Frequently Asked Questions

Being good with money is a bit like being physically fit - it doesn’t happen overnight, and it often helps to have the right support to stay motivated and on track.

Financial coaching gives you that support. Using proven coaching techniques alongside financial know-how, we help you get clear on your goals, understand what’s driving your decisions, and put in place practical strategies you can stick to.

People come to coaching for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes it’s just to sense-check existing plans or get straightforward guidance. Other times it’s about facing financial challenges that feel overwhelming, or tackling unhelpful habits like overspending or avoidance. Whatever the starting point, the focus is always on helping you feel more confident, more in control, and better equipped to make choices that work for you.

We begin with a free 20-minute initial call to talk through what you’d like to achieve and to decide together whether coaching feels like the right fit.

Before your first session, we’ll invite you to complete some simple forms so that our time together can be as focused and productive as possible. Coaching itself takes place over a series of regular Zoom sessions. Each one is a safe, confidential space where you can talk openly about money - often for the first time without fear of being judged or sold a product. Some sessions focus on urgent issues, like tackling debt or getting clarity on cashflow. Others step back to look at the bigger picture - exploring what matters most to you, clarifying your goals, and weaving in life planning where it feels relevant.

Along the way, we’ll use a mix of practical tools (like spending trackers or cashflow plans) and coaching conversations that uncover the habits, beliefs and feelings influencing your money decisions. You’ll leave each session with clear actions, and the accountability and support to put them into practice.

Many clients say the process feels both practical and liberating - helping them get organised, stay motivated, and build the confidence to make choices that align with the life they want.

Money isn’t just about numbers - it’s deeply connected to our emotions, habits and life stories. That’s why financial coaching looks at both sides: the practical steps to get organised, and the emotional patterns that influence how you spend, save and make decisions.

Financial coaching supports you to build a healthier, more confident relationship with money. It’s not about being told what to do - it’s about having a reflective, non-judgemental space to understand what’s really going on for you, get clearer on what matters, and make decisions that feel intentional and aligned with your values.

For some people, the benefits are practical - setting up simple systems, building better habits, or tackling money that feels out of control. For others, it’s more emotional - reducing stress, shame or anxiety, breaking long-standing patterns, or finding the confidence to take action on something they’ve been avoiding. It can also be a powerful support during big life transitions, when both money and emotions feel in flux.

What’s consistent is the impact coaching can have on your sense of agency and wellbeing. When you feel more in control of your money, you often feel more in control of your life.

The first coaching session ia always two hours and takes place over Zoom. It’s a chance to talk through your financial situation in detail, explore what you’d like to achieve, and start working towards those goals straight away.

Subsequent sessions can be one hour, 90 minutes or two hours depending on your needs, and many clients find it helpful to meet regularly - for example, once a month over several months - to build momentum and embed new habits. Others feel one or two sessions are enough to get them started. There’s no upfront commitment: you simply book and pay for the sessions you need.

Each session is shaped around you. We might look at your financial picture, explore the habits and emotions that influence your choices, or use practical tools like spreadsheets. You’ll always come away with clear next steps and fresh insights that help you understand yourself better. Those insights often spark motivation and give you the confidence to make lasting changes.

Above all, coaching sessions are safe, confidential and non-judgemental. Many clients say it’s the first time they’ve been able to talk honestly about money without fear of being judged or pressured.

At the end of each session we’ll agree on some next steps for you to focus on. Sometimes these are practical - such as gathering information from banks or pension providers, setting up savings pots, or completing a budgeting worksheet. Other times they’re more reflective — like noticing patterns in your spending, trying out a new habit, or reflecting on the emotions that come up around money.

These steps are there to keep you moving gently towards your goals and to help you build confidence in managing your money day to day. We’ll always work at a pace that feels right for you. Most clients find that taking action between sessions, even in small ways, helps them get more from the process and keeps the momentum going.

There’s also support available between sessions. This might be a check-in by email or WhatsApp, sharing a tool or worksheet to help with a specific task, or a short nudge to keep you on track. Many clients find this extra layer of accountability really valuable in maintaining focus and motivation.

Life planning is something we weave into coaching when it feels right. It’s a deeper exercise that helps you explore what’s truly important at the heart of your life - not just the “what” of your goals, but the “why” behind them.

For individuals, it brings clarity and motivation before we start shaping the practical steps. For couples, it can be a beautiful process of discovering each other’s values and hopes, and creating a shared vision for the future.

Once that vision is clear, we then look at how your money can support it - building the financial architecture, habits and systems that make it possible. It’s about connecting the practical with the deeply personal, so your financial choices feel rooted in what matters most to you.

Yes. I do a lot of work in this area, both with individuals and with couples. Sometimes that means supporting someone who feels financially trapped in their marriage and needs clarity about what life apart could look like. Other times it’s about helping couples have constructive money conversations during the separation process, so decisions can be made with more understanding and less conflict.

I’m not a lawyer, mediator or financial adviser, so I don’t provide legal advice or recommend financial products. What I do offer is a safe, structured space to explore the financial side of separation. That can involve looking at current budgets, clarifying assets and outgoings, exploring different scenarios, and helping you think through what’s possible. Coaching can also be a place to unpick the emotions and fears that often sit behind money decisions at such a difficult time.

The aim is to help you feel clearer, more supported and more able to move forward - whether that’s finding the confidence to take the first steps, or navigating the ongoing practical and emotional challenges of divorce.

You can find more detail about this area of my work on the Divorce and separation page of my website. 

Financial advice and financial coaching can both play an important role - they just do different things.

A financial adviser helps you choose and set up financial products, such as pensions, investments, mortgages or insurance. Their role is to look at your circumstances, make recommendations, and often put the products in place for you. It’s a regulated service and focuses on the technical side of managing and growing your money.

Financial coaching doesn’t recommend or sell products. Instead, it gives you the space to get clear on your day-to-day finances, build practical systems that work for you, and explore the feelings, beliefs and habits that shape the way you handle money. A coach won’t tell you what to do - they’ll work with you so you can make your own decisions with more confidence.

Many people find the two go hand in hand: coaching helps you feel more in control and ready to make decisions, while advice can then provide the technical detail and product recommendations when you need them.

Not at all - they’re two quite different services.

Financial advisers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Their role is usually to recommend and arrange financial products such as pensions, investments, insurance or mortgages. They’re the right people to turn to if you want specific advice on products or investment strategies.

Financial coaching takes a different approach. We don’t recommend or sell financial products, and we won’t suggest you change or cancel anything you already have. What we do is help you get clarity on your current financial picture, set up simple systems that make it easier to stay on top of things, and build the confidence to make choices that fit you and your life. Our work often involves exploring the habits, beliefs and emotions that sit behind your decisions, as well as the practical side of managing money. We can also guide you through how different products or options work, or help you prepare for a conversation with a financial adviser - but the decisions always stay in your hands.

Coaching isn’t regulated by the FCA. If you do need regulated financial advice, we’ll explain the options, point you towards trusted directories, and signpost you to free advice agencies if appropriate.

Some clients see financial coaching as a more affordable alternative to advice when they don’t need specific product recommendations. Others use it alongside advice, finding that coaching helps them get their finances organised and their goals clear, so they’re better placed to make the most of an adviser’s expertise.

Generic advice is information or guidance about money that isn’t tailored to a specific individual and doesn’t involve recommending a particular financial product. For example, we might explain how different types of pensions work, outline the pros and cons of various savings options, or walk you through what to think about when planning for retirement.

It’s different from regulated financial advice, where an adviser looks at your personal circumstances and tells you exactly which product to buy, change or invest in. With generic advice, the aim is to help you understand your options more clearly, so you can make informed decisions for yourself - or feel confident about what to ask if you go on to speak with a financial adviser.

It’s completely understandable to want to help a loved one who’s finding money difficult. I’m often approached by partners, parents or siblings who’d like to offer coaching as a way of support. The important thing to know is that coaching only really works if the person themselves is ready and willing to engage. Lasting change tends to happen when someone reaches the point of wanting something different for themselves.

The best next step is usually for them to contact me directly so we can have an initial chat. That way, I can explain how I work, and they can decide if it feels right. If it would be helpful, I’m also happy to talk with you first so you have a clear sense of what’s involved. You might also like to share one of my interviews/podcasts with them, so they can get a feel for my approach before reaching out.