What is a Life Coach?

The title life coach is like a new buzz word, have you noticed? There are not only life coaches these days, but there are specific kinds of life coaches. There are career coaches. There are health coaches, business coaches, personal coaches, sales coaches, real estate coaches, leadership, retirement coaches, you get the picture, right? It seems there are life coaches for EVERY THING! But what is a life coach?

That is a very good question. I’m glad you asked. 🙂

There may be as many different answers to that questions as there are coaches, but here is what I know. Life coaches help people go from where they are to where they desire to go. They help to facilitate the changes and accomplishments you want to achieve. Having a life coach helps you in your transitions through life and proves to be a valuable thing for sustainable change.

Life coaches help build toward the future, the future that you desire for your life, no matter how specific or general the change is that you desire to make.

A life coach’s job is to assist in the challenges to move forward.

There are questions the life coach presents to help a person define where they want to go and what changes need to be made to accomplish that goal. Coaches also help clarify what obstacles stand in the way of a person and their goals. And then, a life coach helps to create momentum with strategic steps and helps hold the person accountable.

Just so you know, this is what life coaching is NOT:

A life coach is NOT a counselor or therapist who deals with a person’s past and need for healing.

A life coach is NOT a mentor who deals with succession training and getting clients to replicate the coach.

A life coach is NOT a consultant who problem solves.

What is the difference between a life coach and a counselor or therapist? Here is the best definition I’ve heard so far: A counselor or therapist is like an archaeologist, someone who digs around in the past, bringing important finds into the present, polishing, mending and shining the object they discover. This is an important and necessary process throughout the lives of many.

A life coach is more like an architect; a person who helps design and build a future, and supports you as you make the changes needed to build a life that is authentically you.

I like that differentiation.

We are excited about the work that we are doing; helping women who are transitioning into new phases in their lives. We count it an honor to journey alongside them.