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Clean Language Coaching

Here’s a comprehensive guide to Clean Language in coaching, covering principles, techniques, examples, and questions you can use directly in sessions:

1–10: Introduction to Clean Language

Clean Language is a coaching method developed by David Grove.
It focuses on asking questions without inserting assumptions.
The goal is to help clients explore their own metaphors.
It reduces coach bias or leading statements.
Clean Language is useful for uncovering unconscious thinking.
It is widely applied in therapy, coaching, and NLP.
The client’s words guide the session, not the coach’s interpretations.
Clean Language uses simple, repeated question structures.
Metaphors are central to understanding a client’s internal experience.
It enhances self-awareness and clarity for the client.

11–20: Core Principles

Ask questions based entirely on the client’s words.
Avoid assumptions about meaning, feelings, or outcomes.
Mirror the client’s exact phrases in your questions.
Explore the client’s symbolic language, images, or metaphors.
Stay curious and neutral as a coach.
Focus on what the client wants to explore, not what you think they need.
Clean Language questions are often short and open-ended.
Encourage client-led discovery rather than giving advice.
Accept whatever the client brings without judgment.
Maintain a supportive, non-directive presence.

21–30: Basic Question Types

“And what kind of [X] is that [X]?”
“And where is [X]?”
“And what happens just before [X]?”
“And what happens next?”
“And is there anything else about [X]?”
“And what would you like to have happen?”
“And when [X], what happens inside?”
“And is there a relationship between [X] and [Y]?”
“And what needs to happen for [X] to be [desired state]?”
“And what would you like [X] to do?”

31–40: Exploring Metaphors

Ask clients to describe their experience as an image or object.
“And if [X] were a [object/metaphor], what kind would it be?”
“And what shape is [X]?”
“And what size is [X]?”
“And what texture or quality does [X] have?”
“And what color is [X]?”
“And what movement does [X] make?”
“And where does [X] want to go?”
“And what happens if [X] moves?”
“And what is around [X]?”

41–50: Mapping Internal Landscapes

Identify client’s internal states through metaphors.
“And where do you feel [emotion] in your body?”
“And what happens there?”
“And does [X] have a place or boundary?”
“And what is supporting [X]?”
“And what is stopping [X]?”
“And what would [X] like?”
“And what’s the next step for [X]?”
“And if [X] could talk, what would it say?”
“And how does [X] interact with [Y]?”

51–60: Expanding Awareness

Encourage clients to notice subtle changes in experience.
“And what do you notice now?”
“And what else happens?”
“And is there a signal or cue from [X]?”
“And where is that signal strongest?”
“And what would happen if [X] were bigger/smaller?”
“And what would happen if [X] moved closer/further?”
“And what does [X] need to change?”
“And what would help [X]?”
“And what would happen if nothing changed?”

61–70: Clean Language in Action

Focus only on the client’s words: avoid interpretation.
Repeat key words to deepen exploration.
Use metaphor questions to reveal unconscious thinking.
Map sequences of events or feelings.
Observe patterns in client language.
Invite clients to explore both internal and external experiences.
Use “And what kind of …?” for deeper detail.
Notice contradictions without judgment.
Track shifts in client metaphors over time.
Encourage clients to discover their own solutions.

71–80: Common Coaching Scenarios

Overcoming fear: explore what fear “looks like” or “feels like.”
Goal setting: map desired states using metaphor questions.
Conflict resolution: explore relationships between internal images.
Motivation issues: ask what “motivates” or “blocks” metaphorically.
Career change: explore internal landscapes of choice.
Creativity blocks: explore what creativity “wants to do.”
Stress or overwhelm: map where stress resides internally.
Decision making: explore consequences metaphorically.
Confidence building: ask about confidence as an object or shape.
Self-limiting beliefs: explore what belief “is” or “does.”

81–90: Advanced Techniques

Use nested questions to explore multiple layers.
Track spatial metaphors (“closer/further,” “up/down”).
Explore temporal metaphors (“before/after,” “next/then”).
Map relationships between multiple internal elements.
Notice changes in metaphor language over time.
Invite clients to notice positive resources in metaphors.
Explore boundaries, containers, or limits in metaphors.
Ask “what else?” repeatedly to deepen awareness.
Explore sensory qualities (taste, sound, movement, temperature).
Observe where metaphor aligns with emotional states.

91–100: Tips & Best Practices

Always stay curious, not directive.
Avoid giving advice or interpretations.
Maintain neutral body language and tone.
Mirror client’s language exactly.
Follow the client’s pace and readiness.
Notice shifts in language and metaphor meaning.
Use silence effectively to allow reflection.
Track patterns across sessions for insights.
Encourage clients to notice their own learning.
Use Clean Language as a framework, not a rigid formula.

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