Probing the clients emotions, how is he/she “feeling” and where it may be located in the body could also be techniques that would help one as a coach in determining emotional distress. Of course if one finds indications that the client is stiffening and does not want to address the issue in question, then one needs to respectfully allow the client space and choice of response. Working with utmost respect, being non judgmental, empathic, and facilitating lightheartedness all becomes more necessary in the transformational approach.
Building stronger rapport and trust with the client becomes more necessary in transformational coaching. Hence this may need to be done over a couple of sessions of coaching before one gets to this point.
Appreciative Inquiry is also a very powerful process that showcases the client, his / her own truths from their own life stories and experiences. So they validate their own experiences and arrive at self awareness. As the process is appreciative by nature, it further bolsters there self esteem, confidence and self recognition of who they are. Self recognition mirrors self love that often they may not have experienced or often not experienced enough of.
Visualization, breathing exercises, stories and metaphors are also very beneficial tools that can facilitate inner shifts and allow light heartedness in a very serious transition to transformation.