What strategy do coaches use to protect a client's autonomy during sessions?

Coaches prioritize a client’s autonomy by allowing client-led discussions during sessions. This approach emphasizes the client's ability to dictate the direction and content of the conversation, which is essential for fostering a supportive and empowering environment. By encouraging clients to express their thoughts, feelings, and insights, coaches facilitate a space where individuals can explore their motivations and desires, ultimately leading to more meaningful change.

This strategy aligns with the foundational principles of health and wellness coaching that respect individual choice and self-direction. It ensures that clients feel in control of their coaching experience, which can enhance their commitment to the process and encourage personal accountability.

In contrast, asking leading questions may inadvertently steer a client towards predetermined notions, potentially undermining their sense of agency. Setting up predetermined goals can limit a client's exploration and self-discovery, making them feel confined to frameworks that aren’t entirely reflective of their personal aspirations. Providing unsolicited advice can also compromise a client's autonomy by imposing the coach's ideas or solutions rather than allowing clients to identify their own pathways.