I was obsessed with performing, eventually moving to London to pursue acting, dancing and singing at stage school.

 

I have worked with children and teenagers for 25 years in various roles within schools, running after-school clubs, leading youth groups, teaching dance, as well as working as a qualified fitness instructor and personal trainer in leisure centres. I have my level 2 in counselling and have completed my training as a Teen Coach.

 

I have two daughters, one with autism and the other with ADHD, so I have navigated first-hand many of the challenges facing parents and children, both within the school system and home-schooling environment. I also have ADHD, so I have personal experience and understanding of neurodiversity.

 

I lived in America for 14 years and am now based in Hampshire UK, where my husband Dan and I run an organisation called ‘Fit 4 Life’. We regularly attend schools to help and support secondary students with their physical and mental health. We offer boxing, mindfulness, stretching and go through mental health booklets in small groups and in 1:1 sessions.

 

I am so passionate about using all that I have learned in my own life and as parent, helping children to feel seen and heard, and to equip them with skills to manage their wellbeing not just for now but for life.

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Annalise

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Agreement & Consent Form

 

Please read the following information and provide your consent by signing below.

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Key Information

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• Please email the coach if any concerns come up during the week to discuss if these can be covered in a session. You may also contact the coach for a 10 minute scheduled call free of charge. Any call lasting more than10 minutes will be charged at a rate of 50p a minute. You will be informed of this during the call before charges kick in.

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• Sessions typically take place weekly over a 6 week period. More sessions will be offered as needed. If the child doesn't want to finish the course of sessions, you have the right to cancel at any point before the 6 sessions have been completed.

 

• Each session is an hour long. We ask that you arrive on time and remain in the building where the session is being held for safeguarding reasons. Please return to collect your child 10 minutes before the end of the session, just in case your child needs you or information needs to be shared between coach and guardian.

 

• Please inform the coach if the child cannot attend a session. In the event of cancellation made with less than 24 hours' notice, or without reason, your deposit will be kept.

 

• Please note that coaching does not involve a diagnosis or clinical treatment of developmental, learning or mental health disorders.

 

• Any further help the child may need through counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care or substance abuse treatment will be discussed with the parent/guardian if the coach feels this may be needed.

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• Please make sure the coach and any other health professionals are made aware of any treatment that they are receiving.

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• Sessions are charged at £40 per hour, including a £15 deposit due before each session.

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• Certain information may be anonymously shared with other coaching professionals for supervision, training or consultation purposes. For example, the school Safeguarding Officer if the coaching is taking place in the school environment.

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• Discussions between client and coach will be kept confidential. Exceptions will apply, such as reporting child abuse or if a child poses a risk to themselves others.