ABSTRACT
The risks inherent in working within a relationship and with the emotions of the client are manifold and must be kept in mind by the coach. The work entails the creation of a secure base, a holding environment from which the client can open up freely, share and explore anxieties and worries, and develop new insights and creative solutions without clinging to defences. Difficult emotions and situations also call for a non-judgemental attitude, reliability, genuine interest in the client and a set of professional skills based on thorough training. Emotional dependency can develop from a client’s situation char-acterised by a lack of secure attachment, be it biographical or in the context of the organisational setup. Unconscious collusions between the coach and the client are part of the mutual learning process, and their appearance – when detected by the coach – provides an insight into the defences and emotional reactions of the client.
