How WISDOM Coaching helped Oliver…
Oliver went from low self-esteem and shaken social confidence to feeling good about himself and having confidence after bullying. He now has a strong, internal sense of self-worth that no longer depends on how others treat him.
At a Glance…
Oliver’s age: 12
Primary challenge: Low self-esteem, bullying, social confidence and friendship difficulties
Coaching focus: Self-esteem, self-talk, mindset skills, and building internal confidence
Key outcome: Significant improvement in self-esteem, confidence, and emotional resilience in social situations
Why Oliver’s Mom Sought Coaching for Him..
When Oliver began coaching, he was a thoughtful, intelligent 12-year-old who was struggling socially at school. His mother was deeply worried about him due to ongoing bullying and difficulties with friendships.
Although Oliver had many strengths, his confidence had been shaken by how he believed other children saw him. This affected how he felt about himself and how he showed up socially. He often felt unsure, disconnected, and confused by his peer experiences.
An early self-esteem self-assessment revealed something important: Oliver felt good about himself in some internal ways and believed his dreams deserved to come true. However, when it came to how he thought other people felt about him, his self-esteem dropped significantly. This disconnect — feeling worthy internally but believing others did not like or want him — was deeply impacting his confidence and sense of belonging, especially in the context of bullying.
His mother’s hope was for Oliver to feel better about himself, rebuild his confidence, and feel more secure socially.
How WISDOM Coaching Supported Oliver and Skills He Learned
WISDOM Coach™ Karen created a 10-session WISDOM Coaching program for Oliver, focused on building strong, resilient self-esteem and helping him develop confidence from the inside out.
After an intake session using the Wheel of Life to understand how Oliver was feeling across different areas of his life, we worked through a range of mindset skills from the Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum.
The skills Oliver learned included:
- Self-Talk (Skill Book 15)
- How Your Mind Shapes Your World (Skill Book 1)
- Self-Esteem (Skill Book 12)
- Power Shifting (Skill Book 5)
- Self-Responsibility (Skill Book 6)
- Managing Change (Skill Book 24)
- Power of Possibility (Skill Book 2)
- Neural Pathways (Skill Book 3) and RAS (Skill Book 4)
- I Am Affirmations (Skill Book 15b)
Through coaching, Oliver learned how his thoughts influenced how he felt, how to notice and shift unhelpful self-talk, and how to take responsibility for his inner world, even when external situations felt challenging. We also explored other personal challenges that arose, including body image concerns, as part of supporting his overall sense of self.
The Results…
By the end of the coaching program, Oliver’s self-esteem had shifted dramatically.
At the start of coaching, he rated the statement “I like myself” as 2 out of 10. By the end of the program, this had increased to 9 out of 10 — a profound change in how he viewed himself.
His belief that other people liked him also improved significantly, increasing from 4 out of 10 to 8 out of 10. This reflected a more positive interpretation of social interactions and growing confidence in friendships.
Oliver became noticeably happier, more settled, and more confident. Rather than defining his worth by how others treated him, he developed a stronger internal sense of self-esteem. His mum shared that he seemed more at ease socially, less weighed down by worry, and more confident in himself overall.
Oliver said:
“My favorite part of WISDOM Coaching was learning valuable lessons for life events. I learned how to control my emotions, create my experience and self-talk. My life is better because it’s easier to battle life’s hard moments now. This was one of the best times ever! (EVER!).”
-Oliver (12 years old)
Oliver’s Mother said:
“We were really worried about Oliver when we started coaching. He had been struggling with friendships and bullying, and it was heartbreaking to see how much it was affecting how he felt about himself. The change we’ve seen over these sessions has been incredible. He is more confident, happier, and seems much more comfortable in his own skin. Karen helped him understand himself in a way we hadn’t seen before, and that has made such a difference.”
-Oliver (12 years old)
WIDSOM Coach™ Karen said:
Working with Oliver was incredibly rewarding. He was sensitive, thoughtful, and reflective, and it was clear how confused and shaken he felt by his social experiences early on.
What stood out to me most was that, even at the beginning of coaching, Oliver had an inner sense that he deserved his dreams and to be treated well. Coaching helped bridge the gap between that inner knowing and how he presented himself in and interpreted his social world.
As Oliver learned to understand his thoughts, shift unhelpful self-talk, and build self-esteem from the inside out, his confidence grew steadily. Watching his self-perception change — and hearing the feedback from his mother along the way — was a powerful reminder of how life-changing mindset coaching can be for children.
We developed a close and trusting relationship and worked through other issues he was having around body image and his sibling relationships as well.
My work with Oliver is a perfect example of how a WISDOM Coach can be an essential and trusted bridge between a child and his parents.
Learn more about the 27 Mindset Skills children learn through Adventures in Wisdom
Download the list of 27 mindset skills:
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Want to be a Life Coach for Kids?
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You can get certified to use the Adventures in Wisdom Life Coaching for Kids Curriculum, where you’ll use fun coaching stories, activities and a proven STORY Coaching process to teach mindset skills and life coach kids.
WISDOM Coaches use coaching stories and activities to help children develop mindset skills for confidence, resilience, self-esteem, self-leadership, and achievement so that they can be confident and prepared to handle the ups and downs of growing up, reach their fullest potential, and thrive.
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As an active Certified WISDOM Coach, Karen has seen firsthand how powerful story-based mindset coaching can be in shaping a child’s present and future. In her role as Senior Director of Coach Success at Adventures in Wisdom, Karen is passionate about empowering WISDOM Coaches to build thriving businesses they love that have a life-changing impact on kids and families.
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Adventure well, my friend!
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