In NLP, we don’t just hand people tools and send them on their way. We help them become someone different – someone more resilient, more robust, and more capable of facing the inevitable curveballs that life throws. That’s why education, insight, and identity work are at the core of everything we do.
It’s not just about helping clients move forward. It’s about helping them understand who they’re becoming in the process.
What’s Really Going On Beneath the Goal?
I once worked with a woman who came to me for coaching because she was ready to re-enter the world of work. Her children had all gone off to university, and for the first time in almost two decades, she had long days stretched out ahead of her with nothing to fill them.
At first glance, this seemed like a straightforward request. She wanted help identifying her passions, her strengths, maybe even a bit of CV tweaking. Her tone was bright and optimistic. But something felt… off. Beneath the cheerfulness, there was a kind of stillness – not the peaceful kind, but the sort that comes after a storm has ripped the roof off your house and you’re left in the echo of what used to be.
“She didn’t need a job. She needed to figure out who she was now that her old role had ended.”
During her first proper session, it became clear that she wasn’t looking for a new career. She was grieving the one she’d just finished – the role of ‘mum’. Not in a general, casual way. This was her identity. It was her full-time, all-in purpose.
And now it was gone.
Her children, brilliantly and independently, no longer needed her in the same way. And while that’s every parent’s goal in the long run, it had happened so suddenly, she hadn’t prepared for the gaping silence it left behind. When I gently reflected this back to her, she got emotional. The mask of “let’s find a job” melted into the reality of “I don’t know who I am anymore.”
Coaching Is Identity Work – That’s Why We Take It Seriously
The real work wasn’t in helping her find a job – it was helping her become someone new.
In our coaching franchise, we don’t just teach how to help people find answers. We teach how to uncover the right questions. Because many clients will present with a problem that sounds like one thing, but when you dig a little deeper, it turns out to be something else entirely.
In this case, our work became about helping her reimagine who she wanted to be now. What parts of her previous life were authentic expressions of herself? What parts were roles she had adopted that no longer served her?
That’s the kind of transformation we’re talking about. And it’s also why being part of a supportive coaching franchise is so valuable. You’re not guessing your way through sessions alone. You’ve got a team, a structure, and a depth of psychological insight that turns you into the kind of coach who doesn’t just ask surface-level questions, but knows how to navigate identity-level change.
Becoming the Kind of Coach Who Can Handle What’s Not Being Said
Most people don’t lie to you. They just don’t know the truth yet.
That’s why your ability to stay curious is everything. When a client tells you what they want, you listen – but you also observe. You stay open to the possibility that their words may not fully capture the root of their pain. This is where NLP shines, and it’s also why so many of our franchisees say they experience their own identity shift while training.
They don’t just learn how to coach – they learn how to see. And once you see clearly, you can lead others out of the fog too.
If you’re someone who craves that kind of meaningful work – where the surface isn’t enough and you want to be equipped to go deeper – then our coaching franchise may be the ideal next step. Whether you’re starting fresh or evolving a current practice, this is the place to do it with support, skill, and a sense of purpose.
You Can’t Lead Others Through Change Unless You’ve Lived It
Joining a coaching franchise isn’t just about learning NLP techniques. It’s about being part of something that helps you grow too – because every great coach is a student of transformation themselves. You’ll be trained, challenged, and uplifted in ways that shape your confidence, your business, and your ability to guide others with integrity.
And maybe one day, you’ll sit across from someone whose problem sounds like “I need a new job” and realise… it’s something far deeper. And thanks to your training, you’ll know exactly where to go.
by Gemma Bailey (with the help of Ai)
