Life Coaching or Transformational Coaching is like having a conversation that you yearn for, however rarely have. It is where you are actually listened to, perhaps for the first time in your life.  The function of Life Coaching, like sports or performance coaching, is to enable the person being coached to be the best that they can be – by simply asking questions, questions that a person may be unable or unwilling to ask themselves.

The term “Life Coaching” as been around for a while however many people are not fully aware of just what life coaching is really about.
When coaching is mentioned or considered, a vision of a very vocal person pacing up and down the side of a basket ball court yelling instructions at players and possibly hurling abuse at the referee. Or it may be a vision of football coach viewing his team being demolished, a growing mound of hair is seen which is what he has torn from his scalp.

Of course sport of performance coaching isn’t all like that. These coaches are in place to help develop the talents of their charges by fine tuning specific skills. The focus is on that one area of talent whether it is a football player, basketball team member, swimmer or perhaps a drama or music coach. Coaching in all areas of performance is primarily focused on a specific skill relevant to the coachee’s talent.

There may be a degree of focus on a coachee’s mental state and their ability to focus but the primary focus is in the development of that specific talent.

There are similarities between life coaching and sports and performance coaching. There certainly is a focus. That focus is determined by the coachee. He or she will determine the area that they would like to address and improve. Where a sport coach would, for instance, instruct a player or athlete to change their style or change their playing method. A life coach allows the coachee to make that determination by skillfully guiding them to see a different perspective and options that previously, may not have been obvious.

Life coaching can assist in all aspects of life improvement. A life coach is not an expert in everything. They are not qualified to offer medical advice. What a life coach will advise is that seeking specific specialist advice might be a appropriate course of action to take. The coachee is always the one to make that decision and that decision is respected. If the coach identified resistance by the coachee to taking what would be appropriate action, the coach would focus on that resistance to determine a possible underlying problem.

There is complete confidentiality between coach and client. There is no judgment involved and the client determines the areas of concern that they would like to explore. A coaches job is to allow their client to explore their concerns and at the same time having the awareness of identifying underlying causes that may seem unrelated, but may have a direct effect on what is presently occurring in the clients situation.

So what is life coaching? What it is not is counseling although there may be an element of that in some sessions. It is not psychiatric or psychological therapy. That is for specialists. Life Coaching or Transformational Coaching is like a conversation that you have never had. It is where you are actually listened to, perhaps for the first time in your life.  The function of Life Coaching, like sports or performance coaching, is to enable the person being coached to be the best that they can be by simply asking questions, questions that clients are unable or unwilling to ask themselves.

How does life coaching work?

Life coaching differs from other clinical practices such as Psychology and Psychiatry and even counseling . These and other similar practices are generally specialists that treat mental conditions and illness’s and some practitioners are able to prescribe medications for conditions that have been diagnosed. Life coaching is not practice that attempts to treat these kinds of conditions. As part of the initial session, a coach will determine if the client has issues or a condition that requires expert treatment.

Life coaching works for those who desire to improve circumstance that they are presently experiencing. It about you as the client realising more of your potential and assisting you to discover the limiting beliefs and behaviors that may have restricted your growth.

Firstly, there needs to be a clear understanding of what you as the client wishes to achieve from the session or the program. From there, the coach has an awareness of what direction to focus on and to then be able to ask specific questions that will address this specific area. The job of the coach is to the tour guide and direct you focus to the areas that are of importance for you and where improvement is desired. The focus is on where you want to be rather than where you have been. It is sometimes important to have an understanding of what may have brought about your concern and that is certainly explored. The primary focus is to look to where you want to be.

The coaching environment is one of safety and absolute confidentially. It is also a place of no judgment. There is no wrong or right in the context of what you believe or understand. The questions that the coach will ask may challenge these beliefs. In this way, you, the client, will gain a greater awareness of beliefs or behaviour patterns that have been restrictive for you.

Contact Steve Davis to find out more about Life Change Dynamics and how life coaching can work for you.