December 29, 2009 in Wellness, featured by empoweringwellness

Do You Need a Coach?

People ask me all the time about life and wellness coaching. What is it? What does a coach do? What’s a session like?

Working with a coach can help people break through obstacles that may be preventing them from leading the life they wish to lead. Coaches usually work with clients one-on-one, either in person or by telephone, to support their learning and growth within a safe and supportive relationship.

As a coach, I view my clients as being creative, capable and complete individuals, who are fully capable of leading the life they desire. But, like most coaches, I help my clients move past blind spots. I hold them accountable and help them to build self-awareness, engage in new forms of thinking, and most importantly, take new actions to achieve the results they desire.

There are many personal reasons for engaging a coach. They include:

• A desire to make a change in your life or lifestyle (work, exercise, diet, wellness, smoking, etc.)
• Getting help adapting to a planned or unforeseen life transition (employment, loss of loved one / grief, divorce / separation, etc.)
• Resolving issues related to time management
• Help in achieving greater work / life balance
• Help in finding deeper meaning, passion and purpose in life
• Learning how to adapt and flow with life changes
• Embracing a healthier lifestyle (weight loss, diet, exercise, nutrition, smoking cessation, etc.)
• Managing stress

Coaches typically do not tell clients what to do. We don’t prescribe solutions. Rather, we tend to act as facilitators and help clients figure out solutions for themselves. My job as a coach is to listen, ask questions, and to give honest feedback.

It’s important to understand that coaching is all about receiving non-judgmental support and encouragement. A coach provides an unbiased, listening ear. Coaching is not therapy or counseling. Coaching is not about dealing with past issues – it’s about moving forward in the present. Coaching is not designed for people who are suffering with mental illness or severe clinical / chronic depression, and many coaches work hand-in-hand with therapists and counselors to ensure their clients receive proper care.

A typical session lasts 30-60 minutes and together we look at your issues in a structured way. In my practice, I usually like to start with an online tool called The Wellness Assessment, which is a “whole person” assessment and lifestyle program designed to help you gain personal insight into your state of physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness. The program offers guidance and tools to transform this new awareness into lasting changes in your life, and a renewed sense of health and wellbeing. Specific, achievable goals are usually set during each session, and the coach monitors the progress of the client in achieving those goals.

People from all walks of life use life coaches. In general, clients seek out a coach because they want or need additional encouragement and honest feedback about challenges they face. Many people who hire a coach are already successful, but they want to achieve more. Life and wellness coaching is not just for the rich and famous. Most clients are ordinary people who simply want to get a particular issue in their life sorted out. People who approach coaches are ready to take action and need a helping hand to get to where they want to be.

Learn more about coaching and the Wellness Assessment.