From 'What's Wrong' to 'What's Strong'

When a child or adolescent is struggling, it can be tough on parents and educators to know what to do. Most often when expert help is sought, the answer usually follows a pathological route of diagnosis, medication, therapy, or a combination of all three. This affirms there is something 'wrong' with the child and then follows a long and difficult journey to 'recovery'.

Our approach is simple... we take a coaching psychology route and ask the young person, 'what they want?'. Then, we give them the tools to achieve this, whether that is simply to feel better, not to be different, have more friends, feel less 'stupid', or get better grades, all the while strengthening what's 'good', so they recognise how incredible they are! Coaching 'enables' them, not 'labels' them!

Our Unique Process

Through an evidence-based coaching model, derived from Positive Psychology, Neuroscience, Self Determination Theory and Executive Leadership Coaching, we empower young people to find solutions within themselves in one-to-one coaching sessions or workshops in schools.

We help satisfy their three key psychological human needs:
1. Autonomy - to feel in control of their own life and decisions.
2. Competence - to feel capable and successful in what they do.
3. Connectedness - to feel connected to and cared for by others.

Sessions are fun, collaborative and interactive, beginning with the fundamentals of how the brain works and what they are actually in control of. As this is their journey of discovery and empowerment, they get to choose which activities they do to influence their outer and inner environments. Once they see the results, they'll want to do it again and again. These skills are not just for challenging times, they are skills for life!

If you are interested in learning more about taking a non-clinical approach to mental fitness, wellbeing and empowerment, book a free Discovery Session to see if we are the right fit for your needs.

How Do We Get Started?

Frequently Asked Questions

How does coaching work?

Coaching Psychology is an effective, practical, evidence-based, practice where a professional, dedicated coach will encourage your child to identify and develop their strengths, recognise their values, build resilience, enhance relationships and help equip them for life.

Positive psychology coaching is not counselling or therapy. It is a process that aims to strengthen the positive attributes of an individual, focusing on what is ‘right’ as opposed to what is ‘wrong’. Research has shown that a positive psychology coaching approach for children promotes positive aspects of development, such as gratitude, positive emotions, life satisfaction, accomplishment, positive relationships, and self-esteem.

How much does coaching cost?

Our pricing varies depending on which service you require. Young Person's Online Coaching starts from £110 per 40 minute session. If coaching takes place at School, the cost can reduce to £90, depending on numbers.

Parent coaching starts from £150 per session, but parent membership which includes coaching, events and twice weekly drop in clinics costs just £197 per month.

We offer a variety of options and packages to fit most needs and budgets. Please contact us for more information.

Do I get to choose 'The Coach' ?

We have an exceptional team of associate coaches who have all been trained to a master's level in positive psychology and coaching psychology. Many of our coaches have additional qualifications, have been teachers or SENCo, and are parents of neurodivergent children. All are passionate about positive education and changing the way we approach mental fitness.

Following a discovery session, you will be matched with the most suitable coach for your needs, and you and the child will meet with the coach for a chemistry session to make sure you are a good fit before you start the programme

Can anyone be coached?

We offer a free Discovery Session for all new enquiries to understand your motivation for coaching your child. In most cases coaching will be a suitable intervention, but if at any stage we uncover underlying traumas that we feel might be more suitable for a clinical assessment, we will guide you towards the most suitable path.

We have many cases where a child is already undergoing clinical interventions and coaching psychology works as a good fit alongside therapy, with the eventuality of taking over from therapy.

What checks do you run on your coaches?

Positive Education UK & Ireland follow the Safer Recruitment procedures in education for all coaches, obtaining criminal record checks, references and confirmation on qualifications for coaching psychology. All our coaches hold their own professional insurance.

How many sessions might my child need?

The length of time required to embed the concepts and strategies, will very much depend on the young person. Some children and teens use coaching to support them in the lead up to exams, in which case a term (8 sessions) would suffice. For those who are experiencing deeper rooted challenges, or with neurodivergent traits, coaching support may be required for longer. Some parents prefer to have coaching support to cover each of the annual school terms if the child is struggling in school.

The minimum commitment is 8 sessions, but if for any reason, we mutually feel that coaching is not working in the way we hoped, we offer a full refund on any unused sessions.

Can I attend the coaching session with my child?

We advise against adults being in the session with the child, so the child can speak freely and feel autonomous in their actions.

What age does my child need to be?

Our one-to-one online coaching is suitable for young people aged 8 - 18 years. If a child is younger and in need of support, please contact us for guidance. Most often we coach the parent and/or the teachers to best support the child, which proves to be an effective option.

Coaching workshops are suitable for children aged 6 years and upward. We hold combined parent and child coaching workshops for nursery, pre-school and reception years.

Will you share what my child says?

The conversation between the coach and child is confidential within legal limits. The coach will encourage the child to share session discussions, but it's ultimately the child's choice. Confidentiality however will be broken if there's a safeguarding concern, risk of harm, or illegal activity. The child's safety will be prioritised, and if additional support is needed, parents or guardians will be involved to find the best options for the child's needs.

A report of the concepts and activities covered will be shared with parents or guardians following each session.

Do you offer coaching for parents?

Yes. We offer sessions and courses for parents and teachers to learn the same techniques for a more holistic approach to supporting the child.

We also have a parent membership with all year round support, mini courses and coaching resources, including twice weekly online drop-in clinics ,hosted by Zeena Hicks, for parents to troubleshoot challenges, plus an interactive, thriving and supportive parent community.

"The sessions help me feel calm, and it's useful to have the space to reflect."

"I use the box breathing to help when I feel annoyed, or even lonely, and it helps me relax and go to sleep."

"The sessions have helped me and made me feel different [better]. Just having somewhere to talk and trust that person is good. I think I be nicer and not get as angry and think more positively now."

Here's What Our Young Clients Say

"My coaching sessions help me focus on the good things so I don't feel sad. I try harder in lessons - like science - and I know when to start worrying and when it's just me overthinking."

"I enjoyed learning new things like breathing techniques to cope with stress and coping strategies to help me cope with all my worries."

"The box breathing helps me relax, mindfulness also helped me forget about some stuff I get stressed about and the mind trap stuff helped me think more positively."

"My coaching sessions have 'helped me control my anger a bit better', and I now try to control myself before I speak and think about what I am going to say."

"A lot of the time when I could easily get angry I now walk out or ignore it - especially mean banter or comments - because I can block it out or know when it's coming."

"Coaching has helped me become more sociable and more socially intelligent, because I've started leaning towards groups and joining in."

"The sessions have helped me learn to accept who I am, because I'm a lot more positive about who I am, and about life in general now."

"It's helped a lot and it's pretty much got me through my first year of senior school."

"Insults don't really affect me anymore. I've been learning to deal with it and it's been easier to ignore them."