Wondering what can you expect in a breakthrough coaching session?
I can´t speak for other breakthrough transformational coaches, but I am happy to share the process I use and help you understand what to expect in the Breakthrough Session I offer.
The word ¨breakthrough¨ can be intimidating for potential clients. It conjures an image of something big and dramatic, and for some, it is frightening to think about a major revelation or physical response.
There are bodywork breakthrough practitioners who offer cathartic practices that cause emotional releases. These are often intense physical techniques such as stomping, screaming, deep-tissue manipulation, and other activities that can override the nervous system to intentionally push the body into a ¨risk¨ zone. Unless you are working with a highly-skilled practitioner, and even in that case, this can result in an overwhelming experience that creates more trauma.
This is NOT what I do, or what breakthrough coaches in general offer. In my Breakthrough Sessions, I use a brief mindfulness combination to relax you rather than intense cathartic practices that are used to release emotions rooted in trauma.
The term¨trauma-informed coach¨ can paint a picture of a session in which a client feels distressed rather than uplifted by the experience. But the fact that I have training in how to handle coaching sessions that address trauma does not mean we will spend the whole hour talking about the most difficult experiences of your life. Our purpose in including trauma is to put it on the table as one of the possible experiences that could have sparked a limiting belief that you created and repeated over the years.
During the complimentary 15-minute Clarity Call we will have prior to scheduling any Breakthrough Session, I offer assurance that our time together will feel safe, reflective, and surprisingly light. In fact, so many clients have used the words ¨breezy¨ or ¨breeze¨ to describe their experience that I have toyed with the idea of calling them Breezy Breakthrough Sessions!
Of course, that term would not reflect the depth of our exploration, the seriousness of the impact of your limiting beliefs, or the profound shift that we co-create in our work together. But we strive to ensure that the space and experience allows for both depth and levity.
Because the best Breakthrough Sessions are both deep and light. Rather than distressing, these sessions tend to lead to a sense of relief and joy. Even in the case of limiting beliefs rooted in trauma, we balance the heaviness of the source with the lightness we are creating around it.
During our Clarity Call, we will discuss any concerns you may have, and I will answer your questions about how the session might feel and what might emerge in the process.
What exactly is a breakthrough?
Think of a breakthrough as a shift in perspective. Some Breakthrough Sessions lead to revelations that can be surprising. Others lead to a deep recognition that what you always suspected to be the root of your limiting belief truly is what started it all.
But in both cases (and everything in between), a Breakthrough Session with me offers clarity about your limiting story, deeper understanding of its impact on your habits, choices, and behavior, and a conscious choice to release that stay-stuck story in order to replace it with one that will elevate you and your possibilities. The rewriting of your story to create a motivating narrative is a joyful process that includes a re-imagining of your possibilities and statements that reflect what you want to create in your life.
All of these stages taken together constitute a breakthrough that takes you from one limiting way of viewing yourself and your options to another that opens up new ways of being, growing, and creating in order to truly thrive.
PLEASE NOTE: Though most Breakthrough Sessions take about one hour, it is important to allow up to 90 minutes for our session. We want to be sure that you don´t feel rushed and that we have time to reach a resolution and create a plan for success.
What happens first in a Breakthrough Session?
All of my Breakthrough Sessions are conducted via Zoom using video or audio only, depending on what you choose. The most important thing is to create a safe, relaxed space where you feel open to questions, secure in offering your most honest responses, and receptive to the memories and reflections that arise. To create this safe space, we begin with a short mindfulness exercise that includes both breathwork and tapping to reduce any anxiety you might feel. These evidence-based techniques are especially effective when combined, and work well to put you at ease.
Is breakthrough coaching like therapy?
Breakthrough coaching is not therapy. While therapy can be extremely useful in helping us understand and come to terms with our past experiences, it is a long process that requires months or years of regular sessions with a trained therapist.
In general, coaching is focused on increasing awareness, building skills, and reaching goals in order to enhance your present and future. Breakthrough coaching takes that a step further, as it can lead to big changes and rapid results, especially when the focus is specific. Some breakthrough coaches offer long sessions (four hours or longer) or a series of shorter sessions (two hours per day over three days, for example). Other breakthrough coaches may choose to offer a series of weekly one-hour sessions over a period of months.
But in the Breakthrough Sessions I offer, your new awareness and story begin to take root on the very same DAY, and we follow up immediately. There will be multiple rounds of coaching via email and/or messaging app, as well as two Laser Coaching calls, providing post-Breakthrough support for 30 days. This Integration Phase is a critical period during which you will intentionally bring your new empowering story into your life through a series of exercises.
This is not the norm for breakthrough coaching. It is a technique I created while working with women around the world who were struggling during the pandemic. These women were the sole breadwinners for their extended families, and needed to bring in money quickly. So, while our focus was not on personal coaching, it was clear that they had limiting beliefs that would prevent them from even beginning any new project or business, let alone becoming successful. That´s how I ended up creating this super-fast technique, because we had such limited time to address their limiting beliefs and needed to advance quickly to income-producing options. I was as surprised as my clients at how quick, effective, and long-lasting the results turned out to be. The results of this unique approach are clear, as 100% of the almost-100 clients reported experiencing a positive, meaningful, and lasting change that led them to meet or exceed their success goals and create a deeply fulfilling life for themselves while supporting their families.
How can a single Breakthrough Session be effective?
Research shows that changing a habit requires 30 days of consistent daily effort. And a limiting belief is simply a habitual thought pattern that can be changed in the same way as any other habit.
I created a Breakthrough + Support model rooted in an evidence-based approach to changing habits. My goal is to ensure that each client experiences the clarity and commitment that comes from a breakthrough, creates the immediate momentum required to shift thoughts and actions, and receives consistent guidance and accountability in order to fully integrate the new belief.
As with changing any habit, it is essential to create inspiring triggers, maintain motivation, choose consistent action, and praise your progress in order to embed your new narrative into your everyday life.
Through regular contact (Laser Coaching sessions, email, messaging app), you will receive guidance and support that includes specific exercises and actions that can ensure that your Integration Phase is productive and effective in creating a lasting, positive change.
How will I feel during my Breakthrough Session?
Our goal is to make sure you remain relaxed and open. This process requires trust and clear communication.
Before the session even begins, we will discuss in detail how you are feeling, and make very clear decisions about what you are willing and able to access. During the session, if we keep circling around a topic that seems key to your belief pattern, I will present it to you as a question first, asking if you´re comfortable exploring it before proceeding further.
I will pause to check in with you frequently to make sure you remain relaxed and engaged. If at any point you feel resistant to a question or if a reflection creates anxiety, we will pause and assess whether you feel comfortable going deeper.
Will I remember a traumatic experience during a Breakthrough Session?
This may happen. But while we may discuss your memories of traumatic moments or persistent patterns related to hardship or distressing experiences, you will never be forced to enter into a conversation about anything you choose not to discuss. In addition, we will use terminology that you feel comfortable with, so for example, if ¨trauma¨ is a word that creates fear or resistance for you, we will choose another term that will work for our purposes.
Some clients who state that they are willing, able, and even eager to address their trauma may recall memories that they have forgotten for decades. Most of the time, these recalled memories are simply stories they share about experiences that help to clarify the root of a limiting belief. Our focus is on the discovery of roots rather than digging into the deeper details of a memory.
At all times, my goal is to ensure that you feel safe, relaxed, and supported during your Breakthrough Session. If you choose to stay open to remembering, this can lead to great clarity and help you understand the impact that forgotten moments can have on your life choices.
Will I cry during a Breakthrough Session?
It may happen. It´s important to remember that crying on its own may provide immediate relief, but it does not provide healing. I do not attempt to prompt or encourage crying. Instead, we focus on verbally expressing your thoughts and reflecting on questions that open new lines of exploration.
In my experience, the vast majority of clients who shed tears describe them as ¨happy tears¨ - these tend to an expression of relief and joy upon releasing the limiting belief you now recognize as the obstacle blocking your progress both personally and professionally.
In the event that we reveal that your limiting belief is linked to a painful memory that you had forgotten, this can cause momentary distress. However, the relief you experience from this discovery and the insight it provides are likely to quickly shift your emotional state toward gratitude for finally understanding its role in your life.
There are often moments of laughter in our Breakthrough Sessions. This laughter is an indication that you are gaining a sense of control over your story. Once you can laugh at the absurdity of the power it has had over you and your choices, you move into a place of lightness, possibility, and purpose.
What if I finish a Breakthrough Session without having a breakthrough?
To date, this has not happened in any of my sessions. This is due to our Clarity Call prior to scheduling your Breakthrough Session, which gives us a chance to decide together if you are ready, willing, and able to engage in this process to see, understand, release, and rewrite your limiting belief.
I will ask you questions that will help both of us understand how much resistance you might feel to the idea of change, including whatever might come up for you around the terms breakthrough, transformation, and trauma. We will talk about your daily schedule and see if you have time to set aside for brief exercises throughout the day. I recommend five minutes three times a day.
It is very important that you feel not only open to and ready for change but excited about it and motivated to devote time and energy to your transformation for 30 days. Through our Clarity Call process, it will become clear whether or not a Breakthrough Session is a good fit for you and your needs.
Is it safe for me to choose a Breakthrough Session if I am currently undergoing treatment for depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges?
Your safety is my top concern. I do not recommend choosing a Breakthrough Session if you are currently experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, self harm, or suicidal ideation. We will not schedule a Breakthrough Session if I feel you are in a compromised or fragile state.
During our Clarity Call, I will ask you to speak frankly about your personal history of any mental health challenges and treatments, including medication. I am not a psychiatrist or therapist. Though I understand the benefits of and have personally benefited from healing techniques that are not based on traditional Western medical practices, I recommend safe and effective medical/psychiatric treatment for mental health issues.
(For more on this, visit my Frequently Asked Questions page.)
What happens after my Breakthrough Session?
For some clients, the hour or two after the Breakthrough Session can be a period of elation and inspiration. For others, it can be characterized by a sense of calm and a newly-clear purpose. Still others might find that they feel a sense of tingling or heaviness in their bodies.
In every case, you will receive After-Care Instructions from me to help you continue to process your experience while engaging in self-care practices that comfort you. The self-care combination that I recommend is going for a brisk walk or bike ride (any repetitive aerobic activity to suit your interest and ability), writing in a journal when you return, then taking a shower or bath before drinking a warm, soothing beverage. Clients tell me that this combination of sweat/spill/soothe allows them to move their bodies and get a surge of endorphins while processing their thoughts, release their ideas onto paper in their journal, soak and relax once their ideas have been captured, and feel comforted as they sit in silence while sipping something warm and delicious.
Unless your Breakthrough Session is part of the VIP Evolve Series (which includes the Rewire Session two hours after the Breakthrough Session), you will begin your Integration Phase on the evening of Day One with a series of affirmations and actions related to your new story. (These will be defined during our Breakthrough Session together.)
You will also schedule the first of your two 45-minute Laser Coaching calls (within two weeks) and begin the ongoing coaching rounds via email or your preferred messaging app.
The first five days are a critical time to create momentum. We will be in contact DAILY during this first week. Make sure to set aside time for daily messaging and thoughtful processing!
What happens at the end of the 30-Day Integration Phase after my Breakthrough Session?
You may choose to schedule your second Laser Coaching Call (of the two included in your package) at the end of 30 days. This gives you an opportunity to see how you have progressed and set goals for the following month and beyond. If your package includes a limited VIP Evolve membership, you may also schedule an additional 45-minute Evolve Coaching Call within 60 Days of your Breakthrough Session.
During our month together, you will develop skills that will continue to support your progress and help you handle any other limiting beliefs that you discover or that may arise in the future. The final Laser Coaching Call is an excellent time to discuss any challenges that you have faced during your Integration Phase that you did not address through our regular email/messaging coaching rounds.
It´s our chance to both celebrate your success and create awareness about your ability to manage the challenges that may pop up in the future.
What if I don´t complete the Integration Phase? Can I get a refund?
All coaching is client-centered and client-dependent. It is always your choice to participate or to complete your coaching sessions. If you are unable to or choose not to participate in the Integration Phase coaching sessions, please let me know immediately. If there is a change in your schedule, some type of emergency that requires your attention, or something else that prevents you from continuing, we can discuss ways to pick up where you left off at a later date in order to get you back on track.
Due to the nature of coaching sessions and the time invested before, during and after each one, there are no refunds available. This is made clear at the time you agree to begin your Breakthrough Session and Integration Phase. However, I will do my best to find a way to help you you continue your process and integrate your new story into your life.
What if I feel like I need a second Breakthrough Session?
Please know that you can always reach out to me if you have any questions. If you decide that you would like to request an additional stand-alone session, just let me know. Some clients choose to do a second Breakthrough Session several months later to address a different limiting belief or to reinforce their new positive story in the face of additional challenges (a new job, move, relationship, etc.) Any second or subsequent 1-hour sessions will cost $297.
Do you offer any group coaching options or memberships for Breakthrough Session clients?
I offer an optional continuing Evolve monthly membership for those who complete their Breakthrough Series. This includes workshop videos, coaching audio messages, and designated Office Hours. The Office Hours provide a chance to have a 1:1 conversation with me each month that you can use to ask any questions about your ongoing process.
Whether you are considering the Breakthrough Series option or the VIP Evolve Series, I invite you to schedule your complimentary 15-minute Clarity Call so we can discuss your exciting possibilities!
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Maya Frost is a creative breakthrough transformational coach and the owner of Switch Transformations. She helps women over 50 achieve bold creative breakthroughs that amp up their innovation, success, and FUN. Her uniquely effective Breakthrough Series includes a powerful Breakthrough Session followed immediately by 30 days of ongoing coaching, actions, and accountability.
Schedule your complimentary 15-minute Clarity Call here
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