FAQs

What is coaching?

First and foremost, the coaching relationship is client-centered and client-driven. Nothing matters during our time together other than your priorities for your life. Coaching is an exciting, insightful, collaborative process. It combines the best wisdom and theory from psychology, business, sports, philosophy, spirituality, and education. The bottom line is that coaching can elevate your success in any area of life including relationships, personal pursuits, and careers. It’s a strategic road map to realizing whatever it is that you value, whether you seek a total “life makeover”, a new beginning, or simply to fine-tune an already thriving existence! I like to think of it as inviting people to trade in the lives they’ve “fallen into” for lives they’ll fall in love with.

What credentials and expertise does a coach have?

Credentials can vary widely from one coach to the next. However, it’s always a good idea to seek out a Professional Certified Coach who has studied like I have with a program that is accredited by the coaching industry’s primary governing body, the International Coaching Federation. Coaches who have been certified by one of ICF’s accredited academies will have completed rigorous training and have a valuable skill set to bring to the coaching experience.

Another item to consider is prior education and field experience. The more “real world” experience a coach has, the more skilled and credible he/she may be in partnering with you to co-create what you aspire toward.

Most importantly, however, are the intangible qualities of warmth, passion, and the ability to believe in you and your ability to achieve. No credential can substitute for great chemistry in a coaching relationship, and genuine, authentic concern for my clients is always at the forefront!

Why does life coaching work?

While there are several variables that contribute to the remarkable success that life coaching brings and the notoriety that the industry as a whole is gaining, the real reason it works is you. Life coaching clients are determined to create positive change in their lives, and are committed to the process of tapping their own wisdom and self-actualizing. The coaching process facilitates this by providing a safe space for discovery, a trained listener, and strategic tools for questioning and challenging the client. Most importantly, coaching focuses on solutions and desired results rather than focusing on existing challenges or hurdles. There is power in focusing on the pursuit of what you do want, rather than focusing on the avoidance or correction of what you don’t. Have you ever considered the difference between the two approaches? How many people do you know that are living in the midst of countless dreams and aspirations, but never seem to execute on any of them? There is a real science to goal setting and achievement, and life coaching uses that science to bridge that gap between “what could be” and “what is”.

Who is the typical client?

The typical life coaching client is smart and savvy, and wants to make a good life even better. Making this powerful change in an effective and lasting manner often requires the expertise, resources, and inspiration that can be provided through a professional coaching relationship. Clients often want to break through limitations, thrive through a life transition, or make the brave leap toward the life they’ve previously only dreamed of. Clients contact me to achieve clarity on their life’s direction, to personally develop, to make a relationship more fulfilling, or to achieve professional goals.

How soon can I experience results?

Because coaching is 100% client driven, the short answer is that results totally depend on you. Input throughout the coaching experience equals output. That said, the Thrive Consulting coaching model is designed to quickly and powerfully start you on your way to generating the results you’re dreaming of. It’s quite possible that you may start experiencing meaningful change after just one session, depending upon our agreed course of action and your unique objectives. Or, depending on your path, it may take more time to integrate our strategies into your life and see your goals materialize. My commitment through it all is to offer relentless support, motivation, guidance and challenges as you strategically pursue all you’re dreaming of!

How is coaching different from counseling or therapy?

Counselors and therapists provide a valuable, indispensable service. They most often work with clients who are struggling to overcome an issue that is causing some sort of difficulty in their lives so that they can be freed from those barriers and find wholeness and healing. They also are licensed to work with diagnosed mental health disorders. A life coach, conversely, does not treat mental disorders or illnesses. Coaches work with individuals who are healthy, but are seeking greater awareness, success, and prosperity in any area of their lives. A life coach assists individuals in tapping their own power to manifest all they strive toward.

How do I know if coaching is right for me?

This is an important question to ask oneself, as the entire coaching experience is client-driven! It requires personal commitment and financial investment. Because the Thrive Consulting coaching model is very action and change oriented, the ideal coaching client is committed to and invested in themselves, and in the idea of making change happen. He/She is open to suggestion, receptive to feedback, and trusts in his/her own wisdom. For a NO-RISK, NO-OBLIGATION way of discovering whether coaching with Thrive Consulting is a fit for you, take advantage of my FREE 30-minute discovery session. All you have to lose is the dreams of “what if”, as you replace them with the joy of “what is”!

How long will I need to work with a coach?

The duration of the coaching process varies from client to client. Because of my commitment to the success of each client, all individual coaching partnerships (with the exception of corporate clients) begin with an initial 3-month commitment. Coaching can continue beyond the initial 3-month agreement for as long as needed or desired, but the choice is always yours! There’s no obligation. Many clients work with coaches for 6 months, 12 months, or even 2 years. It’s all determined by your objectives for your ideal life.