Helping a Client Get Unblocked

Question –  How should I deal with a client who is blocked?

Jennifer –  The first step is to ask yourself - Are you bringing everything that you have in your toolbox to help your client get unblocked? Are you presenting them with observations that they might not be able to see for themselves?  Are you reflecting truths that are coming out of their own mouth, but they're not hearing? Are you fearlessly asking them deeper inquiry questions? If you are, then you may want to move on to addressing the stuckness and treating it as a coachable moment.

You might start with an observation like:

"So I'm noticing that you're blocked"

or "I'm noticing resistance"

or "I'm noticing that you're having a challenge working your way through this.”

Then follow with:

“What do you think that's about?"

Or "What are you noticing?"

Or "Where would you like to go with this information?"

Or "What do you want to do with this?"

In other words, give it back to the client, because it's theirs to own, not yours.  

"Here's what I'm noticing ... What do you want to do with that?" or "Where do you want to go with that?" or "What needs to be explored still to help you move through this?" In other words, "What am I missing here?” You’re telling them, “Help me help you”. 

These are important questions to have in your toolbox, because a lot of coaches feel like if the client is blocked and they've done everything they can think of to help them get unstuck, then there's nothing left to do. It can feel like a dead end. But that isn’t true. You want to bring it right back to the client by addressing the stuckness as a coachable moment and asking them what they need to get unblocked. In other words, “I threw everything that I have at you. Now it's your turn - what do you have that’s going to get yourself unstuck?”