What is a life coach, anyway?

You are right to wonder. I certainly had no idea when I first heard about life coaching. It seemed pointless, and scammy- not reliable. I sort of assumed it was a way for people to take shortcuts in mental health. But I didn’t really know why I thought that. I’m so glad I gave it a shot, because after years of therapy and psychoanalysis, I finally found what worked for me, in coaching.

WHAT IS COACHING, AND HOW IS IT DIFFERENT THAN THERAPY?

That’s a great question and I am so glad you asked. While my particular educational background is in psychology (about me), I made a career pivot towards life coaching when I realized that my favorite part of coaching is the ability to be 100% ME. As in, my belief is that it is way easier to inspire change if transparency on my end can be part of the process. You can ask me pretty much anything about my life and I am happy to share it. In fact, I encourage you to. Whenever you are taking advice from someone, make sure you know where it’s coming from and if you like the results that person is getting in their own life.

• Coaching is not a replacement for psychotherapy. If you have a mental health diagnosis, coaching with me is only worth doing if you are also being seen by a licensed mental health practitioner. Even then, it really is based on the individual and it may or may not be the best option. We’d have to discuss it to find out.

WHAT IS YOUR COACHING STYLE?

First and foremost, I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. You might be the kind of person that loves rules and you want rules in your life to help guide you. Alternatively you might be someone that HATES following directions and you’ll blow off anything that feels arbitrary. The first thing I do when we start working together is have you take a series of personality tests that inform the approach I will take with you, and I specifically create my approach to coaching with you based on that data.

Your process will feel goal oriented, and my approach comes from a strengths based perspective. I like to figure out what is already working with you and maximize on that. Similarly, I want to know what isn’t working for you (think bad theories, bad habits) and I like to fix that immediately. It is fast paced and we will jump in to action pretty much immediately. My style is reward driven rather than consequence driven. My ultimate goal in coaching is empowerment. I believe that fun and sustainability are the “salt and pepper” of coaching. Without them, it’s bland, it won’t bebe a memorable experience and it certainly won’t be worth the calories,.

Profound change can feel like stretching. It hurts, in a good way. It is not supposed to be comfortable, but used correctly, it is enlightening and you will always know why I am asking you to do something, even if it makes you step outside your comfort zone.

WHICH AREAS DO YOU COACH?

Personal development (e.g. confidence building), relationships (e.g. love, friendship, family), body/health (e.g. getting you on a health plan), career development, time, task & financial management.

HOW OFTEN DO WE MEET AND WHAT DOES THE PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

Sessions range from 2-4 times per month. Depending on how much you want to work on, the duration of the entire process will vary and I always prefer to keep it manageable, as this is not a life long commitment (think: one year). I believe having a time frame is crucial for accountability, regardless of your personality type. It will also help you gauge the financial investment, which is smart!

You will have homework between each call/meeting and I will hold you accountable to it. Our sessions will be geared towards figuring out what you really want, how you are in your own way and how to shift that, but most of the work will be done by you outside of our session. Don’t worry, we stay in touch throughout the process, in between calls, so you won’t feel like you are doing this alone.

WHY CAN’T YOU JUST FIX MY PROBLEMS QUICKLY?

Understanding how long the process takes is vital in that it cultivates and understanding of how complex we really are. Some changes will happen overnight, others will happen over the course of the year, and many changes will continue throughout the rest of your life (it’s called evolution). If all goes right, you will get the tools you need to thrive independently. Also, I’m teaching you the tools, but implementing them is entirely up to you!

If coaching isn’t right for you, I’ll know pretty quickly and I will help you get the right help. I will never, ever take your money if I don’t think you’re getting your money’s worth. I’m a true believer in karma and that is how I run both my personal and business life.

STILL CONFUSED?

Whoops, sorry! If you have any questions I didn’t answer here, email me. I want to hear from you and make this more helpful if I can.

For more information about what coaching packages entail with me, see here.