Mental Well-Being in Coaching: Insights, Strategies, and Practical Takeaways

Anxiety, depression, imposter syndrome, and feelings of overwhelm are common issues affecting millions of people around the world as part of the global mental health crisis. This crisis has touched almost every aspect of our lives, and the coaching profession is no exception. According to the recently released 2024 ICF Coaching Snapshot: Coaching and Mental Well-Being report, coaching clients are increasingly seeking mental well-being support. 

Conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and commissioned by the International Coaching Federation (ICF), this survey gathered responses from more than 10,000 coach practitioners across 147 countries to gain a better understanding of how today’s coaches are adapting to and addressing client needs for mental well-being support. The results? The survey findings reveal 85% of coaches report having clients who request this type of support. However, only 26% of coaches state that more than half of their clients make such requests. This demonstrates both a growing relevance and the nuanced role of mental well-being in coaching.  

To better understand how coaches are navigating the changes around coaching and mental well-being, several members of the ICF community have shared their personal experiences and perspectives on the role of mental well-being within their practices. 

Coaches’ Experience With Mental Well-Being Needs  

Coaches are experiencing firsthand the demand for mental well-being support from their clients. Corby Furrow, CEC, notes that mental well-being is being increasingly integrated into her coaching practice as many clients enter sessions dysregulated, overwhelmed, and stressed due to the complexities of modern life.   

This trend is echoed in the survey data, with business and career issues being the most cited contributors to poor mental well-being. Kristie Kennedy, PCC, observed a definite uptick in requests for mental and emotional support around work-related challenges, particularly issues like imposter syndrome, stress, and anxiety, during her five years as an internal coach. 

While many clients initially seek coaching around productivity and career choices, Shana Shallenberg found clients soon reveal underlying issues like anxiety, imposter syndrome, or confidence challenges. “Asking the right questions, being well-versed in these topics, and building trust is essential,” she explains. “It lets clients feel safe as we navigate this journey together.”

Alongside these evolving client needs, Christine Spreter von Kreudenstein, ACC, has observed a shift in how her clients perceive mental well-being. Previously, mental health was seen in binary terms — one was either mentally well or unwell. However, this perspective has evolved, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, with clients increasingly viewing being mentally well as the ability to develop effective coping skills to manage life’s challenges.  

Susana Rinderle, PCC, states she hasn’t observed an increase in need or demand for mental well-being support in her own coaching practice because “that’s what I’ve offered for a while,” she explains. “However, I do find that more coaching clients are ‘aware’ of these needs and are now asking for such support more directly. I think that’s because mental health challenges and trauma are being destigmatized, and more people are reaching their breaking points because of the accumulation of multiple systemic and societal pressures.”  

Creative Approaches to Client Well-Being 

Survey findings show coaches are utilizing a range of strategies to support client well-being, with mindfulness, visualization, and meditation among the most common. However, coaches often find individualized strategies and techniques focused on self-reflection and growth to be the most effective — though these are used less frequently.  

Here are a few additional techniques found effective by the ICF coaching community.  

Somatic and Self-Regulation Techniques

Corby uses Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT or “tapping”), along with breathing exercises, to help clients manage stress. Susana integrates trauma-informed, body-focused practices from Nkem Ndefo’s Resilience Toolkit, which supports and empowers clients while respecting their autonomy. 

Awareness and Grounding Exercises

Inspired by Positive Intelligence (PQ) exercises, simple focusing techniques like finger touching is how Christine helps clients to effectively develop coping skills. Kristie combines breathwork with gratitude exercises to help clients manage anxiety and boost energy. 

Faith-Based and Educational Resources

Theresa Flynn incorporates faith-based resources, along with conflict resolution handouts, and materials from Positive Psychology and the American Association of Christian Counselors. 

Quick Mental Shifts

Shana often asks clients to quickly list things they love, to help reconnect them with their core values and break through moments of stress.
 

Navigating Challenges in Mental Well-Being in Coaching 

Supporting mental well-being in coaching is not without its difficulties. The most frequently reported challenge when engaging clients in discussions about their mental well-being is navigating the fine line between supporting them without crossing into areas that require mental health expertise. Nearly half of coach practitioners reported referring clients to mental health professionals within the past year, especially in regions where client awareness of mental health needs may be limited, such as Eastern Europe and Asia.  

Kristie emphasizes the importance of clear boundaries, sharing, “I stayed with too many clients longer than I should have, even when they were a better fit for therapy, even though the company was recommending that I support them.”  With a 19% increase in mental health referrals reported, coaches are more aware than ever of the need to refer clients to mental health professionals when appropriate.

For Shana, while her professional coach training covered topics like coaching for emotion or process coaching and somatic exercises, she still feels a need to expand her knowledge and comfort level in applying those techniques with clients. To address this challenge, Shana has focused on ongoing education. She seeks out accredited courses and listens to coaches who specialize in somatic work. This allows her to gain new insights and approaches that she can then thoughtfully incorporate into her coaching, but only with her clients’ permission. Shana emphasizes the importance of partnering with clients when using techniques beyond the core scope of her original coaching training.  

Preparing for the Future of Coaching and Well-Being 

Looking forward, 72% of coaches are interested in expanding their expertise in mental well-being coaching. Many, especially Millennials and Gen X, are excited about advancing in this area. Yet the need for additional training remains clear, with many coaches recognizing the importance of training to better understand when to refer clients to mental health specialists.  

The survey suggests that ongoing education, resource sharing, and mentorship can play crucial roles in equipping coaches with the insights and skills to navigate mental well-being conversations.  

For the full insights and deeper exploration into these findings, the 2024 ICF Coaching Snapshot: Coaching and Mental Well-Being report is a comprehensive resource on how coaching is evolving to support a world increasingly focused on mental well-being. You can also hear directly from members of the ICF coaching community on how they are responding to the rising demand for mental well-being support in coaching.