Meet the Coach: Charlotte Barton
Charlotte Barton is a coach in Central London and online
What attracted you to become a coach?
When I was 15 my dad actually left his successful corporate career and retrained as a coach so I’ve been around it for a long time. He had really loved his previous career and still I saw as a teen what a transformation he went through as he embarked on his own coaching story, the fulfilment he found along with balance too. He was around much more and began to have much deeper conversations with us…even when I didn’t want to.
Then when I was at university studying sports therapy I was asked by my parents what I wanted for my 21st birthday, I requested my first coaches training course. I went to Paris and fell in love…with coaching.
Where did you train?
I trained in Paris and London through Co-Active Training Institute (CTI) and later became certified through their intense certification programme remotely where I trained with a group of eight other coaches from across the globe.
In addition to the coaches training I’ve also partaken in one of their leadership courses which brought so much power to my leadership style.
What kind of coaching do you offer?
One-to-one as well as group coaching programmes from 6+ weeks for women. I also design and facilitate Womxn Empowerment workshops for business’, full of lots of yummy coaching goodness.
I love that co-active coaching has a strong focus on the now and the future working from the principles of fulfilment, balance and process – it’s pretty amazing!
My group coaching programmes integrate positive intelligence (PQ) which has its roots in positive psychology and neuroscience.
How does your style of coaching help?
I always use the co-active coaching model as the base for all my coaching individuals and groups.
One-to-one I work with women to embrace and thrive through any change in their lives.
Change of any kind holds a lot of fear, for a lot of people. I can’t get enough of it. And so, I work with clients to overcome the barriers that have them stuck in patterns, careers, relationships and lives that simply aren’t giving them what they need. All of the women I work with learn to truly step into their power and often get back to the essence of their true selves, not to what society, the patriarchy, family, friends, partners, colleagues and even strangers online might have told them they ‘should be’.
Co-active coaching also really has a special place in enabling clients to be seen and heard in the moment. As a highly-skilled co-active coach I’m able to create the space my client’s need in order to process - often stuck – emotion enabling them to truly release whatever it is they’ve been holding on to and use that unearthed energy to create a forward momentum in whatever it is they want to change or propel them through a change they may not have chosen.
My small group coaching sessions have clients learn to rewire and re-train their brains (neural pathways) to serve them in a positive way rather than the constant sabotage our brains are set up for in survival mode. Clients learn to identify and categorise their sabotaging thoughts, calm their nervous system as to reduce anxiety and similar and from this place they’re able to take positive action.
What sort of coaching clients do you usually see?
I usually work with women who want to get proactive in response to change in their life. They’re often tired of feeling like they’re waiting around for something or someone to happen to them. They want to take charge of their lives, see and embrace the opportunities presented to them
The women I work with tend to ‘secretly’ know that they have a far greater purpose in life than they currently feel like they’re fulfilling.
Do you ever suggest books or other materials to clients?
I often recommend anything Brene Brown be it her books or her podcast Unlocking Us.
The Baggage Reclaim Sessions podcast with Natalie Lue for creating a self-awareness picture of past challenges that may have you stuck.
Here are some cracking Instagram accounts that have a focus on women empowerment: @_queenmojo @kenziebrenna @alexlight_ldn @midsizemillenial @isabelladavis6 @youatyours
What do you like about being a coach?
I love witnessing and really feeling the transformation that goes on with my clients. I get to be a part of their growth and celebrate with them and witness them in all their vulnerability. I often remind myself what a privilege that is.
I love that I continue to learn and grow personally through my client’s learnings too.
It feels great to coach people I’m passionate about; it genuinely doesn’t feel like work.
I love that no two sessions or clients are the same, coaching is full of variety and surprises.
Being a coach reminds me to be the best version of myself and helps me to continue to integrate my own learnings through my personal development work.
I love that I at least hear about what a massive impact the work has on my clients lives – dreamy!
Meeting amazing and inspiring women who are ready to embrace their growth.
What is less pleasant?
Having to run a business and the admin that comes with that.
What is one life lesson you try to live by?
Always listen to your intuition….because it only speaks on a subject once.
…the logical mind is not the correct tool for all jobs.
What do you wish people knew about coaching?
I wish people knew that you don’t need to ‘have a problem’ to have coaching. Coaching is for people who want to do better and be better, excel in their lives by their own standards.
If everyone knew what it feels like and what is possible for them through the transformation of coaching then everyone would have a coach and what a positively transformed world we would live in!
Do you have a favourite client testimonial or particular success story?
Absolutely…after a six-month one-to-one coaching programme this client had not only achieved what she had hoped for in her three focal areas around ‘Money, Doing and Self-worth’ but she also stated:
“The biggest thing I’ve overcome with coaching is that now I just do things. Achieving more than I’ve ever done. The pressure is off. I’m taking back control…
…I have boundaries and there are things I just won’t tolerate anymore
…I am calling the shots. I’m on a path, I’m paving the way rather than floating around
…I’m creating space
…The things I’m doing now, I thought I needed three years to do them, not six months.”
And when asked in her completion session ‘Who have you become?’ she responded “Who I was age four. Who I was meant to be. I’ve become myself again.”
