Bearing witness to our clients’ stories can create trust, build an alliance, and lead to deeper and more sustainable coaching outcomes. Charlotte Housden reports

  Stories are everywhere: on TV, films, songs and throughout our newsfeeds. The author and lecturer, Robert McKee (1999) says stories are ubiquitous because they “fulfil a profound human need to grasp the patterns of living – not merely as an intellectual exercise, but within a very personal, emotional experience.” In coaching we offer our clients a key service: the time and space...