Offer a reframe
Usually, when a client is struggling to work
through a situation it will be because they
are becoming overly emotional about it.
This can make them struggle to take a step
back to view the situation with objectivity.
Presenting the same scenario from a
different perspective can help to create the
distance necessary for the client to feel less
emotional and work through the roadblock.
A common helpful reframe is to ask a client
what they would advise a friend experiencing
a similar situation. Where they might beat
themselves up for struggling to get all their
scheduled workouts in for the week, they
would likely reassure a friend in the same
situation that they did do some workouts,
praise them for that, and encourage them
to find resolve and prioritise a time to fit the
missing sessions in, where practical.
Drill down to the specifics
Emotional upset can make the mind operate
in generalisations. This is when you are
more likely to hear a client say things like
‘I always mess it up’, ‘Nothing ever goes
right’, or ‘Everything is terrible’. These are
all examples of ‘globalisations’ in which the
perception becomes that the problem has
no boundaries and is all-encompassing.
Getting specific with a client will not fix the
problem, but can at least establish where the boundaries of the
problem are and enable them to pull back from total overwhelm about
the situation. Then ‘Nothing ever goes right’ can become ‘I’m having
a difficult start to the week. I slept poorly on Sunday, so began my
Monday tired and disorganised. I got into trouble at work for being
late, which was frustrating because I work so hard and was only ten
minutes late. In the rush I forgot my lunch and my gym clothes, and
I ate junk food for lunch and missed my Monday workout, so am not
feeling great’.
Arrive at action
Once you have pulled back from the global and managed to drill
down to the specifics of the problem, work together with your client
to figure out what the next most logical step is. This should be
something that the client is willing to do to help start moving them
out of the problem space. When multiple options exist, begin with
only one single point of action to prevent overwhelm, and choose the
easiest available task so that the client feels confident and capable in
their ability to move from planning into execution. Remember to ask
how you can support them through this shift into action so you can
move together into the next phase of the client’s goal.
Susy Natal
Susy is a Sydney-based performance coach, personal
trainer, wellness writer and convention presenter. With
a background in psychology and a focus on strength
training for females, her integrated approach to training
helps clients ranging from beginners to athletes achieve
strength of body and mind.
54 | NETWORK SPRING 2020