Integrative Wellness Life Coaching can be very valuable in moving forward in life when you are feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Coaching is not a licensed or regulated profession in most states, so anyone can call themselves a coach. It’s important to interview a prospective coach before paying any money.
Here are questions to ask when interviewing a prospective life coach – Print version (PDF):
Do you offer a free consultation?
The best way to know if a life coach is a good fit for you is to have a trial session. A well-trained and experienced coach should be able to give you a free demo of actual coaching in a ten minute session.
What is your training and experience?
Because coaching is not licensed or regulated, there are some coaches who have had no training as a life coach. Others have taken a workshop or read a book. The International Coach Federation (ICF; https://www.coachfederation.org/) is a world-renowned coaching organization. Their website lists approved coaching programs which meet their criteria for accreditation, as well as their code of ethics.
Are you accredited with any organization?
While accreditation is not necessary to prove competence, and many coaches are not accredited, it is important to ask this question. A competent coach will be able to answer yes or no and to explain the choice to seek or not seek accreditation.
What is your approach to coaching?
A competent coach is someone who does not tell you what to do, but rather helps you decide on a path which leads you to your goals and uses coaching tools to assist you in moving forward on that path. A competent coach also is open to reassessing and changing direction when appropriate. A competent coach never imposes personal or political views on the client, and never uses shaming or blaming tactics in coaching.
What types of coaching do you specialize in? How did you come to specialize in these areas?
Effective coaching follows an approach which facilitates exploration, goal-setting, empowerment, and accountability. Using this approach, a coach can assist you without being an expert in the area you’re struggling with. However, it can be helpful to have a coach who has some subject matter expertise in that area.
