Mastering Coaching Skills
Lindsay Dotzlaf
If you want to compete in the coaching industry, you need to be GOOD at coaching.
But there are some things you simply couldn't know when you were training to be a coach - and while it's tempting to keep studying, take another course, or dive into a certification program, you really need to build the practical skills and confidence to handle whatever your clients throw at you.
Each week life coach Lindsay Dotzlaf shares stories, tips and advice to continually develop your skills as a coach. She knows what it's like to feel overwhelmed and anxious about coaching in the moment, and will teach you why shifting your mindset around your own abilities as a coach will make all the difference.
If you've got clients but want to become the absolute best coach you can be, you'll find answers, advice and support here. Learn more at lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com!
But there are some things you simply couldn't know when you were training to be a coach - and while it's tempting to keep studying, take another course, or dive into a certification program, you really need to build the practical skills and confidence to handle whatever your clients throw at you.
Each week life coach Lindsay Dotzlaf shares stories, tips and advice to continually develop your skills as a coach. She knows what it's like to feel overwhelmed and anxious about coaching in the moment, and will teach you why shifting your mindset around your own abilities as a coach will make all the difference.
If you've got clients but want to become the absolute best coach you can be, you'll find answers, advice and support here. Learn more at lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com!
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 31, 2026 • 22min
283. An Important Question About Vulnerability and Transparency in Coaching
How much transparency is too much in coaching? In this episode, I dive into the role of vulnerability and authenticity in coaching and why it's an important question to consider. I share my own reflections on navigating transparency in coaching and how to balance being authentic without oversharing. If you've wondered about boundaries and vulnerability in your practice, this episode will spark some important thoughts. For full show notes and transcript, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/283 Sign up for my weekly newsletter, Full Disclosure: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/newsletter Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 6min
282. Prioritizing Your Own Mental Health with Maggie Reyes
As coaches, we spend so much of our time focusing on the well-being of our clients that it's easy to forget about our own mental health. But what happens when we don't prioritize ourselves? In this episode, my incredible friend, client, and fellow coach Maggie Reyes shares why taking care of our own mental health is essential for both personal and professional success. Maggie opens up about her mental health journey and how prioritizing her own mental well-being has allowed her to show up more fully in her coaching business. For full show notes and transcript, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/282 Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf
Mar 17, 2026 • 55min
281. What Your Nervous System Has to Do With Showing Up as a Coach with Dorit Wright
Dorit Wright, a somatic self-leadership coach who helps ambitious women regulate their nervous systems and build self-trust. They explore how survival-mode reactions create procrastination and start/stop cycles. Dorit shares simple body-based practices, movement and breath tools, and how integrating nervous system work with identity makes taking action feel more grounded.
Mar 10, 2026 • 58min
280. From Doubt to Purpose: Kyle Miller's Personal Journey Into Coaching
Kyle Miller, a coach who helps survivors of narcissistic abuse with lived experience and years in personal development. He talks about his journey from truck driver to coach. He shares turning points that revealed emotional abuse, the sacrifices he made to train, and how doubt, visibility fears, and community shaped his mission.
6 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 18min
279. The 3 Patterns I'm Seeing in Thriving Coaching Businesses Right Now
They unpack three patterns that signal which coaching practices are actually thriving right now. The conversation highlights shifting away from one-size-fits-all tactics and designing marketing that fits your style. Archetypes are used as a filter to reduce distraction and boost consistency. The importance of boundaries, rest, and community structures that celebrate differences is emphasized.
9 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 16min
278. 10 Behind-the-Scenes Confessions of a Successful Coach
You hear ten candid behind-the-scenes confessions from a coach about real business life. Topics include juggling multiple big launches, inconsistent meditation habits, and variable productivity rhythms. She talks comfort and movement on video calls, discreet fidgets, extending sessions when helpful, and the contrast between a Zoom-ready background and a messy office.
7 snips
Feb 17, 2026 • 17min
277. Enjoyment Is a Business Strategy, Not a Reward
A coach questions the habit of postponing enjoyment until success and explores how that mindset creates pressure. She traces a launch that underperformed, notices repeating patterns of dread, and pauses to rethink strategy. Practical prompts invite listeners to spot tolerations and make small shifts that boost day-to-day enjoyment and momentum in their businesses.
Feb 10, 2026 • 24min
276. Using Coaching Archetypes to Find Marketing Strategies That Fit You
Marketing can feel surprisingly good when you understand how you are naturally wired to show up in your business. Instead of forcing strategies that drain you, knowing your coaching archetype helps you recognize which approaches feel more natural, sustainable, and even enjoyable. In this episode, I share the five coaching archetypes and how they can bring clarity and ease back into your marketing by helping you choose strategies that actually fit you. When marketing aligns with who you are, it stops feeling like a chore and starts feeling like a meaningful extension of your work. For full show notes, transcript, and to take the coaching archetype quiz, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/276 Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf
Feb 3, 2026 • 21min
275. Why I'm Allergic to Coaching Best Practices
Best practices are often presented as the answer to growing your coaching business, but they can also create more confusion and pressure. In this episode, I explain why I am allergic to coaching best practices and what happens when you stop trying to force yourself into strategies that do not fit you. If you have been following advice that feels off or wondering why the "right way" is not working, this episode will help you rethink how you make decisions in your business. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/275 Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf
Jan 27, 2026 • 37min
274. How I Coach Myself (& When I Don't)
Self-coaching is one of the most talked-about tools in the coaching industry, but it's also one of the most misunderstood. For a lot of coaches, it quietly turns into something that feels heavy, performative, or even punishing instead of supportive. In this episode, I walk you through how I actually coach myself and just as importantly, when I don't. If self-coaching has ever felt confusing, ineffective, or exhausting, this episode will help you rethink what it's for and find ways to approach it that actually feel supportive and personal to you. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, go to: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/274 Learn more about The Complete Coach here: lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/the-complete-coach Follow along over on Instagram: instagram.com/lindsaydotzlaf
