Colin White

I became a coach after spending eleven years as a boutique shopkeeper. Without knowing it, much of what I did behind the shop counter was what I later discovered to be coaching. People came in to buy clothes, but stayed to talk about their relationships, creative ideas, work, grief, life changes, or whatever else they were going through. I learned the value of attention, of listening with curiosity rather than judgement, and of giving people the space to hear themselves think out loud. Even on the days when nobody bought a thing, these intimate human exchanges felt so much more meaningful to me than selling products. And so I decided to harness what I was already doing naturally, get qualified, close my shop, and establish a professional coaching practice. My approach to coaching is conversational, curious and organic. Although I am fully trained, I would rather not apply textbook models to every person who sits in front of me. I work intuitively with what you bring into the session: asking questions, noticing patterns, reflecting things back, and helping you find the thread that leads you out of the proverbial maze. There’s a transpersonal influence to the way I work, which essentially means I’m interested in the whole person rather than treating you as a problem to solve. Your unique set of emotions, values, circumstances, relationships, creativity, and sense of meaning can all be relevant. Often the practical problem in front of us is only part of the picture. My own life has included major career changes, creative self-employment, burnout, grief, periods of anxiety and depression, changing my relationship with alcohol and, more recently, an ADHD diagnosis. These experiences have given me a deeper appreciation for how complicated being a human tends to be, and how rarely our lives fit neatly into boxes. I use regular down-to-earth language, rather than therapy jargon or new age woo-woo. I don't pretend to be some kind of Jedi master or spiritual guru. And I certainly won't tell you how to live your life. I’d much rather help you work out what matters to you, understand what’s getting in the way, and let that understanding become fuel for action. I’m particularly interested in the moments when you know something needs to change, but you can’t seem to get yourself moving. Overwhelm, procrastination, lack of direction, fear of failure, transitions, creative block, a decision you keep circling, or simply the feeling that you’ve become stuck. These are all areas where a coaching session with me can be extremely useful. I tend to work in a relatively short-term, outcome-focused way. Coaching —by definition— should not become another endless commitment. Just a few conversations are usually enough to create meaningful long-lasting movement. One of the core presuppositions of coaching is that individuals have within them everything they need to create the life they want. The resources, the inner machinery, the engine itself is there. Sometimes we stall, and that's when we need a bit of help to get running again. Even if it's just a reminder of your own power. Hence: human starter motor. You won't need me forever, but I'll be right here when you do. I look forward to hearing from you :)