Resistance in Coaching: Obstacle or Opportunity for Growth?
Every coach will encounter it sooner or later: resistance. Sometimes it shows up subtly; other times, it’s loud and clear. A client might brush off an exercise, avoid certain questions, or suddenly start procrastinating. But what exactly is resistance – and how can you, as a coach, respond effectively?
Resistance is part of the journey
Resistance isn’t a problem to be solved; it’s a natural part of the coaching journey. After all, if change were easy, your client likely wouldn’t have needed your support. Resistance signals that you are touching something deeply significant.
Yet ‘resistance’ is a broad term. It can present as anger, avoidance, fatigue, or uncertainty. Sometimes it feels like the conversation has hit a wall – the flow stalls, and the connection shifts. At these moments, the key is not to retreat, but to stay curious.
Recognising resistance
Resistance can take many forms:
- The client doesn’t want to do something
- The client doesn’t dare to do something
- The client cannot (yet) do something
- The client doesn’t understand something
Responding with judgement (“This person simply does not want to engage”) closes off possibilities. Instead, asking questions like, “What’s making this difficult for you?” or “What are you feeling right now?” invites the client to explore what’s happening beneath the surface – without the need to ‘fix’ anything.
Dilemmas behind resistance
Resistance often stems from internal dilemmas: the desire for change pulling against the fear of the unknown, or loyalty to old beliefs conflicting with the urge to carve out a new path. By naming these tensions, you help your client gain deeper self-awareness – not to resolve the dilemma immediately, but to sit with it, to understand it.
Resistance within the coach
Let’s be honest: resistance isn’t just something your clients experience. As a coach, you might feel it too – hesitating to ask a difficult question, or slipping into telling rather than listening. Self-reflection is crucial. The better you recognise your own signs of resistance, the more fully you can support your client’s process.
Resistance as an invitation
When resistance is ignored, conversations remain on the surface. But when you lean into it, real movement becomes possible. Resistance is rarely a “no” directed at you personally; more often, it’s a quiet “help” from within the client. It’s an invitation to explore the edges where growth is waiting.
By welcoming resistance rather than avoiding it, you bring real depth and meaning to your coaching work. It takes courage, patience, and self-awareness – but that’s where the real magic of coaching happens. Learning to work skilfully with resistance opens the door to genuine, lasting transformation – for your client and for yourself.
In our Coaching and Counselling Year 1 and Year 2 programmes, you’ll learn to recognise, understand and work with resistance – both in your clients and within yourself. Develop the professional skills that make real change possible.
