What is Life Coaching?

A question that often comes my way is, “What is life coaching exactly?” or “How is it different from therapy?” These are both great questions. 

When we hear the word "coach," we generally think of a person blowing a whistle in our face or, worse yet, yelling at us from some random sideline. Luckily, that couldn’t be further from the truth of life coaching in this context. 

When I think of life coaching, I envision the relationship between the external elements of nature- such as sun, water, and soil- and how they interact with a seed that eventually germinates and becomes a plant. This plant buds, and then, the bud blossoms into a flower, revealing its full beauty. It is a slow and deliberate process; you don’t see the flower transforming all at once, but rather through incremental changes that gradually build to create the whole and fully bloomed flower. 

Life coaching, to me, is about being fully present for the client and supporting their blooming process, standing steadfast with them as they navigate their transformation. The seed always held the power to flower but needed the elements of the environment to grow into its full potential. 

As life coaches, we create the environment, space, and encouragement for clients to tap into the potential they have within to emerge fully. Unlike therapy, we focus on dreams and possibilities for the future. With thought-provoking questions, we explore your beliefs and partner together in discovering their value in reaching your desired future. 

Life coaching is, in many ways, a journey of courage because it will push you to grow; however, it is also a journey full of adventure. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” That’s where you will find me- on a grand adventure. I hope to see you there. Let's connect. 

- Alina