I did a small poll on Facebook the other week which asked people to say whether they knew what a Life Coach did or not. Just over half of those that answered said ‘no’. I come across this quite a lot when people ask me what I do. They’ve heard of coaching but aren’t too sure what it’s about. So this post seeks to explain what I do as a Life Coach and dispel some of the myths out there.
I don’t need therapy
Coaching is not therapy. Coaching is very different to counselling, and the majority of people that I coach do not need therapy. Rather than focusing on the past, coaching is very much about exploring where you are now, where you want to be in the future and how you can get there. We might explore what is behind your thinking and behaviour patterns but only to challenge and change those habits, rather than discuss at length where they have come from. I often hold coaching sessions in coffee shops or quiet bars, which highlights the fact that often the conversations I have with clients are not so emotionally-charged or sensitive that they can’t be held in public. I don’t think you’d have seen Freud doing that hey!
I don’t want to admit that I need help
In this country, we hate to ask for help. Signing up to coaching doesn’t mean that you’ve failed though or that things are totally awful. It’s definitely not something to be embarrassed about. Having coaching is simply you acknowledging that things aren’t quite the way you’d like them to be and that you want to get on and do something about it. You should be proud that you’re taking life by the horns and grasping your future. Life is way too short to sit around being unhappy and feeling like you’re wasting your years away doing something you’re not passionate about.
Most of my clients are aware that they are not as happy as they’d like to be. They might have some ideas about what would make them happier, others have no idea; they just know there must be more to life. I am there to ask the right questions so that you can begin to explore, in your own time, what might make you happier and how you can go about implementing the changes you think are needed.
It’s all tree-hugging, mumbo-jumbo, touchy-feely stuff
I do a huge amount of practical work with my clients. They lead the sessions and talk much more than me in them if I am doing my job properly. I use psychology-based tools, exercises and worksheets to explore the issue at hand and yes, we will discuss your thoughts, feelings and emotions, but they underpin everything that you do so it’s important we figure out what’s going on up there. The sessions are always fun, uplifting and positive.
I’m not ready to commit to change
If you’re interested in coaching but just not sure you’re ready to commit, then I would always first discuss your situation and how coaching could help in a complimentary introductory session. After that session, there is no obligation to sign up. Most people do book another session though, as it gets them fired up, feeling positive about the future and they want to get started. Some book five more sessions, some just one. It’s always what you feel ready for. The pace of the sessions is also matched to how slow or fast you want to address things.
It’s too expensive
I run my coaching business alongside another part-time job. This second income means that I can keep my rates lower than most other coaches. It also means that I can be flexible about how and when you make payments. My priority is that you get the coaching you need rather than you turning it down because you can’t afford it.
OK, so what do you actually do in your sessions?
At the start of each session, I will ask you what you’d like to focus on. We will then work together to explore the issue using various questioning techniques, worksheets and coaching tools that I’ve been trained to use.
Often sessions revolve around one or more of the following challenges:
So there you go! I hope that clarifies a few things. If you’ve got any further questions, or you’d like to have a chat about coaching, then do email me or telephone +44 (0)754 559 2909.
Alice coaches those who want to change career but don’t know what they want to do instead. She offers Career Coaching designed to help graduates, early to mid-level career-changers, and parents returning to work gain a clear vision of what career is right for them, and how to achieve it. She is also an accredited Coach Supervisor, and host of The Career Change Diaries podcast.
