In the end, it is great to be inspired by the lived experiences of survivors, stories of overcoming great challenges, and to be motivated by the successes of others. However, when it comes to your mental health and everything that is connected to it, one must seek the proper professionals who are regulated, liable, and have accountability.
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2 Comments.
Such fantastic topic to discuss. I thank you for for raising this because there is clearly an absolute need to clarify what coaching is all about.
What’s concerning for me is that the author is choosing to tarnish the entire industry with the same brush rather than stating that she refers to a few that aren’t qualified or have the relevant experience (as with any profession including Mental Health ). She speak on behalf of people who might hugely appreciate and benefit from coaching services. It’s Not for anyone else but the person receiving the services to decide whether they’re making a difference tin their lives or not. I highly recommend speaking to people with first hand experience of having a coach in their life.
Yes you would go to a doctor for a broken leg and you’d choose the best one but after the main operation / treatment, without physiotherapy, you would never be able to properly walk again if they didn’t help you step by step rebuild and re-use your muscles. Coaching is the same. Psychotherapy is to treat mental health illnesses, but coaching is to have a plan of action to move forward with life and not stay stuck in the trauma.
We, as coaches won’t deal with the actual mental health issues like schizophrenia, bipolar, psychosis etc as the patient would need medication as well as talking therapy to heal, anyone who knows anything about the coaching profession knows this but I think every single person, including the mental health professionals could do with a coach.
Life coaches are like personal trainers at the gym but for everything in your life: Life coaches give you the capabilities, keep you consistent, challenge you, get you to do ‘one more lap’ ‘5 more minutes on the treadmill’, ‘one more set’, They challenge you because they know challenge equals change and ultimately growth. They keep you committed to showing up every single day; emotionally, mentally and physically in any area of your life. This to me, is absolutely priceless as it completely changed my life and it changes the lives of thousands of people who are seeking support from life coaches around the globe.
Articles like this one give me even more of a push to continue my work as a life coach because it shows the lack of awareness in our communities even among “professionals” of how helpful it can be. This needs to be addressed properly and as a matter of urgency.
If the likes of Serena Williams, Bill Clinton, Hugh Jackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Von Miller, Danny Bonaduce and many many other celebrities can use life coaches and not only highly recommend them but credit their success to their coaches then surely we need to look into this profession properly and see how it can help us rise and become a better version of ourselves.
A life coach is someone who is trained to help you see clearly where you are today,
then find ways to move forward towards your goals. It is, as a good friend of mine
and a life coach herself puts it, for everyday people with everyday problems, they are a sounding board to help you discover what
it is you want to do. They help you see a way forward, understand your options, helps you see your potential and creates a plan with you to move towards the
solution of the problems you are facing. helping you identify obstacles, set goals,
change your perspective, and identify and change your core beliefs. CBT in particular tend to integrate such tools as well as NLP.
What I love about coaching is that it is action oriented, with the focus on the client’s current life and plans for the future.
Coaching is about assisting the client
in clarifying his/her present values and beliefs, intentions, needs, abilities, strategies, goals and purposes. Clients are in charge of their destinations and they are asked to find solutions from within themselves but through a hand holding process: this can be an empowering experience. Though life coaching may use the past as a point of reference to move into tomorrow, using it as a stepping stone, it is not counselling or psychotherapy for which you need a specific training as mentioned above for specific mental health disorders.
Coaching Helps You Take Action and Counselling Enables You to Cope!
One has to know the difference rather than dismiss and entire billions of dollars industry which is blooming and on the rise even more. Just need to educate ourselves when we’re unaware of facts, also not feel insecure, threatened and worried about losing the place of mental health professionals within the community – that’s all.
Salaam,
While I do agree with everything that was said here, I have few comments. I am speaking from the perspective of someone who has a degree in psychology and has completed masters course work in marriage and family counseling although no degree due to not being able complete internship. So I understand the field pretty well and understand the years it takes to become professional.
The way that the article was written made feel that all life coaches are bad. That being a life coach is a hoax and cannot be trusted. I disagree with this and depends on the credentials of the person claiming to be a life coach. I think a life coach can be someone that can help get the person the help they need , and be kind of a transitional guide into sending them to the proper resource for help. What I am saying is if the life coach title is used correctly, they can be a really great asset to the mental health field. Not only can can they help guide the client to the help they are looking for , but they can work as an advocate or someone who convince a person who feeling hesitant to see a mental health professional. If a life coach as proper qualifications in the field of psychology/counseling then they are able to identify some psychological issues or even help with the minor life challenges and transitions that occur in life.
My point is, we have to look at this life coach business with a critical eye, yes, and be careful who we choose to be “life coach ” but at the same time be open and not claim all life coaches are bad. Some can be useful . It all depends.
I totally get it. So many people claim to be a life coach and i look at their credentials and they have nothing to do with the topic they preach to know about. it really gets to me and yes we should steer away from those kinds of people. I completely wholeheartedly agree with that point.