My name is Catherine Fitzsimons-Belgaid and one of my biggest passions in life is people development. As a master NLP trained coach, I have made a lot of changes in my own life which has been transformational. My biggest wish for you is SUCCESS in whatever it is you want to achieve and I can partner with you to ensure that becomes a REALITY.  

Personal Coaching is often referred to as "Life Coaching" and involves a mutual communication by two people whereby the coach guides the coachee through a process of self discovery. This involves a number of processes including "goal setting", self reflection and evaluation, identifying and controlling limited beliefs, managing weaknesses and improving personal strengths. 

Personal Development - every success has a foundation which is personal because without making changes in your personal self it is almost impossible to overcome barriers (known and unknown) that may prevent you from achieving your goals - I can shine a light into your deepest and darkest areas and help you to realise your full potential. 

 

Confidence Building - the art of confidence is truly in your reach - I can help you master confidence to do the things you want and make life more complete. 

 

Career Planning - from creating an attention grabbing CV to developing key interviewing skills - I can help you achieve your potential, I can also help you with career choice and educational pathways to your success. 

Stress Management - stress can be a silent killer - I can help you cope with stress and make it work to your advantage. 

 

Relationships - life is all about relationships therefore it is important that you foster key relationships - I can help you with practical advice and support. 

 

Domestic Violence - violence destroys life’s and as a survivor of Domestic Violence - I can help you move towards resolution. 

 

Counselling - counselling is recommended for everyone as life is a turbulent path - I can help you with difficult challenges in a safe environment. 

NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) is a set of psychological tools which can help you live more happily, become more motivated, communicate, influence and persuade more easily while improving yourself in any area of your life. It is a powerful, practical and precise approach towards allowing you to achieve goals and make your life more exceptional than you could possibly have dreamed off. 

 

The Irish Institute of NLP: https://www.nlp.ie. 

Mindfulness is an increasingly used buzz-word used in personal development to describe an ancient Buddhist practice of being mindful of your current state of being. Otherwise known as "living in the present moment", mindfulness training is key to dealing with and managing stress. At Fresh Thinking, we provide training in mindfulness within our personal development course where we provide practical support and advice on managing and improving your self development.  

 

If you would like to learn more about Mindfulness we think you may like to download this article by Christopher Germer. 

Coaching targets high performance and improvement at work and usually focuses on specific skills and goals, although it may also have an impact on an individual’s personal attributes (such as social interaction or confidence). The process typically lasts for a relatively short defined period of time, or forms the basis of an on-going management style. Although there is a lack of agreement among coaching professionals about precise definitions, the following are some generally agreed characteristics of coaching in organisations: 

 

1. It is essentially a non-directive form of development, though this is not a hard and fast rule. 

 

2. It focuses on improving performance and developing individuals’ skills. 

 

3. Personal issues may be discussed but the emphasis is on performance at work. 

 

4. Coaching activities have both organisational and individual goals. 

 

5. It provides people with feedback on both their strengths and their weaknesses. 

 

6. It is a skilled activity, which should be delivered by people who are trained to do so. However, this can be line managers and others trained in basic coaching skills. 

 

However, coaching is just one of a range of interventions that organisations can use to meet identified learning and development needs. Its merits should be considered alongside other types of development interventions, such as training courses or on-the-job training. Employee preferences should also be kept in mind. There is a danger that coaching can be seen as a solution for all kinds of development needs, whereas it should only be used when it is clearly seen as the best way of helping an individual learn and develop. A useful decision tree tool is given in our Coaching and buying coaching services guide 

Career coaching focuses on you and your career whether you are seeking new employment, or changing career – I can help you with practical support and advice from my years of experience working with various groups including people who would be considered unemployable. With the right advice and support, we can meet the various challenges and overcome any obstacles that may be blocking your path including your CV and cover letter. 

Mentoring involves the use of the same models and skills of questioning, listening, clarifying and reframing associated with coaching. Traditionally, however, mentoring in the workplace has tended to describe a relationship in which a more experienced colleague uses his or her greater knowledge and understanding of the work or workplace to support the development of a more junior or inexperienced member of staff. 

 

One key distinction is that mentoring relationships tend to be longer term than coaching arrangements. In a succession planning scenario, for example, a regional finance director might be mentored by a group level counterpart over a lengthy period to develop a sound understanding of dealing with the boardroom, presenting to analysts and challenging departmental budgets, all in a supportive environment. 

 

Mentoring relationships work best when they move beyond the directive approach of a senior colleague ‘telling it how it is’, to one where both learn from each other. An effective mentoring relationship is a learning opportunity for both parties. This is particularly productive when used to encourage inclusive working practices and equal opportunities, for example where a senior female or ethnic minority leader mentors a more junior colleague from a similar background. Reverse mentoring (where a more junior colleague mentors a senior leader) can also be effective in encouraging sharing and learning across generations and/or between role levels. 

Coaching and mentoring are development techniques based on the use of one-to-one discussions to enhance an individual’s skills, knowledge or work performance. It is possible to draw distinctions between coaching and mentoring although in practice the two terms are often used interchangeably