[Newsletter] The Smartest Coach in the Room

Client tantrums Every Saturday, The Smartest Coach in the Room delivers helpful takeaways on the hottest nutrition and health topics and the world’s most effective coaching techniques. (Did some amazing friend forward this to you? [Subscribe here]( How to calm a client who’s freaking out As she gets older, my formerly “tantrums are my cardio” daughter has chilled a bit. If you’re around young kids, you know meltdowns—for truly ridiculous reasons—are common. My daughter has lost all sense of composure because: 🤦🏼 ♀️ She couldn’t fart on command 🤦🏼 ♀️ I wouldn’t let her knock on our neighbor’s door at 8pm to see if they—like we do—have hardwood floors 🤦🏼 ♀️ She wanted to pet a goat—not later, but right NOW Over time, I’ve developed skills to calm her, just as she’s developed skills to calm herself. Sometimes clients need help self-regulating too. They show up for a coaching session seeming irritated, ashamed, or stressed. They say things like: “I ate a whole gallon of ice cream AGAIN! I suck and I will always suck and I will never not suck so why am I bothering?” They’re freaking out. As a coach, how can you calm another adult—enough so they can start thinking clearly again, and consider more productive responses? Six techniques: Technique #1: Take a deep breath. When clients feel anxious or distressed, their heart rate goes up and they breathe more shallowly. This physiological state also makes it harder for them to see or hear reason. Help your clients calm down by using your body to send signals that they’ll mirror. Take a deep breath or two, audibly if you can. Slow your pace of speaking and moving. With luck, clients will subconsciously catch your calming body signals, and mimic them. 🗣 You can say: “Let’s just pause for a deep breath here as we consider some different options.” Technique #2: Give clients control. Remind clients they’re in charge of their own change. They don’t have to do anything they don’t want to do, so that threat system can power down. 🗣 You can say: “Remember that this is your journey; I’m just here to facilitate. I can offer advice and give you my opinion, but ultimately, you’re the boss of what comes next.” Technique #3: Tell clients they’re not alone. Aloneness freaks most humans out. Clients feel calmer when they know they’re supported and guided by a trusted person who has their back. 🗣 You can say: “This is a lot of change, but you’re not alone. As your coach, I’m here with you. I’m open to hearing whatever you have to say, and whatever path you take is okay.” Technique #4: Provide clear expectations. ​​​​​​​To help clients manage uncertainty, explain processes clearly beforehand, as well as what to expect at each step. 🗣️ You can say: “When you work on changing X, you may find that Y happens. And you might have questions about it. That’s normal. Just so you know what to expect, we might have to explore a few options before we find one that fits.” Technique #5: Take change off the table. ​​​​​​​Paradoxically, when you “allow” your client not to change, it tends to make them more willing to change. 🗣 You can say: “Do you want a new task for next week, or would you like to just coast and practice for a while? It’s okay if you don’t feel ready to change Behavior X right now. If it’s working for you, great!” Technique #6: Identify what’s under clients’ control. ​​​​​​​When clients fixate on stuff that’s out of their control (noisy neighbors, age-related sleep changes, or being a new parent) they get nowhere. On the other hand, if they focus on small daily actions they can do (adjusting their sleep environment, cutting down on caffeine, or being compassionate with themselves), they make progress. 🗣 You can say (using the image below): “This represents our spheres of control. What are your stressors in each category? Now, which stressors are under your control, and what actions are you willing to take to begin to address them?” [A diagram of 3 spheres of control: no control, some control, and total control.] Change is possible. These coaching techniques (among others that we teach) can help shift your client’s (or, ahem, your kid’s) attention away from threats and over to solutions. If you want more expert techniques to connect with clients and make change not only possible, but inevitable, you’ll love our [Level 1 Nutrition Coaching Certification](. With this #1 rated program, you’ll learn the science of nutrition, along with the art of coaching—so you’ll be prepared for any client scenario. [Become a Certified Nutrition Coach - Join the presale list for the #1 rated PN Level 1 Nutrition Certification]( Take care, Alex :) --------------------------------------------------------------- Alex Picot-Annand, PN2, Holistic Nutritionist Editorial Director Precision Nutrition Home of the world’s top nutrition coaches --------------------------------------------------------------- What did you think of this email? Precision Nutrition Business Insider's #1 Choice for Nutrition Certifications in 2022 --- To view this email as a web page, click [here.]( Precision Nutrition Inc. 18 King Street East, Suite 1400 Toronto, ON, M5C 1C4, Canada Finally, nutrition makes sense. Visit us at [www.precisionnutrition.com]( today. Follow us on [Unsubscribe or Manage Preferences](