Coaching Through Setbacks

By Sarah Lyman Kravits, LifeBound Director of Training and Certification | Nov 4, 2025

Courageous Progress is Not Linear

I meet with 14 to 17 students one on one each week in my work as an academic coach. Last week, I found that an unusual percentage of my coachees were experiencing setbacks that hit them hard. The challenges fell into a variety of categories — stalled motivation, reversion to problematic internal scripts, fear driven by news and policies, frustration over low grades on midterms, and more. The situations were as unique as the coachees, and I felt the aggregate effect of showing up with extra presence, strength, and focus for so many within a short period of time. I found myself worn out and questioning my effectiveness.

As human as it is to connect dots from a variety of experiences, no assumption is safe in coaching, and I see this particularly when I'm working with struggling students. If one anxious student shares worries about how current events affect them, the next anxious student may be laser-focused on a failed biochem exam. If one student's stalled motivation stems from falling back on an old negative script, another's might come from comparison with apartment-mates who seem to ace every course without breaking a sweat. It can take extra effort from a coach to acknowledge and set aside assumptions when working with students facing setbacks.

Coaches, our responsibility is to our coachees, but also to ourselves. First, questions like these can help coachees explore and navigate setbacks:

What messaging are you hearing in your head right now? How does it make you feel? If it isn't helping, what might be a more accurate message? A more productive message?
Describe another setback you've had that you navigated through. What did you learn? How did you get to the other side?
What in this moment is under your control? What action can you take to start moving in a desired direction today?
How can you normalize a non-linear path for a course, your college career, your life?

Second, but not less important, questions like these can help us reset and gain perspective when we're drained from the keen presence required to show up for struggling coachees:

What wins can I identify this week?
How does a setback for a particular student appear if I look at the whole trajectory of their learning so far?
In the midst of coachee challenges, what did I ask or say that provided relief?
When coachees return to me consistently for support no matter how they are doing, what does that say or show?

Even as you inspire your coachees to refocus and press on, you deserve an opportunity for inspiration yourself. Join LifeBound for a training and to connect and share with other coaches.

3-Day Virtual Coaching: Next class - Dec 11, 12, 15
Self-Paced Coaching: Choose your own dates!
Coaching Certification: Spring, Summer, and Fall Cohorts

Explore which option is right for you at www.lifebound.com.

Visit our Website

Make 2025/2026 the Year Coaching Solves Higher Ed’s Toughest Challenges

Higher education is grappling with unprecedented challenges—rising mental health crises, the need for greater career readiness, and the unfortunate reality that many students struggle to secure meaningful employment or are let go shortly after starting. These issues affect not only individual students but also university outcomes like enrollment, retention, and long-term institutional success.

By equipping your staff with coaching training, you can help students build resilience, achieve meaningful employment, and address many challenges that universities face today. Allocate your budget toward LifeBound’s training options this year and plan ahead to ensure your institution is prepared to address these critical needs effectively. Let’s create a campus-wide culture of coaching and make an impact!

LifeBound offers multiple ways to train academic coaches, faculty, or staff:

3-Day Virtual Coaching Course

A dynamic, interactive course focused on practical coaching techniques.

December 11, 12, 15

Time: 3 days, 6 hours each

Format: Online

Cost: $1,500 per person. Contact us about group rates.

___________________________

Self-Paced Coaching Course for Academic, Personal, and Professional Success

A flexible, 15-hour program designed for those who want to deepen their skills at their own pace. The course dives deep into foundational and advanced coaching techniques as well as motivation, resilience, career readiness, cultural competence and coaching diverse student populations, and includes private sessions with a LifeBound Coach. Institutional packages are available for group training.

Choose Your Own Dates!

Time: 15 hours (self-paced), plus 3 hours with LifeBound Coach

Format: Online

Cost: $1,500 per person. If you’ve already completed the 1-Day or 3-Day program, email contact@lifebound.com to receive a discount code for $500 off the new Self-Paced Course. Contact us about group rates.

___________________________

LifeBound Certification Program

For coaches ready to take their skills to the next level, the LifeBound Certification Program offers an in-depth dive into advanced coaching practices and strategies, culminating in certification as a LifeBound Coach.

Spring, Summer, and Fall Cohorts

Format: Online or in-person as available

Cost: $5,000 per person

___________________________

Let’s make 2025/2026 a year of transformation for your institution and the students you serve!

Learn More at lifebound.com