The 5 Best Coaching Tools

 

This episode reveals five Spirit-led coaching tools that are more powerful than worksheets or strategies. Dr. Leelo Bush shows how these tools, rooted in Scripture, create transformation from the inside out. From holding space to asking powerful questions, these practices reflect the very way Christ interacted with others, equipping coaches to bring breakthrough to their clients.

 

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What You’ll Learn

• How to hold space so clients feel safe, seen, and accepted.
  
  

• A thought framework that helps renew the mind (Romans 12:2).
  
  

• How to guide clients in processing emotions and surrendering them to God.
  
  

• Ways to identify and replace limiting beliefs with biblical truth.
  
  

• The art of asking Spirit-led questions that unlock new possibilities.
  
  

 

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Quotable Moment

“Processing emotions doesn’t mean wallowing. It means experiencing them while releasing them to God.”

 

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Scriptures Mentioned

• Matthew 7:1
  
  

• Romans 12:2
  
  

• 1 Peter 5:7
  
  

• Proverbs 23:7
  
  

• Psalm 139:14
  
  

• Proverbs 20:5
  
  

 

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Resources

• PCCCA Courses: https://pccca.org/courses/
  
  

• Healing the Grieving Brain Guide: https://griefcoachu.com/healing/
  
  

• The Comprehensive Christian Coach Handbook (Dr. Leelo Bush): Amazon link
  
  

• Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe (Facebook group): facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe

 

Full Clean Transcript

Have you ever wondered what makes coaching truly life changing? It's not about gadgets, worksheets, or even the words we say. The most powerful coaching tools are not tangible at all. They're experiential. They shape how your client feels, how they think, and how they transform. Today, I'll share five of the most important coaching tools I've discovered in decades of training and practice.

These aren't just methods. They're actually biblical, Spirit-led ways of partnering with God to help someone change from the inside out. And once you learn to use them, you will never see coaching or your clients the same way again.

Welcome to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm your host, Doctor Leelo Bush. I'm a master coach, author, curriculum creator and the number one authority on Spirit-led Christian coaching. I've trained tens of thousands worldwide since 2003, and if you are ready to uplevel your skills, find greater fulfillment, and employ the most powerful coaching available to mankind, let's go. Welcome back to the Christian Coaching School podcast.

I'm your host, Doctor Leelo Bush, and today we're diving into a powerful topic. We're talking about the five best coaching tools every coach needs. Now, these aren't just nice-to-have tools. These are the tools that will make or break your effectiveness as a coach—the very things that transform conversations into breakthroughs. And as you'll hear, each one of these tools is also grounded in God's Word.

Be sure to stay with me until the end, because I'll be announcing our highlight podcast review and Amazon gift card winner. And if you'd like a chance to win in the future, make sure you leave us a review wherever you're listening. All right, let's dive in.

One of the first and most important skills a coach must learn is holding space. This means you show up fully present for your client, giving them your complete attention without judgment, without rushing to fix them, and without making it about you. Practically, this looks like open body language, steady eye contact, and silence that isn't uncomfortable, but supportive. It's letting your client know through your presence—whether it's in person, on the phone, or on a Zoom call—that you are safe here. You can share what's really on your heart and I will not condemn you for it.

Why is this so critical? Because most clients enter sessions carrying shame or fear of being misunderstood. If they sense criticism, they will close up. But if they feel accepted, they'll open up. That's when the real coaching begins. Matthew 7:1 says, do not judge, or you too will be judged. Jesus himself modeled this by welcoming people others rejected. He listened and he cared. He made them feel safe and seen. When you hold space for a client, you mirror the mercy and grace of God. Here's when to use this tool: every single coaching session, especially at the beginning of your relationship and anytime your client is sharing something tender or vulnerable. Holding space is the foundation of transformation.

The second tool is a thought framework. Understanding how this framework functions will change how you coach and improve your effectiveness. This simple yet powerful framework, originally described within CBT structures and later coined as “The Model” and widely promoted by Brooke Castillo, demonstrates how circumstances trigger thoughts, which in turn create feelings, which drive actions, and ultimately lead to results.

Now, this is the perfect example of an evidence-based coaching tool. This process is not really anything we can argue with—it is simply the way God created our brains to function. And we can see this evidence every day if we look for it. Here's how it looks in practice. Let's say your client says, “I'll never be able to do this.” That thought creates a feeling within them—in this case, most likely discouragement. That discouragement typically causes procrastination, and the result is failure to move forward. When you walk them through this framework, you will help them see the cycle and then choose a new thought, one that lines up with the truth and the outcome that they are really looking for.

Romans 12:2 tells us, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's exactly what this framework helps our clients do. It takes what feels complicated and overwhelming and puts it into a simple framework that reveals where transformation needs to begin—in the thought life. Here's when to use this tool: anytime a client feels stuck, caught in old patterns, or unable to reach their goals. This framework helps them see the connection between their thoughts and outcomes, and equips them to make lasting change. I recommend you learn and practice this tool first. Use it on yourself and eventually, when it fully makes sense and flows, use it with your clients.

The third tool is learning to process and allow a feeling. Most people do one of two things with emotions: they either resist them, pushing them down, or they indulge them, getting stuck in them. But neither approach leads to healing. As a coach, you can teach your clients to identify what they're feeling, notice where they sense it in their body, and allow it without judgment. For example, when grief shows up as heaviness in the chest, you can guide your client to breathe through it, describe it, and simply notice it. When they do, within minutes, the intensity usually begins to fade.

1 Peter 5:7 tells us, cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Processing emotions doesn't mean wallowing. It means experiencing them while releasing them to God. Clients learn that feelings aren't dangerous. They are signals that can be allowed, acknowledged, and surrendered to the Lord. Here's when to use this tool: anytime your client is feeling overwhelmed, dealing with loss, or feeling paralyzed by fear. It's especially crucial in grief coaching, stress relief coaching, and life transitions.

The fourth tool is examining belief systems. Beliefs act like the operating system of our lives. Most of them are formed early, often through painful experiences. They can run silently in the background and dictate behavior without our clients even realizing it. As coaches, we listen for statements like, “I'm not good enough” or “things never work out for me.” Then we gently help clients examine them. Where did this belief come from? Is it really true? What would your life look like if you believed something different?

Proverbs 23:7 says, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Beliefs are what we think in our hearts. And when a belief is a lie, it will keep producing destructive results. But when we replace lies with God's truth, lives change. A client who once believed, “I am worthless,” can learn to declare, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And that's Psalm 139:14. Here's when to use this tool: anytime your client keeps hitting the same wall, self-sabotaging, or struggling with identity. This is deep, foundational work, and it's where some of the most profound breakthroughs happen.

And finally, the fifth tool, which should really come as no surprise, is asking powerful questions. Unlike counseling or consulting, coaching is not about giving advice. Rather, it's about drawing out answers from within the client. That's why powerful, open-ended questions are a coach's sharpest tool. Instead of asking, “Did you try harder?” you might ask, “What do you think God wants to show you through this situation?” Or, “If you fully trusted His plan, what action would you take right now?”

Proverbs 20:5 says, the purposes of a person's heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. That's what powerful questions do. They draw out truth. And this is exactly how Jesus coached, through questions like “Who do you say I am?” or “Do you want to be healed?” Here's when to use this tool: throughout every coaching session. Questions are especially powerful when your client is stuck in old thinking, uncertain about a decision, or needs to see new possibilities.

Before we wrap up, it's time for one of my favorite parts of the show, and it's our podcast review. This episode's review comes from Kristian B. Phillips, who wrote: “Doctor Bush is such a wealth of wisdom. She generously shares practical, faith-filled insights without holding anything back. I love how she weaves biblical truth into her teaching in such a clear and encouraging way.”

Kristian, thank you so much for your kind words. Your encouragement means the world to me, and I'm thrilled that this podcast is blessing you. And congratulations! You are our winner of an Amazon gift card. Please contact us at [e-mail] within seven days from the date this episode goes live to redeem your prize. And if you'd like a chance to win next time, just leave us a review wherever you listen to this podcast. Not only will it encourage others to tune in, but it could also make you our next gift card winner.

Now, if these five tools that we've been talking about today excite you, imagine what it would be like to be fully trained and certified to use them professionally. At PCCCA and Grief Coach University, we have been equipping Christian coaches and counselors since 2003. Our programs are Spirit-led, rooted in scripture, and evidence-based. They don't just prepare you to help others—they equip you to transform lives for the Kingdom. Whether you feel called to life coaching, grief support, stress relief, or one of our many specialty areas, we have a program designed for you. So if you're ready to step into your calling and train at the highest level, visit PCCCA.org or GriefCoachU.com and enroll today.

So let's quickly recap today's episode. The five best coaching tools are: holding space without judgment, using the framework to renew the mind, processing and allowing feelings, examining belief systems, and asking powerful questions. Each one is not only practical, but deeply biblical. Together, they form the backbone of transformational coaching.

If today's episode blessed you, don't forget to subscribe and share it with a friend. And leave a review for your chance to win an Amazon gift card. Until next time, I'm Doctor Leelo Bush, reminding you that joy is always a choice and transformation is always possible when we align our lives with God's truth.

Before you go, I want to personally invite you to join our private Facebook group, The Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe. This is where bold, Spirit-led coaches and aspiring coaches gather to grow, get equipped, and stay encouraged together. Inside you will find exclusive tips, training, supportive community, and the kind of Kingdom-minded conversations you just can't find anywhere else.

If you're feeling called to coach, or if you want to stay sharp in your calling, this is your place. Our group culture is “each one bring one,” so invite a friend to join you—the more the merrier. Just go to facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe. Or just tap the link in the show notes. But don't wait, because the sooner you join, the sooner we can start pouring into you. And I will see you inside the tribe.