Individual Assessment and Coaching Program

Face-to-Face or Skype

The Individual Assessment & Coaching Program is self-funded. You have chosen to invest in your communication skills development and your future. Coaching is one-to-one with sessions usually one-hour in duration and conducted weekly or fortnightly.

Assessment

A one-hour assessment is the fundamental first step of all Individual Assessment & Coaching Programs. The focus of this session is on particular areas of your communication that you believe need polishing, together with any other areas that Lana identifies during the assessment.

Lana will provide a verbal summary of assessment results with specific coaching objectives and recommended program length at the end of the assessment.

Coaching Sessions

For the coaching component of the Individual Assessment & Coaching Program, you attend on a session-by-session basis and therefore have the flexibility to attend any number of the recommended coaching sessions. Your training objectives, outlined in a one-page written summary and discussed again at your first coaching session, form the ‘road map’ for your training. They are the main criteria by which we monitor and measure your progress and the outcomes of your program.

A typical coaching session starts with a 10 – 15 minute review of the specific objectives targeted in previous session(s). This includes a discussion about independent practice and any of your particular successes/ challenges, handling questions, role playing scenarios and critiquing of audio and/or video recordings, feedback about progress and areas for ongoing focus. A new objective or combination of objectives is then jointly selected and introduced with relevant training materials, hand written notes, tips, techniques and practice. At the end of the session a verbal summary of your progress and areas for particular focus are discussed together with ideas for independent practice over the subsequent week or fortnight.

The duration of your coaching program will depend on your particular goals and the objectives outlined at the end of the assessment session. At the completion of the assessment, Lana will estimate the number of sessions you will need and the recommended frequency and you can choose to attend any number of sessions.

Once you have completed your program, you may decide to attend follow-up sessions to assist you to consolidate your new skills. Lana will maintain contact with you to review progress for several months once you have completed your program.

Coaching Materials and Practice

All the coaching materials for your program are included in the investment for your program. These may include handouts, notes and audio/ video recordings that Lana McCarthy has written and produced.

Practice between coaching sessions is fundamental to ensure you achieve your program objectives. Approximately 30 minutes of practice a day will likely be recommended. It will consist of a combination of structured practice utilising the training materials and integration practice where you will focus on using your new skills in various work and social contexts. It may be recommended that you record yourself or seek the feedback of others.

Location

There are no barriers to location. If you are unable to meet face-to-face in Word of Mouth’s CBD office in Sydney there is the option of working virtually on Skype wherever you are based in the world. Coaching materials can be delivered via email and Drop Box.

Communication

Lana will be available via phone or email between your coaching sessions to address any questions you may have. She will also have phone contact with you for a couple of months after your program is complete to review your progress. She is always available for and welcomes contact from past clients.

Investment

Your investment includes the assessment and coaching sessions, all phone calls and training materials. Payment is required at the time of consultations either via credit card or cash. If you work with Lana on Skype, you can easily make payment nationally or internationally via bank transfers. Please contact us to discuss the investment for a program to suit you.

Note: If you have a private health insurance policy that covers speech pathology/ therapy services, you may be eligible to make a claim for particular services provided by Word of Mouth. Call your insurance provider to discuss your needs, your policy and the rebate you may expect. Additionally, Medicare Australia partially covers some conditions that are judged to be ‘chronic’ by your General Practitioner (GP) under the Chronic Disease Management scheme. There are annual limits and sessions must be face-to-face. It is recommended that you speak with your GP to determine your eligibility. If you are eligible, your GP will provide you with a referral letter that must pre-date your assessment session with Word of Mouth if you want to make a claim for this session. If you make a claim through either of these channels, you pay the full fee at the time of your session, then take the receipt to your insurer or to Medicare to claim your rebate.

Word of Mouth is committed to working with clients to enhance their communication potential. Why not contact us now to see how we can assist you or one of your valuable staff members?