Frequently Asked Questions

A life coach is a person who has gone through training in particular skills designed to assist people in accomplishing what they want out of life, whether that be a career, personal, or spiritual goal. Those goals could be: reducing stress,transitioning careers, losing weight, getting in to shape, growing in your spiritual maturity, overcoming a bad habit, surviving a divorce, parenting children well, living with disease (yourself or loved one), grieving a loss, improving relationships (marital or otherwise), ……. The list is endless!

Maybe, but your chances are far greater if you engage with a life coach. See the statistics below:

• If you hear an idea, your probability of completing that action is 10%. 
• If you consciously decide to adopt an idea, your probability of completing that action is 25%.
• If you decide when to act on the idea, your probability of completing that action is 40%.
• If you design a plan to act on the idea, your probability of completing that action is 50%. 
• If you make a commitment to another person to implement the plan, your probability of completing that action is 65%. 
• If you have a specific accountability appointment with another person related to implementing the plan, your probability of completing that action is 95%. 

**Source: American Society of Training and Development study   in 1998

So as you can see, engaging with someone who can help you formulate your ideas into actionable goals, help you formulate a plan to accomplish those goals, and hold you accountable through a weekly appointment will GREATLY increase your likelihood of accomplishing your goals. 

1. Counselors have gone through far more (and different types) of education/training      than life coaches.
2. Counselors are bound by state and federal laws. Life coaches are bound primarily by ethical codes established and enforced by the certification organization.      Note: Not all people who call themselves a life coach are actually certified as a life coach. I am certified by the IBCC (International Board Of Christian Care), which is affiliated with the AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors). I am also a member of the AACC. 
3. Counselors often deal with past traumas, hurts, and experiences seeking to help you      overcome the struggles that may overwhelm you and give you hope for the      future. Life coaches typically focus on the here and now and look with you      toward moving forward to where you want to be or to become who you want to be. Of course, counselors look forward as well, but, if you know that you need to unravel some things in your past, a counselor is the place to begin. 
4. Counselors rely on their formal training to accomplish results. Life coaches rely on      their training, too. But life coaches rely heavily on their life experiences. Counselors may also specialize in an area where they have struggled and found victory, but they often counsel on issues beyond their personal experiences because their training has equipped them to do so. The techniques of and structure provided by a life coach can benefit those who want to progress in areas outside their personal experience, as well. But, life coaches have a tendency to focus their practices on people with common experiences. 
5. The relationship between you and your counselor is strictly a professional relationship and great care is taken to make sure that it remains as such. Life coaching, while it is a professional relationship with ethical boundaries in place, there is somewhat of a personal relationship, as well. Because life coaches have probably experienced the same things you have struggled with (or are struggling with), they will share personal experiences with you and share how they overcame them or progressed forward to where you want to go. Counselors, although they may have experiences similar to yours, will primarily use those experiences to      guide their questions and therapies. A counselor will rarely share their personal experiences with you. There are obviously advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. It is up to you to determine which fits you best. 
6. Life coaching, because of the more personal relationships, is usually more      flexible than a counseling relationship. This flexibility could be with regard to: meeting times and locations (life coaches may come to you or meet you at a coffee      shop if you desire); methods of meeting (life coaches often connect with you by phone, Zoom, Skype, Facetime, Duo, or email); and communication between appointments. 
7. Christian counselors use a combination of their formal training/techniques and      truths/principles from the Bible. Christian life coaches rely on their training, too, but they rely more heavily on the truths/principles from the Bible than do the counselors. This is partially due to the different nature of the issues being addressed by them, NOT because there is any difference in the value or importance that either place on the Bible. Both value truths from the Bible as supremely important. 

1. When you have hope for the future and know you need someone to help you move      forward or get out of a rut.
2. When you want someone who has experienced your struggles to walk with you      through your struggles. Note: A good life coach will discern when your struggles are such that you would benefit more from a counselor; and, is ethically obligated to make the referral when that is the case. Life coaches are also ethically obligated to refer you to a different life coach if they know of one better suited to assist with your situation or if you cease to make progress. 
3. When you have completed (or nearly completed) your work with a counselor and      want to maintain the progress that you have made or take the next step to put what you’ve learned in to practice. This would be most beneficial when your counselor and life coach work together to formulate an action plan. 

1. When you are dealing with past traumas, hurts, and experiences. 
2. When you need help to overcome struggles that overwhelm you. 
3. When you need hope for the future. 
4. If you ever struggle with major depression, alcohol or chemical dependency, OCD, rape or incest, suicidal tendencies, or physical or extreme emotional abuse, you MUST see a counselor. 

No. I have found from experience that the principles from from the Bible work. Whether you buy in to them as the inspired word of God or wise teachings from the ages, they work. I promise to meet you where you are and treat you with care and dignity. God calls us to love our neighbors and I will seek to do that in all our encounters.