If you’re looking for some direction and guidance in your life, a coach can help you get the most out of it. So what is a life coach? Read on to find out!
Who is a life coach?
A person who helps someone else achieve their goals and improve their performance. They usually specialize in assisting people to achieve a healthier lifestyle, financial success, or improved business.
Proponents of coaching assert that executive coaching has positive effects on the coach’s clients, citing improvements in health, happiness, and productivity; however, scholars have debated the efficacy of the topic.
History of Life Coaching
In the early 20th century, life coaching earned a place in the multi-million dollar industry known as potential human development. Early life coaches would often act as advisers to many business leaders looking for help with self-development and personal growth. Since then, the popularity of life coaching has risen dramatically, and many companies have made it possible for their employees to receive life coaching.
Historical figures such as John Whitmore and John Friedberg (who is often credited with coining the term life coaching) were influential in coaching and personal development. These coaches worked extensively with CEOs and other executives, helping them to help themselves.
Modern life coaching started as an idea in the late 1970s and early 1980s by three individuals: John Whitmore, a student of potential human development; Bill O’Hanlon, a businessman who was searching for ways to improve his own self-made success story; and Mary Morrissey, an actress, and model who was searching for ways to enhance her ability to express herself on the stage. Life coaching quickly evolved into its own industry, with coaches offering their services in a wide variety of fields, such as business, health, fitness, mental skills development, and more.
What does a life coach do?
A life coach will listen to you and help you unlock your full potential. They are there to listen, not to judge or impose their own opinions. The coach will point out issues and challenges in your life that may be preventing you from achieving your goals. They will ask questions to help bring these issues to the surface to be addressed and resolved.
The coach will help you construct your own personal plan to achieve what it is you are striving for, and once you have worked out the details together, they will support and encourage you along the way.
Depending on their specific training and certifications, some coaches may give advice or suggestions that can help move things forward in a different direction. Life coaching is not meant to be a “one size fits all” approach. Every coach has their own approach and style, which may or may not work for you. By spending the time upfront getting to know you, your needs and goals, and your personality and preferences, will help the coach determine how they can best assist you in achieving whatever you are striving to accomplish.
Can a life coach help with your addiction?
Life coaching may be able to assist you in achieving your goals, which could include recovery from a substance abuse problem. The process of life coaching to overcome addiction can vary depending on the individual. It may begin with identifying and understanding the issues or challenges that are preventing you from moving forward. Once these become identified, they will work with you to develop help with addiction.
This can include many different things and will vary from person to person. If you are attempting to quit using drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes, your coach may be able to identify the triggers that cause you to turn back towards addiction. They may encourage you to avoid situations or individuals where you have a history of drug use, which could help reduce the chances of relapse.
Life coaching is not meant to be the only step in the recovery process. It can provide you with tools that will help you to move forward and overcome addiction, but it should also be combined with other types of treatment as well as support systems for lasting sobriety.
Where do they work?
Life coaches may work out of offices, at home, online, or even in the comfort of your favorite spot. If you are looking for a coach to assist you with quitting smoking, they may be able to meet up with you on a regular basis at a local café or restaurant, where the smell and sights will not tempt you.
Some coaches work with individuals who simply want to make some positive changes, such as exercising more or eating healthier. They also work with couples who may be experiencing relationship or communication problems. No matter what you are striving for, there is a life coach available to help you achieve it.
What doesn’t a life coach do?
Life coaches do not provide therapy, nor does the coaching process replace therapy. Although some life coaches may have training and certifications in areas such as counseling or psychology, their main goal is not to diagnose problems but rather to help you set goals and move forward with your life.
Life coaching does not substitute a medical doctor, nor will it give medical advice of any kind. If you are experiencing physical symptoms that could be related to a medical condition, it’s always best to seek advice from your doctor before making any decisions.
Life coaching is also not meant as an avenue towards becoming wealthy or obtaining power and prestige in the business world. The coaching process is quite time-consuming, and candidates should be prepared for this before signing up with a life coach. In addition, it can be challenging to maintain a work schedule, home life, and family while participating in coaching sessions regularly.
A life coach will not be able to make decisions for you or tell you what your limitations are. Part of this process is identifying the goals you want to achieve and taking the steps towards them. No one can do these things for you.
Difference Between a Life Coach and a Therapist
While many of the services that a life coach offers overlap with those offered by therapists, there are some key differences between the two professions. A therapist is typically trained in psychology and provides counseling for a variety of mental health issues. Counseling involves helping individuals work through problems and find solutions to situations that may be causing stress or emotional pain. A life coach will not typically offer therapy or mental health services.
The main difference between a life coach and a therapist comes from the scope of their services. A life coach is designed to help clients improve their lives by focusing on specific areas such as career, personal finances, relationships, or physical health. Life coaches do not typically work on larger mental health issues and can be a valuable resource to individuals looking for help building self-esteem or overcoming depression.
Life coaches offer you the opportunity to spend time with someone who will listen to your problems and give you advice that is geared specifically towards your needs. There is no one size fits all approach when it comes to life coaching. A good coach will listen to your concerns and offer help that is designed specifically for you.
An inexperienced or unqualified therapist may not be the right person to seek out life coaching services. For example, therapy can often become expensive due to the time it takes over a long period of time to work through problems. A good life coach may be able to help you overcome your personal issues in a much shorter time without subjecting you to the high costs that often come with therapy.
Life coaches and therapists have many things in common, but their services are typically offered for different reasons and are based on different philosophies.
If you think that life coaching may be a good fit, take some time to research qualified professionals in your area. A good coach should walk you through a process for achieving your goals and will work with you throughout several sessions to help you achieve those goals.
How do you find a good life coach?
If you are looking to hire a life coach, be sure that the person is certified, trained, and has experience with your specific goals. Experienced coaches will likely have good references from past clients who can tell you their experiences as clients of this particular coach. There are many different certification programs available for life coaches, and some are more recognized than others.
One such program is the International Coaching Federation or ICF. This organization certifies individuals in many coaching styles, including executive coaching, professional coaching, and life coaching. The ICF also offers a level of accreditation to those who achieve certification and want to progress to an advanced level. This is not required, however, and many life coaches do not choose to pursue this accreditation.
Evaluate each life coach or program that you are interested in thoroughly before signing up for sessions. Make sure that the services promised to match your needs and budget. Interview prospective coaches to make sure they are a good fit for both you and your needs.
Life coaching can be a great asset to those looking for help in their personal lives. Whether you need someone to talk with about your addiction or just want some guidance on how to improve the quality of your life, life coaching is an excellent option.
It doesn’t matter if you are new to sobriety and don’t know where to start or have been sober for years but still feel stuck-life coaches are here for all sorts of people at all stages of recovery from any type of substance abuse disorder. If there is anything we can do to provide more information, please reach out!
To know more about our life coaching services in New York and other cities like Dallas, check out our website, contact us and let us know if we can be the best fit for you.
