What is A Life Coach?

Get Familiar With Life Coaching

Because I’ve had many coaches of my own, I forget that not everyone is familiar with life coaching and how it can benefit you.  Let me break it down.

A Life Coach Is…

Working with a coach when you’re interested in personal development is super fun, and at the same time a stretch outside your comfort zone.  It is challenging. A coach is your cheerleader and encourager, and also can give you a gentle kick in the butt when needed.  A coach doesn’t give advice, but rather asks a lot of questions that makes you dig deep to get the answers you already have inside.  A coach gets you to do a “gut check” and listen to your intuition.

A Life Coach is Not A Therapist

A coach is different from a therapist.  A therapist is a mental health professional who talks a good bit about your past trauma, painful current life situations and problems, addresses mental health and mood disorders, and perhaps suggests medications for certain people.

A coach’s focus is on current situations and action steps you can take to move forward with your life goals.  They can help you clarify goals when you have trouble knowing what you want, though you know your life isn’t as good as it could be.

There is some overlap, however.  Both a good coach and a good therapist will support and encourage you in a non-judgmental way.  They are “in your corner” and can give unconditional positive regard to you, which is especially helpful to those without other supportive people in their lives.

Depending on the coach, you usually meet with them weekly or bi-weekly via video or phone, though some do meet in person.  They give you a warm “hello” and then launch right into action.  They want to make the best use of your time with them and make it all about you.  They ask you about the previous action steps agreed upon, how you’re progressing, offers ideas and asks questions to get you to think in new ways.  They remind you to celebrate your wins, however small, and question beliefs that may be keeping you stuck.

Moving Forward With Life Goals

If you feel like you feel stuck and need support with your goals, life coaching may be perfect for you. After feeling stuck myself, I yearned for a community. I know exactly how to help you discover exciting new dreams and feel confident and joyful.