That’s a good a question, isn’t it?
How do you know what type of life coach you need?
How do you know what life coach to choose?
There are many different types of life coaches out there, but how do you know what type of life coach you need for your particular case?
The truth is that you might not even really be sure, so that’s why I decided to give you some pointers in this article to help you choose the best life coach for your specific needs.
But first off, let’s define what a life coach isn’t.
A life Coach isn’t a Therapist or a Psychiatrist
I was asked the question a couple of times.
What’s the difference between a coach and a therapist?
I thought that it was a good question, as it seems that the difference is not that obvious for people at large.
The easiest and quickest answer I would give you, if you asked me that question, is that a life coach deals with people who may be looking for help within their work, relationship and issues related to their everyday life, but they won’t help you with mental health issues.
That’s not the job of a life coach to help you with mental health issues that call for a doctor. A life coach is NOT a doctor.
If you feel that your problems have more to do with clinical mental health, then you need to consult with a specialist that deals with this type of problems.
A life coach will help mentally healthy people who feel stuck in their life, but they will not deal with serious mental issues such as depression or any other mental diseases.
Keep in mind that a life coach is a helper, not a doctor.
So, this said, your next question might be, then…
What is a Life Coach?
A life coach is someone who can help you see the world like you’ve never seen it before.
A life coach is someone that can help you embrace life in a totally different manner, by changing your mind over.
A life coach could serve you as a magnifying glass, helping you to realize what is standing between you and your issues. Between you and success.
A life coach can show you the way to a better life, more success, better relationships, more money and so on.
That’s what a life coach can do for you.
What Different Types Life Coaches are there?
Not only there are many different types of coaches, such as sports coaches or business coaches, but there are many different coaches within the life coaching field as well.
There are career coaches, relationship coaches, success coaches, energy coaches, peak performance coaches such as Tony Robbins, and so on.
Within these main categories, you also have more specific narrowed down niches, such as “reiki healing coaches,” “performance coaches,” “leadership coaches,” or “parenting coaches,” for example.
And that’s really just a few.
The more specific you go into your search, the more chance you’ll have to find the right coach for you.
So basically, jour job is to find out what area of your life you are needing help with.
What area of your life do you need help most with?
Matching your Personality with that of your Coach
No matter what type of coach you might think you need, it is very important that you find the perfect match for you.
There isn’t a specific recipe that you need to follow here, since why you will or won’t click with someone depends on too many invisible factors for me to tell you how you will or won’t connect with a specific coach.
Once you know the type of coach that you need, you will have to decide who is best for yourself.
Most good coaches will make themselves available for a free consultation with you to see if you are a good match for each other.
At times it could be the coach who realizes that they wouldn’t be a good fit for you, and in most cases, they probably would be able to refer you to someone else.
A good coach would not pretend that they can help you if they can’t.
That doesn’t mean that they are not competent, it simply means that their field of expertise is not the best fit for you.
Something Important you Need to Know about Coaches
Not all Coaches are what I would call personal development Coaches.
So, if what you need is true personal development coaching, meaning a coach who can teach you about the law of attraction, vibrations, the subconscious mind and overall success, like I do, then be sure to pick a coach that knows about those things.
Not all success coaches have the same level of knowledge and expertise in this regards.
If you are looking more for a business coach to help you with some business related strategies, then that’s the type of coach that you should be looking for, but that doesn’t mean that they are expert about how to attract what you want, for example.
Of course, most coaches should be able to teach you about mindset, but they are different levels of it, I must say.
What can I help you with?
I can help you master this law of attraction thing that will change your life and reprogram your subconscious mind while doing it.
I can teach you to quit your job like I did and live the life of your dreams.
I can help you banish terms from your vocabulary such as:
- Life is hard
- You have to work hard to get what you want
- This is my reality
- Things can’t change from one day to the next
Because, all of the above are actually lies.
Life doesn’t have to be hard.
You don’t have to work hard to get what you want. You just have to know what you’re doing.
Your reality is brought on by your thought pattern. So I can teach you what “reality” really means.
Things did change drastically for me in just 8 months. Believe me that really feels like from one day to the next.
Once you’ve worked with me, you won’t say any of those things anymore.
If you want my 7 action steps success email course, just fill out the form below!
Hey Sylviane,
I think this is an important message because not everyone will be a fit for us. I think that’s why it’s great to give a free 30 minute consultation to find out what the issue might be, if there is a connection and then they each can make that decision on whether or not they want to work together.
I’ve been lucky so far that the ones I’ve worked with have been a good fit for me. It’s really important when you’re covering such important issues.
Love the video and the countryside is so pretty. So glad you’re enjoying your time there and thanks for sharing these tips.
~Adrienne
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Hi Adrienne,
This post is based on my own examination of life coaches out there. Not all coaches are equal, just like not all doctors are equal. Some will be better for a certain type of things and others for other type things.
For me for example, I realized that as I’m growing in my own personal development field I wouldn’t need a coach that I feel knows less than I do about the laws of the Universe such the law of attraction, the law of allowing and so forth. See what I mean?
For example, there are even successful and rich folks that know nothing about those things, so the same goes for coaches. You need to do your shopping around depending on what you need. That’s why I offer a 30 minute free consultation.
Yes, the park I was in, was on the edges of Loch Lomond, and it was splendid majestic! I’ve seen so much beauty these past 2 weeks that it motivated me to do lots of videos 🙂
Thank for coming, my friend and have a splendid day ahead!
Hi Sylviane,
I must say I’m enjoying your pictures and videos as you travel. Scotland looks amazing and so do you!
I’m so glad you have addressed this issue of what a life coach is. So many people get confused and you have clarified it here. I know that we can all use one to accomplish a specific goal. We can read the books, make a list, but what is more important is to have someone to bounce off our thoughts.
A life coach is trained for that – like you- to probe and to ask questions and get to the bottom of what is holding a person back, or other difficulties.
I sure do agree that it is the best practice to have a free session in order to see if the coach you pick is a fit. Now that is great service!
-Donna
Donna Merrill invites you to read..The Internet Marketer Lifestyle
Hi Donna,
I’m glad you’re back from your trip 🙂 I know you had a good time, and that’s wonderful.
Thanks for the compliment, I look OK, except for my wild hair that goes crazy with the Scottish wind 🙂 as you could see on the video LOL!
Yes, lots of people get confused about what a life coach is. I even had a couple of people who have asked me what’s the difference between a life coach and a therapist, so that’s really something that needed to be clarified as coaches are not therapists at all.
I wouldn’t want to coach someone before I’m sure we are a fit for each other, me and my client, indeed.
Thank you for adding your insight and you have a wonderful day!
Hey Sylviane,
I’m glad that you cleared up the difference between what a life coach is versus a psychologist. I thought that maybe a life coach fell under the category of psychology but it’s in a category of its own.
I also didn’t think about that it would be wise to find a life coach that is more compatible with your personality. It does make sense because you can more out of the relationship and the perception that they’re trying to get across to you. You can look at it in a way as if you’re making efforts to attract people to buy products or services from you although people in your niche are promoting the same thing.
Thanks for educating us on what a life coach really is and their purpose! Have a good one!
Sherman Smith invites you to read..7 Ways On How To Define Your Target Market?
Hi Sherman,
The main difference between a life coach and a therapist is that coaches are not doctors, so we stay away from giving any type of advice that would fall under giving medical advice.
Yes, it’s very important to match personalities. The results are always better when you’re a good fit with your coach.
Thanks for coming, Sherman 🙂 and adding your insights.
Hey Sylviane Maam,
you guide very well you are really good coach i learn very new things in your post .Thanks for sharing keep up it.
Glad you enjoyed Bial 🙂
Maybe you could expand a bit on what you liked?
I need a life coach who will help you live your best life possible. They will learn about you and in turn, you’ll learn things about yourself. A life coach might help you find your purpose in life, clarify your goals or simply be a support to guide you through a transition. It really depends on what you want to get out of the coaching engagement and what sort of coach you work with.
There are many types of life coaches. Some come from formal schools and have certifications in specific patterns of coaching. Others work from personal experience and engage you on a practical level. Some coaches focus on well-being and spirituality. Others are more professionally minded and do things like helping you get organized or take a left-brained approach to improving your life.
If you are considering hiring a life coach, my advice is to take some time for introspection and think about what you’d like. What is it about your life that you love? What aspects of it do you wish were better, or different? Lastly, ask yourself if you’re willing to put in effort to make a change.
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Hi Shiva,
What is that comment about really? I’m a bit confused here?
Thanks,
Sylviane
Hi Sylviane,
You have made some great points about the type of coaches that are out there. Identifying what someone needs is extremely important to understanding if one will be successful with a life coach or not.
As you said, there are a lot of different ones out there with a lot of different experiences and skills. How much a client is willing to pay will often determine the level quality, professionalism and experience the client will receive.
I always think of coaching as something that is more practical. In other words, they don’t identify or diagnose problems per say but they identify methods and strategies and then help their clients be accountable for making the necessary changes in their lives. Doctors don’t typically do that.
I really enjoyed the post and your perspective Sylviane.
I hope you have an incredible week ahead!
~ Don Purdum
Don Purdum invites you to read..Marketing without Vision Sucks and Why It’s Obvious You Don’t Have One
Hey Sylviane. What are clear and concise description of what a life coach is! I totally agree that matching your personality style with your life coach is essential. Just like anything in life, the fit is really important to make sure you’re going to get off to a strong start.
Look forward to seeing more videos from you too!
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