What Does a Life Coach Do, Exactly?
Life coaching is a collaborative process that helps people gain clarity, overcome obstacles, and move forward toward meaningful goals. It's a partnership. A connection that fosters creativity. Think of it like a road trip. You’re driving the car. I’m in the passenger seat. I’m there to help you navigate around road blocks and support you along the way. You’re the one steering, focused on where you’d like to go and how you’d like to get there. We follow your map, not mine. Eventually, we arrive at the desired destination together.
There are a variety of areas in which a life coach can help, including work, finances, health, relationships, education, and recreation. How you choose to apply what comes up in our sessions is entirely up to you. Coaching with me is about clarity, reflection, and real-life application. I help identify the patterns, thoughts, and behaviors that shape your choices; explore what resonates most to you in this moment of your life; and reconnect you to your authentic self, inner wisdom, and North Star.
What Does a Life Coach Help With?
There are multiple reasons why someone would seek the help and guidance of a life coach. These reasons range from gaining clarity about life direction to setting and achieving goals. A life coach can also help you overcome self doubt, build confidence, navigate life transitions, offer support, widen perspective, and maintain a healthy sense of accountability. It all depends on what you bring to the session. If you have something that is already top-of-mind, great. If you’re stuck and unsure what you’d like to focus on, that’s great, too. A life coach can help you figure out what you need to talk about most in that moment and the conversation unfolds naturally from there. For example, you may come to a session ready to discuss the difficult interactions you are having with a co-worker at your job, only to find that it’s your lack of self-confidence that is playing an integral part in how you relate to others in a competitive work environment. Whether it’s goal-setting, making sense of a major life event, or taking action steps, a life coach has the skills and tools to address mostly anything.
What Happens in a Life Coaching Session?
Most of my life coaching sessions are held via Zoom or Google Meet. I can also do phone conversations and meet in person. It all depends on what you are most comfortable with. Once that is established, and the date of the session arrives, we begin with an open, transparent, and authentic conversation. I often ask my clients, “What would you like to discuss today?” Whether you have something pressing or aren’t sure what to talk about, I’ll help you narrow down a specific topic.
Then, we’ll dig in. I’ll start by asking you some questions to help get to the root of the topic, whether it’s a limiting belief or an action step you’ve been longing to take. The conversation can involve everything from setting goals to self reflection to holding space to dreaming of next steps. Throughout our discussion, I will introduce and use certain tools depending on the specific topic or issue. At the end of the conversation, you may feel complete. You may also feel incomplete and more sessions may be required. The end goal is yours to determine. My role is to help you reach it at whatever pace you set or however long (or short) it takes to get there. At the end of the coaching session, you may have a list of action steps, a chance to finally take a deep breath, motivation to start planning ahead, the confidence to move forward, or the ability to hold yourself accountable. That’s the magic of a life coaching session—it becomes what the client makes of it.
Who is a Candidate for Life Coaching?
Life coaching is for anyone and everyone. I often say, as long as you have an open mind, you’re a great candidate. Whether you’re seeking career advice, want to create a better life for yourself, are dealing with the emotional toll of divorce, want to pursue a dream goal, or feel stuck and uncertain about next steps—you will benefit from life coaching in some way, shape, or form. No matter your age or stage of life, life coaching has something to offer. It’s an excellent fit for anyone looking to live more fully in the present and chart a new course for the future.
Choosing to work with a life coach is an investment into your personal growth and self evolution. That’s why it’s best to get a feel if life coaching is the right choice for you at this point in your life. The right fit is also key. I offer a free 30-minute discovery call to potential clients so they can learn more about the life coaching process and also get a sense of my style and approach. This is called a “fit” call. It’s a fantastic way to see if you and the potential life coach are a good fit and will work well together. If the energy feels right on both sides, it’s most likely a perfect match.
Life Coaching vs. Therapy
It’s important to remember that life coaching is not a substitute for therapy, counseling, psychology, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, sports medicine, or any other form of medical treatment. While therapists and counselors focus primarily on the past—addressing trauma, mental illness, damaging habits, etc.— and getting you to a place where you can live a functional life, life coaches focus on the present and future. It’s akin to a doctor helping a patient get healthy, while a physical therapist aids in the recovery process so the patient can move forward in life.
Life coaches use various tools and develop programs to help you gain insight, focus on future ambitions, take action, grow and evolve, and achieve goals. A good life coach can help you identify and address any limiting beliefs, road blocks, and patterns that may be getting in the way or holding you back. Life coaches can also hold space for you to feel whatever you need to feel in the moment, talk through confusing or difficult situations, and engage in self reflection—all of which are beneficial and necessary to getting unstuck, gaining clarity, and moving forward in life.
How to Know If Life Coaching Might Help You
If you feel as though you are stuck in a rut, unable to make decisions, lack clarity, feel lost, or are having trouble navigating life in general, life coaching might be the answer. It's a wonderful way to develop insight into issues and thoughts that are keeping you stuck and making it difficult for you to achieve your goals. If you crave accountability and feel drawn to living a life with more integrity, presence, and purpose, then give life coaching a try. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you discover and how much you learn and grow in just a couple of sessions with a life coach. Life coaching has a tendency to open your world and expand your perspective in a way you never experienced before. As I stated earlier, all you need is an open mind. Pair that with a desire to live life more fully and you’re ready to embark on your coaching journey.
An Invitation
If you're exploring life coaching and wondering whether it might be right for you, learning more about the coaching process can be a great first step. Take advantage of the free 30-minute discovery call I offer and we can chat about life coaching, discuss any questions you have, and address any concerns. You can also visit the Life Coaching Services page to learn more about the services I offer.