Why Mental Health Coaching?

A Leadership Pit Stop, Not a Therapy Couch

Let’s talk about a real need in the modern workplace — one that often goes unnoticed beneath the armour of busy calendars, tight deadlines, and performance reviews.

It’s that moment when a manager walks into their 9am meeting with a smile……after a night of poor sleep due to a family fallout.…or after being blindsided by critical feedback.…or after realising they no longer feel connected to their own sense of purpose.

They don’t need long-term psychotherapy. They don’t need a motivational poster. They need a mental health tune-up. Enter: Mental Health Coaching.

“Not every emotional wobble requires a deep dive into your childhood. Sometimes you just need to catch your breath, clean the windshield, and get back in the driver’s seat.”

What Is Mental Health Coaching?

This isn’t therapy. It isn’t executive coaching in the traditional GROW-model sense either. It’s something in between — and urgently needed. Think of it as:

• A psychologically safe space to process what’s going on — at work or in life — without over-complicating it.

• A short-term, high-impact check-in with someone who understands both the psychological terrain and the pressures of leadership.

• A bridge to move you from emotional turbulence and professional clarity.

It’s like pulling over at a Formula 1 pit stop: refuel, change the tyres, get clarity from the radio... and rejoin the race with precision.

The Case Of David

David, a high-potential department head, booked a one-off session with me after he froze during a board presentation. He couldn’t explain why. “I know the material. I’ve done this a hundred times. But something just… went blank.”

Thinking it was something more serious, he booked a session with a Mental Health Coach and within 30 minutes, they uncovered that:

• He had a fallout with his adult son that morning.

• He was carrying unresolved grief from his father’s sudden passing last year.

• He felt unsupported by his peers, which was triggering imposter feelings.

We didn’t need six months of therapy. What was needed was one laser-focused session for clarity and four sessions to rebuild his confidence.

When to Use Mental Health Coaching?

Imagine a knight returning from battle — armour dented, spirit shaken, unsure what just happened. They don’t need another war. They need a warm fire, a quiet space, and someone who knows how to listen to the silence beneath the story. This is a metaphor for a manager's every day life.

Like a knight in battle, healers and advisors are needed to bring the knight back on his feet. Mental Health Coaching can support you in a recovery in the case of:

✅ After a personal setback that’s clouding work.

✅ Following conflict or interpersonal tension.

✅ Before a major leadership moment (presentation, restructure, appraisal).

✅ When burnout signs flicker but haven’t become a fire.

✅ When therapy feels like too much, but "doing nothing" feels unsafe

This isn’t about deep trauma work — it’s about timely, human, strategic emotional support.

What Would Working With A Coach Look Like?

Whatever the trigger, the coaching begins with a 90-minute confidential check-in. This session serves as both an assessment and a calming conversation. From there, we decide the area of focus upon which the manager engages in four focused coaching sessions to achieve the goal.

Each session will include a check-in on recent challenges, setting of a micro-goal, working on one key theme and ends with a practical next step to implement. This isn’t therapy in disguise — it’s mental health support tailored for the executive world. It’s fast, human, and grounded in leadership theory.

Clients walk away not only feeling heard, but clearer, calmer, and better equipped to lead.

References

• Bion, W. R. (1962). Learning from Experience. Heinemann.

• Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2002). Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence. Harvard Business Press.

• Gross, J. J. (1998). The emerging field of emotion regulation: An integrative review. Review of General Psychology, 2(3), 271–299.