MIDLIFE COACHING PROGRAMMES
A clear, structured way through the “Is this it?” dilemma.
You don't need someone to tell you to "follow your passion" or "find your purpose."
You've heard all that, and it hasn't helped. What you need is a proper way to take stock of where you've got to, work out what to change, and build the next decade on purpose – without throwing away the good things you've spent years building.
That's what I do. I coach senior professionals one-to-one through the real, tangled stuff of midlife, using design thinking to turn a vague sense of "something's off" into a plan you can actually act on. Here's how it works, and how we'd work together.
The five big challenges of midlife.
Over the last few years I've come to see the same five challenges show up again and again in midlife. Most other coaches focus on one of them and call it the whole job. I hold all five together, because your life is complex and they don't sit in separate boxes.
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The things that used to light you up just… don't, and you can't say why. There's a U-shaped happiness curve that bottoms out for most of us around 47 to 48 – it's real, it's well-researched, and it's not a character flaw. We find where the joy has slowly leaked out, and start putting it back.
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A partner, teenagers or an emptying nest, ageing parents, friendships that have thinned out without you noticing. You're pulled in every direction, and not sure anyone's getting the best of you – least of all the people who matter most. We map where your time and energy actually go, versus where you'd want them to.
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The achievements don't land the way they used to, and "find your purpose" feels like useless advice. Good. I don't believe in chasing one true calling either. We look for what's good enough for now, and design a direction you can actually start moving in, rather than agonise over.
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You've started to notice your body is actually keeping score – slower recovery, worse sleep, "old age" suddenly visible on the horizon. This is about healthspan, not just lifespan. We start with small habit changes that hold, instead of another doomed New Year's overhaul.
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Maybe you're bored. Maybe you're golden-handcuffed. Maybe you're eyeing the exit but can't afford to get it wrong. Job satisfaction dips in midlife too. We get clear on what you actually want from work next, and how to move towards it without a reckless leap.
Why the whole picture matters.
Most coaches work in one area. There are career coaches, wellbeing coaches, mindset coaches, relationship coaches. And if your life neatly separated into those boxes, that would be fine.
But it doesn't, does it? The career worry is keeping you up at night, which wrecks your sleep, which frays your patience at home, which leaves you wondering what any of it is even for. Pull one thread in midlife and the others unravel. Treat just one, and the rest pull you back.
That's why I work across all five challenges together, not one in isolation. Not because I claim to be an expert in everything, but because I've lived the whole tangle myself, and I've built a way to make sense of it as one connected picture. We'll always start with what’s most pressing for you. We just won't pretend the rest aren't connected to it.
Three ways to work together.
U-Reimagined
Three months to take stock, redesign, and start living the next decade on purpose.
U-Reimagined is built on a simple idea: midlife isn’t a crisis to survive, it’s a transition you can design your way through. We move through three phases.
What’s included
- ✓Unlimited 1:1 coaching sessions (up to 75 minutes each) over the programme, so we’re never rushed and you’re never rationing your time with me.
- ✓Unlimited weekday email and text support between sessions.
- ✓All my self-assessments, tools and decision frameworks.
- ✓The option to pause after month two – with AI coaching available in the gap – and finish in month four, if you’d like time to let the early work breathe.
My “Results or Extend” guarantee. If you get to the end and don’t feel you’ve made meaningful progress towards your goal, I’ll extend your coaching by a month at no extra charge. Simple as that.
U-Renewed
For when you just need to get unstuck and moving again.
U-Renewed gives you the core tools to take stock and start designing your next step, in a focused single month. It’s a powerful way to get off the default path and feel renewed, without committing to the full programme straight away.
What’s included
- ✓Unlimited 1:1 coaching sessions (up to 60 minutes each) over one month.
- ✓Weekday email support between sessions.
- ✓The key tools to find your footing and plan your first real moves.
My “Results or Extend” guarantee. If you get to the end and don’t feel you’ve made meaningful progress towards your goal, I’ll extend your coaching by a month at no extra charge. Simple as that.
U-Reimagined Extended
The same programme, over six or twelve months.
Some situations need a longer runway – a career transition you’re already planning, setting up a glidepath to retirement or a life change that has to happen at its own pace. Or simply a life too full to do this in three months. Everything in U-Reimagined with the time to let it land.
How it works
- ✓The full U-Reimagined programme, extended by three or nine months.
- ✓Same unlimited sessions and support throughout.
- ✓We’ll decide together on our call whether you actually need the extra time.
My “Results or Extend” guarantee. If you get to the end and don’t feel you’ve made meaningful progress towards your goal, I’ll extend your coaching by a month at no extra charge. Simple as that.
What changes?
This isn't about overnight transformation. Instead, it's real, steady progress that works. But here's what tends to shift along the way, and what you walk away with.
What tends to change
- The fog lifts. You can finally name what's going on, instead of carrying a vague unease.
- The guilt eases. You stop punishing yourself for wanting more from a life that already looks good (but doesn't feel like it).
- You start moving again. Small experiments replace overthinking and staying stuck.
- Your energy comes back, as draining habits get swapped for ones that give you something back.
- The “is this it?” dilemma resolves itself, because now there's a direction you've chosen.
What you leave with
- A clear, honest baseline of where you are across all five challenges.
- Your top one or two focus areas, in priority order.
- A handful of small experiments you've actually run – and learned from.
- New habits and a 90-day plan.
- Your U-Reimagined Life Map: real goals and a realistic route to them.
- The tools to keep going on your own, long after we finish.
Real people, real changes.
People often come to me about work, it’s the most common way in. But the changes rarely stay in that box. Here’s some of what clients have gone on to create:
I’ve coached senior people from organisations including Apple, Deloitte, Shell, Bank of America, Linklaters, Lloyds Banking Group, Scottish Enterprise, William Grant & Sons, Mace and Sky.
WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK WITH ME
Relaxed and informal with just the right amount of challenge.
“Each session with Chris left me with a fresh perspective and deeper self-awareness. All of this was possible because of his ability to foster a safe and open environment in which I felt very comfortable to share and express my thoughts.”
— Katharina K.
“Chris applies proven coaching techniques, psychological insight and leadership experience to challenge my mindset and help me navigate obstacles in new and effective ways. He brings exceptional credibility and effectiveness to his work.”
— James H.
“Chris' support as a coach helped me clarify my goals, redefine my identity beyond work, and build a fulfilling new chapter with confidence. With empathy, insight and practical tools, this has helped turn some uncertainty into total opportunity!”
— Colette B.
Not ready for 1:1 yet?
No problem. Here’s two other options:
The free workshop: Redesigning Your Midlife
A 90-minute online session where I walk through the whole framework, with practical tools you can use straight away. Join the waitlist and I'll let you know when the next one's running.
Join the workshop waitlist →Email course
A short, self-guided introduction to the five challenges, delivered to your inbox. Coming soon.
Not sure where to start?
Two easy ways to take the first step.
The Snapshot. 15 questions, about two minutes - a clear read on where you are right now and what to focus on first. And it’s free.
The call: A relaxed, no-strings conversation about what’s on your mind regarding midlife and whether working together is right for you.
FAQs
Questions people ask
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Yes – in fact, that's exactly who I work with. Most of the people I coach aren't in crisis at all. They're secretly languishing in a life that looks fine on paper. You don't have to wait until things fall apart to want something better.
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Therapy tends to look back and help you heal; coaching looks forward and helps you build. My lane is the "is this still the life I want?" question, not clinical illness. If what you're dealing with is depression rather than the low-grade flatness of midlife, I'll say so honestly – I'm a trained Mental Health First Aider – and point you towards the right support. Coaching can work brilliantly alongside or after that, but not instead of it.
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Exactly that. Most coaches cap you at 10 or 12 sessions. I don't. Within your programme you can book as many sessions as you need – because real change doesn't run to a neat schedule.
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Many people feel lighter and clearer within the first 30 days, just from finally making sense of what's going on. But I won't promise you a magic fix. This is about making consistent progress – and you having the tools to keep it going.
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Sessions are online by video call or phone, so we can work together wherever you are. Coaching slots are available in my calendar 7am-7pm weekdays and Saturday mornings UK time, so it needn’t interrupt the work day or mean time zones are a problem.
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No – I only work one-to-one. This is personal, and it deserves a space that's entirely yours. Everything we discuss is completely confidential.
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Take the Snapshot or book a call. If we decide to work together, I'll send your registration and onboarding details within 24 hours, and we'll book your first session.
Ready to design your next decade?
You might be thinking, “Things aren’t bad enough yet for me to need to do anything”. That’s like waiting for your car to break down instead of taking it for a service. If you even have the slightest sense that I could help, you owe it to yourself to take a look.
Here’s what Simon, a recent client said:
“I’d say reach out and agree a time for a discovery session - worst case scenario you’ve met someone new and talked about your life and goals, which can be cathartic and useful. Best case: you may end up on a path to help you build the life you want.”