Why Trying to Control the Wine Bottles Wasn’t Really About Wine
Whole-Centred Coaching: trusting the wisdom beneath the surface
Sometimes we arrive at coaching with a symptom. Something is bothering us. A relationship niggle, a pattern we’ve noticed, a behaviour that doesn’t make sense. That’s where we begin—but not where we end.
In a recent Whole-Centred Coaching session, my client opened with a quiet frustration:
“I can’t stop monitoring how much wine my partner drinks. I don’t even drink, but I keep checking the bottles in the recycling bin. I don’t know why. It’s starting to bother me.”
I simply said:
“Sure, we can look at that. But first—where do you feel out of control right now?”
She paused for a moment. Then said:
“Work. It’s relentless. I can never get ahead. There’s too much responsibility, not enough support. I’m always behind.”
From there, we took a breath and asked:
“If nothing was off-limits, what would your ideal work balance look like right now?”
Her answer came immediately:
“Three days a week for the same salary.”
We got curious. Did she have leverage? Was she valued?
Turns out, the CEO had recently called her “the heartbeat of the company.”
So we explored how she could restructure her work approach, drilling down to identify where she was overgiving, what systems were failing her and how she could reimagine a setup that allowed more space for herself. Space to rest. To be carefree. To soften at the end of the day, just like her partner with his glass of wine.
The session brought forward a completely new and fresh outlook on how she could manage her team and her roles, plus, that moment of resentment towards her partner? It wasn’t about alcohol. It was a signal. A signpost pointing to what she was missing: ease, unwinding, and permission to relax.
This is the power of Whole-Centred Coaching.
It meets you where you are, and gently leads you to what you really need.
It works because we trust the process. Because we honour the whole of who you are, your work, emotions, relationships, patterns, and hidden longings, and help them speak to each other.
Sometimes, the wine bottles aren’t the problem.
They’re just the beginning of the story.
If you’re curious about working together, I’d love to hear from you.
Book a free 30-minute clarity call
Or simply hit reply to start the conversation.
Much love,
Tamsin x
Discover more about my approach to Whole Centred Coaching
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