Tracey Hartshorn Coaching and Professional Development

21/07/2025

A Place to Belong

Practitioners integrating coaching and therapy often work in a space that doesn’t always fit neatly into traditional models. This mentoring group offers something powerful, belonging.

One participant on my last group commented, "This programme has helped me develop my professional identity and connect with my people — both clients who benefit from this blended approach and colleagues who share this way of working."

Come and find your people.

The next group begins in October 2025.
Book a chat with me to see if this is the right next step for you.

16/07/2025

Confidence Through Community and Expertise

When client work becomes complex, the right kind of support makes all the difference.

Feedback from the last cohort includes, "I consistently left the group sessions feeling that I'd gained not only practical skills and knowledge but also increased confidence in handling complex client situations."

This mentoring group is a space for therapeutic coaches to build clarity, competence and ethical confidence — all in community with others who understand the work.

The next group begins in October 2025.
Book a chat with me to see if it’s the right fit for your practice.

14/07/2025

If you're a coach or therapist working at the intersection of coaching and therapy, The Blended Approach Mentoring Programme could be the next step in your professional growth.

One participant shared "This programme has been transformational for my practice as a therapeutic coach."

You’ll explore key areas like competence, process, safety and ethics, while also learning how to navigate the unique challenges that arise in blended practice.

The next group begins in October 2025.
Book a chat with me to explore whether it’s the right next step for your practice.

25/06/2025

This blog feels more appropriate with every passing day.

A few thoughts about the value of Therapeutic Coaching in a VUCA and BANI world.

https://www.traceyhartshorn.co.uk/blog/executive-coaching-politics-society-uncertainty

Working with social and political uncertainty in Executive coaching. The impact of the external environment on leaders and executives.

24/06/2025

Are you a Therapeutic Coach or a Coach Therapist?

Intersectionality doesn’t have to be a challenge.

For many of us working at the intersection of disciplines, belonging can feel elusive.

Our approaches may not fit neatly into one model or framework.

We navigate the space between therapeutic depth and coaching direction and sometimes that space is hard to define.

Imagine being part of a group where you don’t need to defend your approach.

Where all aspects of your practice are welcome to coexist.

Where the conversation doesn’t ask you to choose a side but welcomes the complexity you bring.

That kind of professional belonging isn’t about conforming, it’s about being recognised.

It’s about finding peers who see the intentionality in your integrative work and meet it with curiosity, not critique.

And most of all, it’s about connection, not just to others, but to your own evolving identity as a practitioner.

For those of us who’ve spent time on the edges, finding a space that honours the ‘in-between’ can feel like coming home.

This is the space I build because it feels like my home.

Feel free to pop by for a chat if you’d like to visit. Who knows you may even stay awhile.

23/06/2025

What would it feel like to belong?

This thought came to me when talking with a group of Neuro-divergent coaches and therapists.

Many of the processes, systems, rules and guidelines of membership bodies don’t feel easy for ND practitioners.

Often feeling like a member in name only, without truly belonging.

It would be amazing to sit in a room (real or virtual) and not have to explain why you weave depth and direction.

For others to appreciate your silence as the germination of something beautiful and allow space for it to emerge.

For the different disciplines to understand why you don’t want to pick one side, therapy or coaching, because your work lives on the bridge between.

To be met with curiosity, not correction.

To be seen, not sifted.

To have someone say, “Me too,” and mean it.

I’m creating a space where we don't have to choose a side.

Where we’re allowed to be fluid, integrative, human.

Where the blurred edges of our practice are, like our clients, a place to begin.

This is what "The Blended Approach" offers, a place where clients and practitioners work together in a genuine process of belonging.

21/06/2025

I love the film ‘Ratatouille’.

It has so many messages for life.

- Don’t be limited by the messages you hear
- Be proud to be different
- Accept help from those around you
- Don’t forget the good things you’ve experienced
- Life can be hard but it doesn’t have to stay that way
- We are not all that we seem to be

There are too many others to mention but the most important one by far is….

When we speak and give from the heart, we have the power to impact even the harshest critic.

I encourage all Coaches to bring more heart into our work. It’s the way to change someone’s world.

19/06/2025

Therapeutic Coaching isn't a circus act.

For a while, I tried to contort myself to fit but I didn't train for a life in the circus.

I tried to be “more coach-like” or “properly therapeutic.”

It was a painful and anxious place at times.

Then I understood, my work lives in the grey space.

In the places that don’t always have a name.

And that’s okay because that’s where my clients are.

Not knowing whether they need therapy or coaching.

Knowing that something isn’t right in their life or work.

Just needing someone to support them through a process from ’what was’, to ‘what is’, to ‘what can be’.

I’ve learned to hold space in a unique way.

To honour depth without drowning in it.

To value movement without rushing the process.

I’ve learned that I am at my best when I’m genuine in my approach.

I’ve learned that my clients are at their best when they are genuine in their life.

I’ve learned that a contorted practice is not my blend.

If you’re fed up with feeling like you’re failing.

Fed up with following the crowd.

Fed up with fitting in.

Then it's time to build your genuine approach.

No judgement, no fear, no fakery and, no contortionists allowed in, The Blended Approach.

03/06/2025

You can now find my blogs on my website.

I like to read short pieces.
I want them to make me think differently.
Encourage me to follow a trail of breadcrumbs.
To focus my eyes.
Open my ears.
Drop my jaw.
Look for more.

That's what I aim to write.

The link to my latest blog is below.

https://buff.ly/jqxCeYW

20/03/2025

I don’t share much on social media that would be considered personal. I’ve always been quite protective of my family and myself. I view my privacy as a component of self-care.

The last few weeks however has challenged this view.

In mid-February I started to feel unwell. Like many business owners I shrugged it off and carried on. The usual “it’s a bug” phrase was trolled out and I expected to feel better in no time.
Two-weeks later it became clear that this was not ‘a bug’.

Extensive bruising without cause, broken capillaries, absolute exhaustion, dizziness and splitting headaches were some of the symptoms and a quick internet search suggested this was potentially very serious.

An urgent GP appointment made and it was suggested some blood tests would be in order. Those blood tests didn’t happen for 2 weeks because I didn’t prioritise them and made light of my symptoms. I carried on working. Even falling asleep by 8 each evening didn’t stop me.

Then things took a turn.
The day of my blood test came and by early evening I was being called by my GP and a Consultant Haematologist for emergency treatment for platelet levels which were at 2000.
To put that into context, a healthy range is 150,000 to 450,000. Below 150,000 is worrying, below 50,000 very concerning, below 10,000 and you’re at risk of internal bleeding which, if its on your brain, is not a great outcome.

This is where the NHS is at its best and multiple blood tests later, a massive dose of steroids and I’m back at 80,000 and out of immediate danger. I am still running on empty however and it looks like my immune system decided to throw a wobbly and attack my platelets. The cause is currently unknown.

What this means for the long term I don’t know. Everything could go back to normal or this might be a condition I now have to manage for the whole of my future. It’s early days and its time to think.

These are the moments which have an impact if we choose to listen to them.

Moments which speak to us and ask for our attention.

Moments I offer to others and which I now offer to myself.

In this moment I have finally taken the decision to slow down.

I’m not one for knee-jerk reactions and I am very much a realist. What I choose to do now might change in the future but it is a time to think about options.

Do I stop in-person therapeutic work as it’s the most demanding work I do? Do I put my efforts into my writing which is my absolute source of joy? Do I increase my Supervisory work of Coaches and Therapists to keep me connected with my professional tribe?

Whatever I decide, my diary now has some space. My self-care is increasing. I am thinking about my own needs not just those of others.

It feels like a positive place and that’s a welcome feeling after a pretty crappy few weeks.

BTW my sense of humour is still intact. Hope you enjoy the image of a space invader attacking my platelets 😆

22/02/2025

Competence is the first pillar of 'The Blended Approach'. The TBA is my unique method for supporting coaches to build a Therapeutic Coaching practice.

Being competent is fundamental to safe and ethical practice, both of which are crucial for Therapeutic Coaching.

In my recent conversations with coaches who are exploring how to bring therapeutic components to their practice in a safe and ethical way, we've talked about the difference between training and experience.

Training and experience are two sides of the Competence coin. Both are necessary.

Training provides with knowledge, theory, boundaries and learning from the research and wisdom of others. This comes from without.

Experience is based on your practice, what works well and what doesn't, the ability to consider, context, environment and to connect with your own wisdom in the moment. This comes from within.

In my soon to be published book "The Blended Approach" I explore this and offer exercises to support you in your decisions about whether you need more training or more practice.

If you're thinking of signing up to a training programme to enhance your skills it might be worth asking yourself if you need more certificates or more practice. This is a quote from my book:

"Training presents you with a certificate as evidence of knowledge and understanding to practice. Experience needs no evidence other than for you to be present in practice."

My mentoring process works on both aspects and helps you to identify which would be of most benefit. If you're thinking of signing up for more certificates get in touch and let's explore whether that's what you really need at this stage of your practice.

21/02/2025

Kaizen has come back into my work with a difference.

I enjoy thinking about models from outside the professions of coaching and therapy to explore how they might benefit my work and client's understanding of what I do.

Like many in leadership roles, I came across Kaizen as a Management Accountant and the focus was very much on efficiency and the elimination of waste.

However, the translation of Kaizen into English is ‘good change’ with a focus on small incremental improvements delivered in partnership and cooperation. I think that’s a great description for my way of working as a Therapeutic Coach and as Coach Supervisor and Mentor.

In my work Kaizen might look and feel like this:

"Therapeutic Coaches guide clients in partnership and cooperation, using their skills, experience, empathy and understanding through a process of incremental improvements towards an outcome of good change."

I liked this so much it's now in my soon to be finished book of "The Blended Approach". My own method for supporting coaches to bring therapeutic components safely and ethically into their work.

I'll be announcing my next mentoring group soon. If this sparks some interest please do get in touch to find out more.