This morning, I had a conversation with one of my private clients that brought me right back to a moment in my massage career: fresh out of my first coach training, heart full of purpose, yet stuck in a system that taught me my worth was in the hours I spent with my hands on someone else’s body.
Back then, I thought adding “coaching” to my massage menu—just another line item—would magically open doors to a new way of working. Spoiler: it didn’t. And after a decade of coaching holistic, heart-centered practitioners, I’ve seen the same patterns play out over and over.
If you’re thinking about adding coaching—or wondering why the coaching you’ve tried hasn’t taken off—here are three mistakes I see all the time (and what actually works):
1. Treating Coaching Like Another Modality
Our industry conditions us to think in time slots: 60 minutes of massage, 90 minutes of Reiki, maybe 30 minutes of “add-on coaching.” But coaching isn’t a technique you sprinkle in—it’s a process that helps people transform.
Here’s the truth: your clients don’t want more modalities. They want results. When we sell coaching like another tool, we sound like a contractor bragging about their hammer instead of talking about the beautiful home they can help you build.
The shift: Stop selling coaching time. Start helping your clients see the outcome they crave—and position coaching as the path to get there.
2. Confusing Coaching with Giving Advice
Raise your hand if you’ve ever listened to a client share their struggles, then jumped in with a list of things they should do. (Mine’s up.) It feels like helping, but all it does is fill their head with information they didn’t ask for—often leaving them feeling more stuck than before.
Advice is easy. Coaching is harder—and more powerful. Coaching is about holding a space for someone to see themselves clearly, so they can make choices that are truly aligned. Without consent, advice masquerading as coaching not only misses the mark, it risks taking you out of integrity and out of scope.
The shift: Before you “coach,” ask for permission. Make sure your client knows they’re stepping into a different kind of conversation—one that’s about discovery, not directives.
3. Calling Yourself a Coach Without the Skills or Credentials
This is the one that makes me cringe. Because anyone can call themselves a coach (it’s an unregulated industry), I’ve seen well-meaning practitioners slap “coach” on their website after a successful year, then start telling others to copy their exact path. But coaching isn’t about teaching someone your way. It’s about helping them find theirs.
I’ve also watched what happens when a practitioner steps into real coaching training: their confidence skyrockets, their conversations deepen, and their clients’ lives truly change. That’s why we pursued ICF accreditation for the BodyMind Method®—because great coaching deserves to be held to a higher standard.
The shift: Invest in training that aligns with your work and values. Building your coaching skills will transform not only your clients’ results but your own possibilities—giving you a way to serve beyond the treatment table, sustainably and ethically.
Here’s Why This Matters
Coaching done right isn’t a side hustle or an upsell. It’s a calling. It’s the bridge between the deep healing you already offer and the lasting change your clients crave.
When you learn to hold coaching conversations with skill, integrity, and alignment, you unlock a way of working that nourishes your life instead of draining it.
Which of these mistakes do you see most in your own journey—or in the industry around you? Hit reply or leave a comment. I’d love to hear what’s resonating.
And if you’re ready to explore adding coaching the right way—so you can expand your impact without burning out—let’s talk. My team and I are here to support you.
With love,
Laura
Laura Wieck, LMT, PCC is the author of The BodyMind Method© and founder of The BodyMind Coaching Certification Program, an ICF-accredited, NCBTMB approved coach training designed to help holistic practitioners work smarter and serve deeper. With over 20 years of experience, Laura is passionate about supporting heart-centered, holistic-minded, mission-driven entrepreneurs who are ready to create sustainable success and boldly embody their roles as leaders, guides, and change-makers.
Curious if we are a fit to work together? Schedule a call to learn more.
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