In Session: The Missing Piece in Career Coaching – Mental Health Awareness

Let’s talk about something that too often gets left at the threshold of a coaching session: mental health. As a licensed Mental Health First Aid instructor and long-time career coach, I’ve seen firsthand the emotional layers that clients carry into our spaces—layers that too many coaches overlook, rush past, or simply don’t feel equipped to address. But here’s the truth: career coaching without mental health awareness is like trying to build a house with no foundation.

Career transitions are emotional. Period. Whether a client is dealing with rejection, burnout, imposter syndrome, or the loss of identity that can come with a layoff, those emotions show up long before the résumé gets opened. And when we skip the mental check-in—when we jump straight to goal setting—we risk coaching someone who’s emotionally underwater, expecting them to swim to shore with no life jacket.

Now let’s be clear: career coaches aren’t therapists, nor should we pretend to be. But that doesn’t mean we ignore mental health. In fact, it’s our responsibility to create emotionally supportive spaces and recognize when a client’s well-being is impacting their career progress. It means creating a safe environment for clients to say, “I’m not okay,” and knowing how to respond with empathy, presence, and support. It means recognizing when a client needs us to pause the job hunt and instead normalize what they’re feeling. That moment alone can be a breakthrough.

Mental health isn’t a sidebar—it’s central to whether a client can take risks, recover from setbacks, and move forward with confidence. Ignoring it means coaching from the surface. But when we integrate mental health awareness into our coaching, we empower our clients to address the real roadblocks—not just the résumé gaps, but the self-doubt, the overwhelm, the fear.

In every coaching session, there’s a choice point: are we building strategy on shaky ground, or are we grounding our strategy in self-awareness? Checking in on mental and emotional readiness is not just compassionate—it’s strategic. When clients feel heard emotionally, they’re more likely to engage, take action, and stick with the process. That’s the kind of transformation we’re really here for.

This isn’t just about being a better coach—it’s about being a more complete one. It’s about recognizing that the most effective coaching is human-centered, emotionally intelligent, and flexible enough to pause when a client needs support beyond our scope. And yes, sometimes the best coaching move you can make is a referral—not as a retreat, but as a powerful partnership in your client’s healing and growth.

I challenge you to ask yourself before each session: Is my client mentally ready to receive support—or do they need space to be seen first? That one question can shift everything.

Let’s keep this conversation going. Our clients don’t just need coaches—they need they need real support from people who show up with both heart and skill.

Here’s to mindful moves,

Felicia A. Shanklin, M.Ed., CPRW

Licensed Mental Health First Aid Instructor (Adult)
Balanced Harmony Master Series Director