What a life coach can do for you

One of the main benefits of working with a life coach is your ability to get a fresh, informed perspective on what is happening in your life. It can give you an alternative perspective on the problems that you face. Besides offering new insights into your challenges, a life coach can help you zero in on the negative patterns that are standing in the way of your success.

Working with a life coach is a way to bridge the gap between where you believe you are and where you want to be. The following are some of the positive things you could expect from working with a life coach:

• Improved communication skills
• Removal of long-held fears and anxieties
• Better work/life balance
• Enhanced creativity
• Greater financial security
• Improved understanding of others
• Stronger relationships with friends and family

Some use life coaches in order to work through barriers that are interfering with them finding a partner/mate. Many people also look to life coaches for help in identifying their passion and carving out their ideal career path. What do you want help with?

Since sessions typically take place on a regular basis over a scheduled period of time, life coaches can ensure that their clients are implementing what is necessary for significant change.

Accountability is one of the prime advantages of working with a life coach. When you have someone you have to answer to that is keeping track, it pushes you forward.

Along with providing the motivation and support essential for maintaining momentum, coaches observe when a client is stuck or needs to adjust their goals. This means that coaching clients often achieve those goals more quickly and efficiently than they would if working on their own.

How is coaching different from counseling?

Although there is some overlap in the benefits of working with a life coach and receiving psychotherapy from a licensed therapist or counselor, these professionals have distinct roles and serve unique purposes.

Unlike life coaches, counselors, therapists, and other mental health professionals focus on treating mental health conditions, healing, and helping people work through trauma and other issues from their past. While working with a life coach may help you to deal with certain unresolved issues, life coaches cannot treat mood disorders, anxiety disorders, addiction, or any other mental health condition.

• coaching is a non-legally protected relationship
• a coach does not require charging or reporting to insurance companies
• coaching is always strengths-based
• there is no official diagnosis with coaching
• coaching has less stigmatism
• coaching does not require state or federal licensure, (however most reputable coaches are at least certified)

Counselors and therapists have a degree and are licensed mental health professionals. They must follow an ethical code and adhere to regulations regarding the confidentiality of their clients as well as maintaining ongoing education.

Life coaches, on the other hand, are not governed by any state board and don't have to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Its privacy rules help protect and compile your personal health information. That being said, a life coach should never be considered a substitute for the mental health professional.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of a mental health problem (such as feelings of hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, sleep disruption, and mood disturbance), it’s crucial to consult a mental health professional as soon as possible.

Why should you choose coaching over counseling?

If you know you do not want to use your insurance, but want the help. If you feel that a permanent diagnosis in your medical file may affect your chances of getting employed or keeping your job. Coaching is the right choice.

Not everyone needs the additional services of a therapist or counselor. They need someone to talk to and want help finding or defining their strengths and areas of skill. They want to pay cash and keep the results or findings from their medical record.

The different types of coaching or life coaching

There are many different skillsets practiced by life coaches across the country and world. You will often find that most specialize in one type of coaching. For example, someone who has spent most of their life working with children may get life coach certified and become a children's coach or family coach. While someone who has worked for years working in HR may decide to become and specialize as a career coach or business coach.

Here is a list of different coaching types: this is not an exhaustive list, but a launching point.

• Accountability coach
• Addiction and sobriety coach
• Business, executive, and leadership coach
• Cancer coach
• Career coach
• Conflict coach
• Creativity coach
• Dating and relationship coaching
• Diet and fitness coach
• Diversity coach
• Divorce coach
• Empowerment coach
• Fitness coach
• Family life coach
• Financial coach
• Health and wellness coaching
• Life skills coaching
• Marketing coach
• Mental health coach
• Productivity coach
• Sales coach
• Spirituality coach
• Sports coach

As you can see there are many different specializations. So rest assured if you want help from a coach to get your life headed in the direction you want without the added stress of using a counselor or therapist, choose a great coach.

The ongoing impact of life coaches

The benefits felt by clients after seeing a life coach vary from client to client. They are also dependent on the skill, training, and expertise of the coach. But some studies have shown that life coaching can be beneficial in a number of areas:

• One study found that both individual and group coaching was helpful in reducing procrastination and improving goal attainment.
• One review of studies found that health and wellness coaching showed promise for improving self-efficacy and self-empowerment.
• A 2020 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that coaching-based leadership interventions could be effective for enhancing well-being and improving functioning within organizations.

Research also suggests that it can have a range of other positive effects, including improvements in personal insight and improved self-reflection. It may also help improve overall mental health and quality of life. Consider using a life coach to help you.

Remember: Change Your Mind and Transform Your Life™