The Power of Pure Coaching (with or without Elvis)

My Experience with Tony Latimer

Recently, I had the opportunity to be coached by Tony Latimer, MCC as part of The Coachathon 2024 of the MicroLoan Foundation in partnership with the International Coaching Federation. I have known of Tony’s work for nearly two years now, and the chance to be coached by him was just too good to miss. What I sought was a ‘pure’ coaching experience, centred around an image I have been carrying with me for some time. A Parachute that I was dragging around with me.

The Impact of Imagery in Coaching

After our session, an unexpected image joined the metaphor of the parachute I had originally brought into the conversation: a little girl with an oversized red handbag from Peter Schössow’s 2005 children’s book Gehört das so?. Unfortunately, the title hasn’t been translated into English, but its message transcends language.

Schössow’s book tells the story of a little girl who enters a park and reveals her grief over the death of Elvis—her small yellow bird, not the famous singer. As she mourns, she finds support from those around her, both real and fantastical characters, who help her honour her bird’s life with a heartfelt funeral, complete with a procession, candles, and wreaths. Afterward, they sit together, drink hot chocolate, eat cake, and reflect on Elvis.

What strikes me about this story is how Schössow shows, with such simplicity and poignancy, the way grief can be transformed through shared compassion and communication. The little girl doesn’t leave the scene laughing, but she is surrounded by others who share her grief and listen to her. She can say goodbye, and in doing so, some healing takes place.

Coaching and the Metaphors We Carry

Did Tony and I talk about grief? Not directly. Yet, I found myself feeling much like that little girl, except in my case, I was dragging a parachute instead of a handbag. What made the session so powerful were the vivid images that emerged through Tony’s questions.

Tony’s approach helped me tap into metaphors I hadn’t consciously explored before, offering me a safe space to unpack complex emotions. Schössow’s book provided me with a beautiful image to play with and explore these feelings further. In this coaching session, the metaphorical tools at play allowed me to navigate emotions and thoughts in ways that words alone might not have done.

The Importance of Imagery in Transformative Coaching

Coaching, especially at its purest, often helps us access parts of ourselves that are deeply tied to imagery and metaphor. Just as Schössow’s little girl found solace in the shared experience of others, I found that the images created during my coaching session offered me a new way to approach the challenges I was facing.

While grief wasn’t the main topic, the session allowed me to explore my feelings with the same depth and compassion that Schössow’s book highlights so beautifully. It reminded me of the power of being present, allowing ourselves and others the space to express emotions without judgement or rush. Thank you, Tony (and of course, Peter, the little girl – and Elvis)!