By Sara Somasca | BASE YOGA
Effective support begins with understanding the person receiving it. Their history, present circumstances, and individual needs should shape the approach from the beginning. This was a fundamental principle in my work as a social worker, and it remains central to my approach as a coach.
Every person brings a different background. Family relationships, culture, opportunities, and difficult experiences all contribute to how we move through life. They can influence how we relate to our bodies, the thoughts we carry, and the energy we have available. Our desires and needs emerge within this context. Understanding them requires attention to the whole person.
Even when two people express the same goal, the support they need may be different. Someone seeking balance may benefit from more structure in their day. Someone else may already live under constant pressure and need space to rest. The same suggestion can be useful to one person and feel like another demand to someone else.
Social work taught me to look beyond the immediate request and consider the circumstances surrounding it. Time, resources, responsibilities, and access to support matter. An approach that overlooks these realities can ask more of a person than they are able to give. Personalization means developing support that is relevant and realistic within the life they actually live.
In practice, this involves adapting the pace, language, and activities to the individual. It means discussing goals together, checking how an approach is being received, and making adjustments when something does not fit. Listening becomes meaningful when what a person shares influences what happens next.
A clear method can offer a useful foundation. The difficulty arises when that method becomes a one-size-fits-all approach, applied in the same way regardless of who is receiving it. Professional knowledge is most useful when it helps us respond thoughtfully to the person in front of us. A familiar concern still deserves careful attention to its particular meaning in that person’s life.
Empathy is essential to this process. It requires curiosity and the humility to recognize that a similar experience does not mean an identical one. Understanding develops through careful questions, attentive listening, and space for the person to clarify or disagree. Assumptions need to remain open to correction.
This responsiveness can deepen trust. When a professional remembers what has been shared, respects a boundary, or adapts a session in response to feedback, the person has tangible reasons to feel heard. Their experience carries weight in the relationship. Over time, that consistency can help them feel recognized as a unique individual rather than another client moving through a standard process.
The person receiving support also needs an active role in deciding whether it fits. They should have space to express preferences, question a suggestion, and say when something feels unhelpful. A trusting relationship allows this feedback to become part of the work, without treating disagreement as a lack of commitment.
Personalization continues as the relationship develops. Circumstances change, priorities shift, and new needs become clearer. Regular conversations about what is useful keep the work connected to the person’s current experience.
Across social work and coaching, this principle remains fundamental: each person deserves support that takes their individuality seriously. Their story should have a real influence on the approach, and their voice should help shape its direction. This is how respect for the individual becomes part of everyday professional practice.
Further reading
International Coaching Federation — 2025 Core Competencies
International Federation of Social Workers — Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles
Sara Somasca | BASE YOGA