Is Coaching Right for You?
How do you know if a coach and coaching is right for you? Understanding what a coach is and the different types of coaches that exist can help. A lot of coaches have a specific niche and style. For example, I focus on five specific areas: general life improvement , professional development, academic improvement, and success in the e-ports space. My approach is a blend of techniques, and you can check out my About Me to learn about the types of techniques I use. It is important to know if the coach’s techniques will work for you. A lot of coaches will choose a single technique such as visualization and use that with every client. Knowing if mediation and visualization work for you will be key to knowing if coaches who are focused on mindfulness, visualization, and being present are a good fit for you. It is equally important to know if their specialty covers the area that you want to approve.
I find that all of my clients have an overlap between life and one of my other specialties. When looking at a coach’s area of expertise, it is important to know if your issue fits completely into that specialty. How they write about their areas of expertise will tell you a lot about what they think can be achieved in these areas and how they will approach the coaching dynamic. For example, my approach is very results oriented, and my focus is about measurable improvement and the removal of barriers to success. This means that I support all of my clients in the process of identifying barriers as well as plan creation and execution. Because my focus is about measurable improvement, I pride myself on giving clients actionable insights from the very first session. This approach is very dynamic and fast paced, which is not for everyone. It requires a readiness to do the work and is not a replacement for therapy.
The difference between coaching and therapy is that, in therapy, core trauma that creates behaviors can be unpacked and addressed whereas, in coaching, we do not look into the past or work on healing trauma. Therapy also helps people overcome suicidal thoughts. Coaching is not the place for such complex issues. Coaching is right for fixing immediate behaviors for immediate improvement. In coaching, we can work on complex issues that are here in the present and not connected to core trauma to create positive outcomes. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or depression, please seek out a therapist to help you resolve these issues before starting the coaching process. If you need help identifying the barriers that are preventing you from enjoying the success you deserve or need help crafting and executing a road map to your success, then coaching is for you.