Explanation of Terms
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- A Life Coach helps people be successful in their lives. It’s important to be clear about what you want to do in the future and to make a plan that optimizes this future.
- Life Coaching is not to be confused with other roles people play. For example, a consultant is someone whose job is to give advice on a particular subject. The consultant is an expert on a particular subject. A consultant knows the best ways to implement a new business strategy, for example. The consultant tells the client what to do based upon their experience doing the same thing. The Life Coach doesn’t tell the client what to do or how to do it. The Life Coach asks very powerful questions so that the client gets in touch with their best way of going about something and what exactly will work for the client. The client is the expert on their own life.
- Similarly, a mentor is like a teacher to help guide a newcomer or less experienced person on a specific path. Even though Life Coaching might include some providing of information, it is usually based on the process rather than content of a particular path.
- A Therapist or counselor is someone who has been trained to give a particular form of treatment for mental illness such as anxiety, depression, or attention deficit disorder, etc. Often, it is vitally important to look to the roots of the disorder in order to intervene and mediate the presenting problem. The problem characteristics of the client might also determine the need for a trained mental health professional. Often, an individual requires mental health treatment before they are ready for life coaching. The mental health treatment might focus on the individuals view of the world (from negative to more positive and hopeful), their coping strategies (from minimal to robust), their view of their self-efficacy (from “I can’t do it” to “I can do anything I set my intentions on”), etc.
- The coaching client is seen as whole, resourceful, and ready to move forward with their life.
- “Boot Camp” -- A concentrated effort where you push yourself hard to get all you can from the experience; leaving with full knowledge you are well prepared for the task.
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