Perhaps it’s best to first describe what our work together is not before we articulate what it is. Coaching can be so many things, so we want to prepare you for what you can expect.

• This is not therapy. While Laura Louise Green is trained as a psychotherapist, we will not be engaging in deep, emotional work like we would in therapy. Coaching is about practical skills building and this kind of coaching is a wonderful accompaniment to therapy! In our work together, we might uncover some issues that are best addressed through therapy, so we’ll send you with talking points to bring to your therapeutic sessions and help you find a therapist if needed.

• This is not an MLM. You will never be asked to pay money to join our team. We will not sell you packages that promise you make 6 figures a year. We will never chastise you for seeking additional outside help. We will not pray on your vulnerability, needs, or create a system of dependency that makes it challenging for you to move on from our coaching relationship. There are so many coaching MLMs that are predatory, scammy, and exploitive, and Healthy Pour condemns these practices.

• This is not life coaching. Our coaching is very focused and limited to our relationship with work and building skills around creating healthier workspaces. We will not go to the gym or church or temple with you, nor are we trying to integrate ourselves in your life. We are only here to help you will your working relationship and career, and will refer you to other professionals as needed.

• We do not want to work with you forever. As mentioned, we want to avoid creating feelings and systems of dependency. Ideally, we’re working our way out of a job! Some situations may certainly require a long-term committment, but we aren’t interested in drawing out a relationships for the sake of booked sessions.

With that, this is what you can expect from us.

• A caring, supportive relationship built on accountability and justice. We live the motto: Hard on Systems, Soft on People, which means we approach problems and problematic behavior with a bit of unconditional positive regard and a foundational assumption of positive intent. This does *not* mean we don’t pursue a sense of accountability and justice—quite the opposite. We recognize that behavior, attitudes, and beliefs do not happen in a vacuum. How we move through the world and interact with each other if profoundly influenced by the culture and systems that structure our environment. In order to seek accountability and justice, we first make space to understand what environmental aspects played a role in the behaviors we’re trying to change and ultimately repair. So when you work with Healthy Pour, we’re not here to shame you or ridicule you into change, we’re going to work together understand who you are, what systems and environmental factors are influencing your thinking and behavior, then help you challenge those systems that aren’t serving you, your organization, and your community. Only then can we really create change and help you grow and thrive.

• Evidence-based methods. Laura Louise Green is a trained and licensed therapist currently writing a dissertation for an MSc in Organizational Psychology, so the coaching practice and approach is rooted in science. All science all day. That does not mean the coaching relationship is clinical or impersonal, it only means that the methods and strategies employed in the coaching relationship have been rigorously tested and validated by the coaching and organizational psychology fields. Contemporary coaching (as it stands now) tends to be a bit of a free for all, but when working with Healthy Pour, you can rest assured we’re up on the newest research and methods of how to best serve our clients.

• A robust ethical code. At Healthy Pour, we’re meticulous when it comes to working only within our competencies and expertise - not beyond. We practice with integrity and refer to other qualified and credentialed professionals when necessary. While this isn’t therapy, we follow the American Counseling Association’s alongside the International Coaching Federation’s Code of Ethics to ensure we’re providing the safest, most boundaried and intentional coaching experience prossible.

These are some considerations about how you can have the best experience within the coaching relationship.

• See a therapist. Our sessions are not therapy nor are they a substitution for therapy, but our time together is likely best served when you’re also seeing a therapist. Not only will therapist help you learn more about yourself, but they’ll be able to help you sort feelings that come up in our work. The coaching relationship has different focuses and approached than therapy, so we’ll be able to build skills that aren’t typically addressed in the therapeutic relationship.

• Manage your expectations. Our society sells products, services, and experiences with a high sense of urgency promising quick fixes and life hacks. Coaching is no exception. Candidly, most of the coaching advertisements and offerings we’ve found present burnout and workplace coaching as something that can be mastered with just a few simple tips and tricks, and that’s just not the case. It’s likely that our work together will require multiple sessions and you’ll likely not see the full benefit until we’ve said our goodbyes. We ask that you stick with us.

• Communicate your needs with us. SO much of this work requires building communication skills, so communicating what you need from the coaching relationship is a fruitful exercise. If you don’t feel like you’re getting what you need or you just feel off, we want to know. We cannot fix or address whatever is happening if we’re not aware of it. Our ask is that you don’t worry about our feelings and speak up when you need to. Our commitment to you is that we will check in with you after each session to help prompt a normalcy of feedback and ongoing communication.