Maybe the client’s brought something big. Maybe they have gone deep, or the initial focus of the session has changed. And then suddenly, with five minutes to go, there’s this shared awareness: we’re nearly out of time.

And so comes the question, silently or spoken: Should we be aiming for a conclusion right now?

Early in my coaching journey, I felt I needed to help the client find clarity, a next step, a clean takeaway. Something that made it feel like they were getting the outcome stated at the beginning and a return on their investment. And the bigger the investment the greater the pressure to deliver. I was taking on a lot of responsibility for what was achieved in the session – based on my own beliefs and assumptions.

But over time as I gained more experience as a coach, and through discussions with my own supervisor, I came to realise that not every session needs to tie up perfectly. Sometimes, the power of coaching – and supervision – lies in what’s still unfolding—not what’s resolved.

That said, I do believe in intentional endings. Not because we need to fix or solve everything in 60 or 90 minutes, but because closure—however small—matters. A session that just trails off can leave the client feeling ungrounded or unsure about what just happened.

So now, I aim for a different kind of conclusion. It’s ok that we haven’t achieved the stated outcome, desired goal, or produced a definitive answer. Quite often there will be a powerful question for reflection. A feeling to be noticed and held onto. A shift in awareness. Or simply a conscious pause—naming that we’re in the middle of something and choosing to continue it next time.

Sometimes, I’ll ask:

“What is different now?”
“What’s stayed with you most from today?”
Or, “What do you want to carry forward from this session?”

It’s a way of marking the moment, offering a touchpoint. A way for the client to step back into their world with intention.

Because ultimately, coaching isn’t about tidy conclusions—it’s about movement, awareness, and growth. Sometimes, the most powerful sessions end not with a solution, but with a spark, another question and a deeper curiosity.

Helen Isacke, founder of Trusted Coach Directory is also an EMCC Accredited Coach Supervisor. As a reflective partner, Helen works with coaches who are keen to learn and grow on a professional and personal level through exploring their client work and coaching practice. With 20+ years’ experience of professional coaching, Helen brings a wealth of experience having trained in various coaching models including NLP, Clean Language, FIRO Theory, TA101 and a range of profiling tools.