Life Coaching became popular in the 90s and continues to grow today.
What is a Life Coach and how is coaching different than therapy? How do you
determine when a coach is needed? Where do you find a coach?  How do you
determine if she is the right person for you? This article will address
these questions and hopefully you will have a good idea about how Life
Coaches provide assistance and motivation to people when they want to make
positive changes in their lives.

Whether coaching Little League, a business strategy or a life plan, a coach
is a trainer, organizer, encourager, time-manager and coordinator.  A Life
Coach is NOT a therapist, and though a coach may have a background in
psychology or degree in therapy, coaching is a skills-focused experience.  A
coach assists people in directing their attention on current and future
goals. Unlike therapy, where exploring past issues is important, a coach
helps people identify and remove roadblocks in order to meet specific goals.

A coach helps a client assess a current situation in order to create a
step-by-step plan of action with a specific outcome in mind, such as a
change in a career, expanding a business or making time for a relationship.
When someone wants to make changes, but is stuck and not sure of the
direction she wants to take, coaching is needed.  Many people are able to
coach themselves through these times. However, when they are unable to do
so, a Life Coach can be instrumental in assisting someone to create a plan
of action in order to achieve small to major life goals.

I was taught that a good coach uses one method to teach and a
great coach uses many methods to teach. There are many coaches to choose
from, so when interviewing your potential coach keep this philosophy in mind.
A good coach will make this interview about you and what it is your are
looking to change. Trust your gut, it's usually right. Sometimes you will need a session
or two to decide if this is the coach for you. This is your life , so don't be shy if you need
to go to a few different coaches to get the right fit. At this time, California does not require licensing
for coaching, so people come to this profession with different backgrounds. Look for a
coach based on her education, background and life experience that you feel match
with you and not necessarily if she has a diploma from a life coaching facility.

Keeping yourself mentally fit is as important as keeping yourself physically
fit, so I encourage you to make that first step in changing your life by finding that coach
who will inspire you to reach and achieve your dreams.