Uncoachable Clients and Client Resistance

Every coach eventually encounters it: the client who says they want change… but pushes back at every turn. In this episode of The Craft of Coaching, we dig into the messy, misunderstood territory of uncoachable clients and client resistance—what it really means, what’s actually happening under the surface, and what you can do about it.

Is the client truly “uncoachable,” or is their resistance an invitation to shift how you’re holding the space? We explore how to identify resistance early, how to distinguish between sabotage and self-protection, and why labeling a client as “difficult” is often a missed opportunity for deeper coaching.

You’ll get specific strategies for re-establishing safety, clarifying agreements, and checking your own coaching bias. Plus, we’ll talk about the subtle ways coaches unintentionally escalate resistance—and what to do instead.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or unsure how to move forward with a client who keeps hitting walls, this episode will help you see resistance not as a barrier, but as part of the breakthrough.

Uncoachable clients and client resistance are not the end of the road. They’re the beginning of a new layer of mastery.