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 LIFE COACHES

What is it?
DEFINITION AND EXPLANATION OF LIFE COACHES
Life coaches help their clients to develop and attain personal goals.  Using a variety of techniques appropriate for each client, coaches specifically help their clients determine and achieve their goals.  The profession has combined effective techniques from business, psychology, philosophy, and spirituality.

What is it used for?
SITUATIONS A LIFE COACHES MAY BE HELPFUL FOR
- Personal and professional life balance
- Taking projects to completion
- Wellness
- Reducing stress
- Personal effectiveness
- Turning a difficult situation around
- Accessing untapped potential
- Manifesting in your life
- Attracting opportunity and money
- Relationships and intimacy
- Spirituality and personal growth
- Entrepreneurial and small business development
- Career planning and development
- Motivation and time management
- Creativity development
- Finances and budgeting
- Health, aging, lifestyle and self-care
- Family and parenting

Where did it come from?
HISTORY OF LIFE COACHES
Life Coaching has existed as a profession in the U.S. and Europe since approximately the early '80s. Writing for the "International Journal of Coaching in Organizations," Patrick Williams (CEO and Founder of the Institute for Life Coach Training) states:

"It is helpful to understand that both coaching and therapy have the same roots.”

One theory is that coaching have evolved from three main streams that have flowed together: 
1. The helping professions such as psychotherapy and counseling.
2. Business consulting and organizational development.
3. Personal development training, such EST (Erhard Seminars Training), Landmark Education, and seminars by Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey Eric Edmeades, and others.

Modern solution-focused therapy strategies along with narrative therapy techniques provided psychotherapeutic techniques that developed the competence of the client. Several theorists and modernists stressed a non-pathological context for counseling, important for the evolution of life coaching.

This is not a new concept, as noted psychologist Carl Jung wrote of the power of connectedness and relationships.  Jung contended that our futures are created through the process of visioning and purposeful living.  Many of his writings concerned the challenges of later adulthood seen in individuals older than forty years old.  He assisted his patients in conducting a “life review” and then helped them to consciously live by utilizing and demonstrating their innate talents and abilities.  He believed that individuals could become more self-individualized by living purposeful lives.

Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers further laid the foundations of life coaching with his 1951 book “Client Centered Therapy”.  The concept of “unconditional positive regard” was first put forth in this book, and Rogers contended that clients are likely to have the most ability to grow and change when positively allied with the therapist.

Abraham Maslow, considered by many the father of humanistic psychology, was largely responsible for the impetus of the human potential movement of the '60s with the publication of his "Toward a Psychology of Being" (1968.) Maslow studied people who he considered “self-actualized”, meaning that they lived with great purpose and energy.  Such individuals continually sought self growth and wished to make the most of their innate potentials.

With the stage set by such pioneers in the therapy realm, life coaching further evolved out of business consulting and executive excellence trainings for corporate executives.  For example, Steven Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Successful People" was one of the most popular mainstream books to focus on life coaching and transformation. 

What is it based on?
THEORY OF LIFE COACHES
Life coaching is a program tailored for each individual client to help attain and attract success, remove roadblocks of this success, and make positive changes, in any area of their lives.  It is based on a partnership between client and coach, working together to help the client achieve their life goals.  The coach can utilize a myriad of tools such as value assessments, mentoring, behavioral modeling and modification, accountability resources, awareness and discovery exercises, and long and short term goal setting and to support the client.  A life coach can assess your goals, share advice, offer guidance, help with planning, and hold the client accountable for taking action.

How is it done?
WHAT A SESSION OF LIFE COACHING IS LIKE
No two life coaching situations are identical.  Depending on the coach, both individual and group coaching may be  available, with in-person and/or long distance availability. Some coaches are more general and work in an overall way, whereas others may specialize in particular areas including coaching in health, career, parenting, executive, organizational, spiritual, life fulfillment, etc.

For convenience and accessibility, many coaches can connect with clients over the telephone. Life coaching has also become available on the internet and has rapidly expanded its online footprint. 

Clients may schedule one or several sessions per month, depending on their needs.  Typically this involves speaking with the coach in person, online or by phone for 30-60 minutes at a time.  Pricing and service offerings vary tremendously. 

Who does it?
LIFE COACH PRACTITIONERS
Life coaching is not officially regulated in the United States.  Training can range from self study, to on-line or home study courses, to numerous training programs and coaching institute certification.  There are many types of coaches and methods that can suit one’s needs.