FAQs About Life Coaching
When I tell people what I do, I’m likely to get one of three responses:
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“That’s awesome! My best friend uses a coach! I could use a coach!”
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“That sounds vaguely familiar. So you tell people what to do?”
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“That sounds kinda weird.”
A relatively new field, life coaching is getting rampant media coverage and has crept into a host of self-improvement reality TV series. While all of this has helped push the profession and its benefits into the mainstream, it’s also caused a LOT of confusion. That’s why I’ve developed this FAQ. Now the next time someone tells you he or she is a life coach, you’ll be a bit more than “vaguely familiar.”
Is coaching for real?
If you’re asking yourself this question, I am pretty sure I know where you’re coming from. Maybe coaching is to personal development what the grapefruit diet is to weight loss. Or the ThighMaster is to slim hips. Bad ideas that yield minimal results. Moreover, some coaches may incorporate modalities that seem New Age-y – and not accessible to many folks.
Understand this: at its core, coaching is a practical, effective and efficient way to bring you toward your goals. I still find myself in awe as I watch a client take real, measurable steps toward their goals and gain new insights as a result of coaching. Indeed, some of my own most profound discoveries have occurred while being coached. Additionally, I firmly believe that my own personal goals would have taken two or three times as long to reach without the support of a coach.
Coaching is powerful and inventive and pragmatic all at the same time. No crystals required.
Is coaching therapy?
Life coaching is an emerging field that is often confused with therapy. Indeed, a client enters into either with the intention of making life changes. However, therapy generally focuses on healing and correcting past problematic behavior, while coaching is more forward focused, helping the client maximize and get the most quality out of living their life. Coaching is also unlike therapy in that it doesn’t provide the “right way.” Instead, as a coach, I empower you to navigate change or improvement in your life by providing a non-judgmental environment of discovery.
How will I know that coaching has been effective?
Coaching can lead to a whole host of major and minor shifts in your life and you will be the ultimate measure of how successful your coaching experience has been. Because coaching is a partnership, my clients are responsible for their own forward movement; that said, you will know coaching is effective when your awareness has increased to a place where you are able and ready to take action. Additionally, you will experience many of the other benefits of coaching
What happens to our partnership if I don’t reach the goals I set out to achieve?
Not hitting the anticipated mark occurs for all manner of reasons: your goals changed, the path to reaching your goals was unclear, life happened, and so on. As a coach, I am not attached to your outcomes. I do hold the light for you, ask you to stretch just a bit further and am there to debrief when things don’t go as anticipated.
Is group coaching or individual coaching better for me?
Group coaching is best for those who are looking for the support of others who are interested in exploring the same topic or tackling a similar issue. It’s also economical. On the other hand, individual coaching is best for those who are seeking more individualized attention on their goals and want the most direct feedback and support possible. Contact me to discuss which option is best for you.
How long will we work together?
The duration of the coaching relationship is up to you. I strongly urge new clients to make an initial three month commitment in order to build the trust that is required for significant work to get done. Some clients stay with a coach continuously for years, reaping the benefits of having an outside perspective in all areas of their lives; others simply work with a coach on a specific project or goal and then end the partnership; and still others work on and off periodically with a coach depending on life circumstances. I will work with you for any duration as long as our work together is beneficial.
How do I know you’re not a quack?
Well, you don’t, really. But I can assure you I’m not. And lots of other people will happily vouch for me, too. Of course, the best way to find out is for you to give me a call and judge for yourself. I trust that you’ll be able to tell!