Do You Need a Coach?
People can find books and guides to help with whatever tasks needed to reach their goals. They can find inspiration and encouragement from many places and in many forms. If a parent wants a cooperative household there are plenty of books that share effective ways to meet that goal. If someone wants to start a business Nolo Press has all the information he or she needs. There are countless books on how to have a happy life and relationship, be healthy or how to pursue your interests. The truth is no one needs a Life or Business Coach with today’s wealth of information at our fingertips. But it sure does help!
Having a business coach when I opened the agency (included both ncatprogram.org and reachcounseling.info) would have been a big help but back then I didn’t know about coaching. I sought out information from different people and ended up with too many opinions, suggestions that weren’t quite helpful, and contradictions. So I did my research and found my own answers. In the end I didn’t need a coach but it would have saved me a lot of time, money and grief. And then I bought 10 acres of undeveloped land. I knew what I wanted to do but had no real direction or experience. I consulted with a couple of contractors who suggested I become the owner-builder of my property. Owner-builder? I’m a therapist and businesswoman not a builder! (I am now.) I started with finding someone to excavate a house pad and he (Dan the tractor man) ended up being my unofficial building coach. He educated, guided and encouraged me. He gave me information so I could make my own decisions. He worked WITH me. It was a partnership, a coach-client relationship. Having the building coach saved me time and money and it made the project more enjoyable! (Please take a look at what I did with nothing but a rocky hill.)
Coaching vs. Therapy
The coach-client relationship is very different from a therapist-client relationship. Coaching is much more involved. The focus is on developing and achieving goals vs. healing wounds. It looks at the present and future vs. exploring the past.
A coach helps you stay focused and find practical steps to reach your goals. It’s easy to put your own dreams and ideas to the side as you take care of life. And discipline is hard to find in this fast-paced, electronic, information-overloaded world.
A life or business coach helps you develop goals and organize the steps to meet those goals. He or she helps you redefine what success means to you and makes sure your efforts are for ‘you’ and not to live up to someone else’s expectations.
Services and Fees
In 35 years as a marriage, family, child therapist I worked with plenty of people who needed therapy and trauma treatment but for the most part people just needed some guidance, tools to make their own decisions and set limits, and to learn to get out of their own way … in relationships, business, career, work, as parents, and in personal identity.
You know yourself better than anyone and with help you can find your own answers. Together we’ll work on goals and developing a plan of action. I can help make sure you stay on task. Please email me your initial questions. And if you would like to set up a free 15 – 20 minute call to talk about what you’re looking for, if this is a good approach for you, and if we are a good fit to work together.
Coaching fees are $450 for the first month and include:
- Four 60 minute phone meetings.
- Unlimited emails.
- Continued help with motivation and researching information for plans and goals.
Continued coaching plans and fees are dependent on your needs and can range from $150 to $475 a month depending on the plan we develop together.
Whatever decisions you make please be true to yourself.
Be well and laugh.
Kathy