What is ontological coaching? A complete guide.

This guide explains what ontological coaching is, how it works online, who it is for and how it differs from therapy, mentoring and consulting. Read it all, or jump to the part you need.

What is ontological coaching online?

Ontological coaching online is a one-to-one or team coaching process, held by video call, that works with the way you see the world. The word “ontological” refers to being: who you are being when you act, decide and relate to others. Instead of only changing what you do, ontological coaching looks at the observer behind your actions.

When that observer changes, new actions become possible, and different results follow. Because the sessions happen online, you can work with your coach from anywhere, in the language that feels like home. Many people choose ontological coaching online because it fits around work, family and time zones, and because talking from your own space often makes it easier to be honest and present.

How ontological coaching works: language, emotions and body

Ontological coaching works with three domains that shape how you show up. The first is language: the stories you tell yourself, the requests you make or avoid, and the promises you keep or break. The second is emotions: moods such as resignation, anxiety or ambition that open or close possibilities before you even think.

The third is the body: posture, breathing and energy, which carry your habits as much as your thoughts do. In ontological coaching online we notice how these three domains connect in a real situation from your life, and we practise new ways of speaking, feeling and moving that support what you want to create.

Ontological coaching, therapy, mentoring and consulting

Ontological coaching is not therapy. Therapy can help heal the past and treat mental health conditions; coaching looks forward and helps you get clear, decide and act toward goals you choose. If you need clinical support, a psychologist or counsellor is the right fit. Coaching is also different from mentoring, where someone shares their own path and advice.

In ontological coaching online you find your own answers through questions, distinctions and practice. And it is different from consulting: consulting brings answers, systems and plans to a business. At SerBe we offer both, clearly separated, so you can choose what you need. For a general definition of coaching, see the International Coaching Federation.

Who ontological coaching online is for

Ontological coaching online is for people who want something different and are ready to look at themselves to get it. Leaders who were promoted and now need to lead former peers. Senior professionals carrying big decisions. Women growing into leadership on their own terms. People starting over in a new country or changing career. Entrepreneurs who want to grow their business without losing themselves. And teams that want to move from rivalry to collaboration. What they share is not a problem to fix but a next version of themselves they want to grow into.

Ontological coaching online for leaders

Leadership starts with self-leadership. When you are promoted, the technical part is usually not the hard one. The hard part is human: giving feedback, saying no, holding a difficult conversation, leading people who used to be your peers. Ontological coaching online helps leaders notice the judgements and moods behind their reactions and choose how they want to lead. We practise real conversations from your week, so the change shows up in meetings, not only in reflection. Leaders often discover that the way they listen shapes their team more than any process they design.

Ontological coaching online for people starting over

Moving to a new country or changing career can shake the ground under your identity. Skills you trusted may not be recognised, the language may feel foreign, and the version of you that worked before may not fit the new context.

I have started over twice, in Argentina and in Australia, so I know this territory from the inside. Ontological coaching online gives you a space to grieve what you left, see what you bring and design who you want to become in your new chapter, at your own pace and in your own language.

Ontological coaching online for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs often grow faster than their own ways of leading. At first you do everything; then the business needs you to decide, delegate and trust. Ontological coaching online works with the person behind the business: how you handle uncertainty, how you ask for help, how you protect your energy. When the challenge is structural, such as missing numbers or a plan without owners, consulting is the better tool. Knowing which one you need is often the first useful conversation.

Ontological coaching online for teams

Teams are networks of conversations. When requests are unclear, promises are not kept or rivalry replaces collaboration, results suffer. In team coaching we work with the whole team, including its leader, on how they listen, coordinate and commit to each other. My years in competitive speed skating taught me that the strongest teams turn rivalry into unity. Ontological coaching online makes it possible to work with teams spread across cities and countries, in English or Spanish.

What happens in an online coaching session

Each session starts from what you bring today: a conversation you are avoiding, a decision, a feeling you keep running into. We look at how you are seeing it and what that way of seeing makes possible or impossible. Then we open new options and close with a concrete action, request or practice for the week. Sessions are online, so all you need is a quiet space, a camera and a good connection. Between sessions you practise in real life, and we review what you learned the next time we meet.

Questions you can bring to your first session

You do not need a perfect question to begin. Some people arrive with something specific: “How do I lead a team that used to be my peers?” or “Should I take this new role?” Others arrive with a feeling: “I am successful, but something is missing,” or “I moved countries and I do not recognise myself.” Both are good starting points. In ontological coaching online we turn what you bring into a clear intention, look at who you are being in that situation, and choose a first step you can take this week.

The SerBe Growth Path: six steps from seed to bloom

The SerBe Growth Path is the way I organise every coaching process. It starts with the seed: choosing what you want to grow, often with the free Root Map. Then come the roots: seeing who you are being today, the heart of ontological coaching. The sprout opens new possibilities.

The stem is your declared why. The leaves are action: what you will do, ask for or promise. And the bloom is making it yours, building habits that sustain your growth without me. We work on one area of life at a time, so change goes deep and lasts.

What you can expect from the process

Every process is different, so I do not promise specific results. What you can expect is a clear structure, a safe space, honest questions and practical tools you can use between sessions. People usually notice changes first in small places: a conversation they no longer avoid, a decision taken with more calm, a boundary set with kindness. Over time those small changes add up to a different way of being, which is exactly what ontological coaching online is designed to support.

Coaching and consulting: when you need each

Sometimes the challenge is personal: how you lead, decide or communicate. That is a coaching question. Sometimes it is structural: the business has no clear numbers, projects run late or nobody owns the plan. That is a consulting question. Many entrepreneurs need both, at different moments. With more than seven years managing projects at Walmart, Accenture and EY and a Master of Business Analytics, I offer consulting as a separate service: fractional PMO, KPIs, dashboards and reporting. Ontological coaching online takes care of the person; consulting takes care of the system.

How to choose an ontological coach

Look for a certified ontological coach with real experience in the areas you care about. Ask how they work, how long a process usually takes and how progress is reviewed. Notice how you feel in a first conversation: safe, challenged and listened to is a good sign. Language matters too; being coached in the language of your heart makes it easier to reach what really matters. I am a certified ontological coach, I coordinate coach training programs, and I coach in English and Spanish.

The Root Map: a free first step

The Root Map is a free, 3-minute self-assessment that looks at your life as a tree. Four big branches, connection, work and wealth, meaning and care, each open into smaller areas such as family, money, purpose or body. You see how each one is growing today, choose the three you want to grow and leave with a first step for this week.

It is a self-reflection exercise, not a psychological or clinical assessment. It is a gentle way to start before booking a conversation, and many people bring their Root Map to their first session of ontological coaching online.

Coaching in the language of your heart

Some things are easier to say in your first language. Emotions, memories and deep beliefs often live there. That is why I coach in both English and Spanish, and why the sales conversation and the coaching itself can happen in whichever language feels most natural to you. For bilingual people and migrants, moving between languages in a session can even become part of the work, because each language can hold a slightly different version of who you are.

From Melbourne to the world: time zones and scheduling

I live in Melbourne and work with people in Australia, Latin America, Spain and beyond. Because ontological coaching online happens by video call, we find a regular time that works for both of us, even across very different time zones. Early mornings in Australia often meet evenings in the Americas, and afternoons connect well with Europe. A steady rhythm matters more than the exact hour, so we agree on a schedule you can sustain and adjust it when life changes.

Confidentiality and agreements

Trust is the ground of any coaching process. At the start we agree on how we will work: goals, rhythm, confidentiality, and what happens if something needs to change. What you share is treated as confidential, within the limits we agree in writing at the start, for example where the law requires disclosure or someone’s safety is at risk.

You decide what, if anything, you share with your team, partner or company. If coaching is paid by your employer, we agree together what kind of progress update, if any, they receive. Clear agreements make it easier to be honest, and honesty is where real change begins.

Common myths about coaching

Myth one: coaching is only for people with problems. In reality, many clients are doing well and want to grow further. Myth two: a coach tells you what to do. A good coach helps you see more clearly so you can choose for yourself. Myth three: online coaching is less personal. For many people, joining from their own space makes the conversation more open and focused. Myth four: change takes years. Some shifts take time and others come sooner; the pace depends on you and on how much you practise between sessions.

When is a good time to start?

There is rarely a perfect moment. People often start coaching at a turning point: a promotion, a move, a new business, the end of a chapter or simply a quiet feeling that it is time to grow. Others start when things are going well, because they want to build on that momentum.

If you are asking yourself whether now is the time, that question is already a good place to begin. A free conversation can help you decide without pressure, and the Root Map can show you which area is calling you most right now. Ontological coaching online adapts to your moment, not the other way around.

How to start with ontological coaching online

The simplest first step is a free, no-commitment conversation. We look at where you are, what you want to grow and whether we are a good fit. If you prefer to start on your own, take the free 3-minute Root Map: it shows how each area of your life is growing today and helps you choose the three you want to grow first.

This guide is general information about coaching. It is not medical, psychological, legal or financial advice. If you need clinical support, please contact a qualified health professional.