Frequently Asked Questions

What is life coaching?

For me, life coaching is the process of gaining insight into how one is constructing one’s life and noticing where one has the ability to make different choices.

Many of our choices are not fully conscious. Many choices are made by parts of ourselves that are very young or very fearful or very angry or out of alignment with our values in some way. In short, they are not made by ‘us.’ They are not made by our inner wisdom.

As I practice it, coaching is an opportunity to sit in a quiet space and allow the different internal voices to have their say. Then, sitting in that quiet space, the client is free to discern the voice that speaks their truth.

Okay, so what does that look like?

There is a blueprint within you for optimal operation of each part of your life.  Absolutely no one holds those plans but you.  The thing is, most of us have a lot of outdated or unhelpful beliefs and thinking patterns that we need to sort through so we can spot our blueprint.  My role is to help you point out your thoughts, assumptions and habits and ask you, “Is that a keeper?”  Once you have cleared out some clunky beliefs you are free to spot the blueprint sitting among dust bunnies. From there our work focuses on putting those plans into action, refining your efforts and trying again until that part of your life is in integrity.

So, what’s the structure?

Sessions are usually one hour.  We meet over zoom.  Typically once a week or once a month.  The tools I use are experiential.  They are not mental constructs. We come through our beliefs through experiences.  We change our beliefs through experiences. 

What kind of coach are you? Executive, career, relationship…?

I am an integrity coach. I am referring to the latin integritatem meaning soundness, wholeness and completeness*.

When we make decisions about our work, our purchases, our commitments, our mentoring and parenting we want to feel our decisions are ‘sound.’

We want to feel ‘whole’ throughout our day, everyday, no matter who we are with or where we go.

And ‘completeness’? Many cultures tell us we will be complete when we join our life with another person. But another person can not make us complete. That is an inside job.

Individuals work with me when they feel a part of their life feels off, disjointed, harder than it needs to be.

How do I know if I need coaching or therapy?

The short answer is that if a wound in your life impacts your daily functioning then it needs to heal with therapy and sometimes  medication.  None of us are in ‘ship shape Bristol fashion.’  We all have wounds and hurts of various intensities.  Coaching has the potential to integrate these parts of us.  But when the wound is destabilizing us it needs the specialization of therapy. 

What if I start coaching and realize I need to work with a therapist on something that comes up?

Well look at you growing!  It’s working already.  

You may pause the coaching while you begin therapy, you may stop coaching, or you may proceed with both at a pace that makes sense.  Actually coaching can be a big help in making that decision because your inner wisdom knows what you need.

Okay.. qualifications?  

I have a MA in Counseling Psychology, 14 years experience working with children and families and I am a Certified Wayfinder Life Coach. 

But are you any good?  

Not as good as I will be in a few months, and in a year, and in ten.  But yeah, I am.  This is my thing.  Witnessing someone walk out of pain does it for me.  Nothing is better.  

*Thank you to https://www.etymonline.com/