I've Heard of it, but I'm not sure what it is
There’s a lot of confusion and misconception around what a Life Coach is, what the process looks like, and how it can change lives. I know for many us the word “coach” conjures images of an athletic team leader, barking out orders to run drills, reviewing the plays we should be running or improvements we should be making, and always motivating us to go out there and do our best. The motivational piece of this nostalgia bears the closest resemblance to the kind of support a Life Coach can provide to their client. Life Coaching embraces the uniqueness of the individual, honors that every person’s path is different, and develops strategy to implement change based on what motivates each different person they work with.
More specifically, a Life Coach works with their client to identify the goals and changes that are most important to that person, develop a strategy that makes sense to the individual based on their own strengths and interests, create accountability measures that the client feels would be most effective for them, and implement a metric for success that person has chosen based on how they see their success. By doing this, people are able to see lasting, sustainable change in their lives because they are doing what’s important to them in a way that makes sense to them, and judging success based on their own criteria.
Common topics often explored with a Life Coach are relationships, spirituality, finances, career, major life changes, personal growth, health and wellness, organization, and life balance. Some Life Coaches specialize in certain areas, but most coaches, like myself, will be willing to work with you on anything you feel is important to you.
There is often confusion around the difference between Life Coaching, therapy, and consulting, but there are some key variances between these three areas of focus. Therapists often focus on past traumas and experiences to help patients get to a place of healing and closure. Consultants have one or more area(s) of expertise that they are able to instruct their clients in in order to achieve results based on best practices and industry specific knowledge.
A Life Coach’s main focus is empowering the people they work with to explore the facets of life they feel most passionate about affecting, test their own ideas, and learn how to build a system of implementing change on their own for the future. Some Therapists are also certified as Life Coaches, and some Life Coaches can also consult in certain areas. For instance, based on my background, I am able to consult in the financial improvement, health and wellness, and spirituality fields.
Something unique that I am able to provide to my clients is my intuitive gift. Though sessions are focused predominantly on encouraging the people I work with to look to their own thoughts, interests, and past experiences for guidance, there are times when I get intuitive guidance for someone. If this occurs, I always ask the client if they are open to hearing the guidance that is coming up for them, and share if they agree. I always remind people that they are welcome to opt not to hear what is coming up for them since what they choose to do with the guidance they get, be it from me or from themselves, is the most important part of our time together and, ultimately, what will get them to see the progress they are looking for.
If Life Coaching with me sounds like something you’d be interested in, please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information or to schedule an appointment by calling 707-861-0145, visiting my website www.mdavishealing.com, or emailing me at meg@mdavishealing.com.