Why would I hire a life coach?
You hire a coach to create positive change. You may want more of something (free time, income, job satisfaction, human connection ...), less of something (stress, worry, burnout ...), or perhaps to better manage a change which has been thrust upon you (divorce, job change or health challenge.) You are ready to take charge and willing to bring in powerful new resources to support and accelerate your progress.

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How does it really work? What do we actually do?
Most coaching occurs over the phone. You bring the topic. We get curious.

I listen, ask questions and employ proven skills to bring out your latent creativity, wisdom and talents. The real gold is mined between sessions, as you put new clarity and motivated confidence into action. We hold you accountable, celebrate your victories, and convert all lessons into growth.

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Wouldn’t it be better to work in person, face-to-face?

Not necessarily. While meeting in person can be great for some, there are surprising benefits to tele-coaching beyond the obvious scheduling and geographic freedom it opens up. Chief among these is the fluid and less self- consciouswhich results when the distractions of up-close interaction are removed.

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What kinds of topics do you work with?
Everything is fair game. Often, a specific topic such as a job stressor, relationship shift or health goal naturally leads to exploring something much bigger such as latent fears, forgotten dreams, or spiritual potential. Humans are wonderfully complex and integrated beings; the best results occur when we address our lives as such.

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How does this compare to therapy?
Key distinctions include the following:

• Coaching holds both parties as naturally creative, resourceful and whole. No one is broken; nothing needs to be “fixed.” This is a peer partnership with focus on empowered change in your present and future life.

• Psychotherapy tends to view patients through a medical model. In a more hierarchical relationship, the expertise of the therapist is relied upon to diagnose and treat illness. Emphasis is given to healing present distress, often through exploration and analysis of the past.

 

Traditional therapy and coaching can complement each other wonderfully, either concurrently or when work in one naturally suggests a transition to the other.

 

I have great friends and family. Why do I need a life coach?
You don’t. Nobody “needs” a life coach. The industry adage, “Your family and friends love you just the way you are. Your coach loves you too much to let you stay that way”, points to a paradoxical facet of our closest relationships: All too often, they define roles for us which constrain our potential, or they create comfort zones which tempt us away from the hard work of admitting and making what we want most.

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What qualifies someone to be a life coach? Is there some kind of training or certification?
Beyond the essentials of avid curiosity and a desire to help others, professional coaches bring a varied mix of formal training and specialized backgrounds to their work. While still rare, full certification through an ICF-accredited curriculum assures an even deeper foundation of technical and practical expertise.

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What should I look for in choosing a life coach?
It is important to consider both the formal resume as well as the “X-factor” feeling (i.e. trust, comfort, and confidence) she or he sparks in you. This second piece can only be determined through direct interaction, so be sure to request a free consultation or sample session. Good questions to ask any prospective coach include the following:

• What is their background? What brought them to coaching?

• How much formal and accredited training have they completed?

• Are they certified?

• Do they coach from a particular model or structured program?

• Do they focus on a particular topical niche?

• What do they expect of you, the client?

 

How long does it take? Do I need to make some long-term commitment?
Good coaching is powerful in any amount and real value can be derived from even a single session. That said, most serious coaches will encourage a commitment of some fixed period, usually three to six months. The structure of this initial “semester” is for your benefit, helping you blast through predictable dips, doubts and stuck spots and into the durable change you want most.

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What results can I expect?
Expect a terrific and identifiable return on all that you invest in the process, specifically in action and learning. You should notice and enjoy the positive transformation, both in your present moments and especially when looking back from a future vantage point at what our work ignited.

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Is this for me? Am I ready?
Let’s find out. Your time is valuable, and I’m committed to providing only high- focus, personalized service to a select group of qualified clients. So it’s important that we get a good sense of each other right up front. A free (and fun) 20-minute phone consultation can accomplish just that.