In today's episode, we're exploring a distinction that is subtle, nuanced — and incredibly important if you want to do deep, ethical, effective 1:1 work with your clients.
We're talking about the difference between truly supporting your clients and subtly rescuing them.
Because while most coaches know they're not meant to fix or rescue their clients… many of us still slip into rescue mode more often than we realize — especially in moments of discomfort, stuckness, or uncertainty.
This episode is a companion to last week's conversation on What to Do When You Don't Know What to Say in a Client Session, and together, these two episodes address what's really happening in those charged moments where your instincts kick in and your nervous system starts leading the session.
Inside this episode, we explore:
Very specific client scenarios where rescuing tends to show up (often disguised as "good coaching")
What's actually happening inside the coach when rescue mode kicks in
The energetic difference between support and rescue — and why your internal state matters more than your words
Why rescuing, even when well-intentioned, often leads to stalled growth, fragile confidence, and repeated "stuck" patterns
A detailed client example showing how rescuing bypasses transformation — and what to do instead
What real support actually looks like, including
Why going into your sessions regulated and grounded is foundational to all of this
Simple questions you can use in real time to catch yourself when you're slipping into rescue mode
At its core, this episode is an invitation to trust your clients more deeply — and in doing so, help them trust themselves.
Because support doesn't remove struggle. It strengthens your client's relationship to it.
And that's where real depth — and real transformation — lives.
Interested in going deeper?
The next cohort of Sacred Depths: The Transformational Practitioner Training begins in April. This training is for coaches and practitioners who want to do exceptional 1:1 work — work that's grounded, ethical, embodied, and deeply effective.
We work not only with transformational skills and techniques, but also with the inner world of the practitioner — including energetics, regulation, fear, and unconscious patterns that shape your sessions.
You can learn more here.
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