Frequently Asked Questions
How is coaching different from therapy?
The simplest explanation is that therapy tends to be past-focused and coaching is future-focused. For specific trauma or if you’re not functional in your work or home life, you should see a therapist. If you want to get un-stuck, you can use some of the great insights from therapy to understand some of your issues, but coaching can quickly put you in the driver’s seat and help you get to your destination.
Will I need to prepare for each session?
You do not need to prepare for the coaching sessions. I strongly encourage my clients to practice the thoughts that we develop together during each session, but I will help you find ways to incorporate that practicing into your days so that it’s not extra work.
Once clients get a taste of the growth that’s possible, they often request assignments between sessions and I’m happy to provide these.
What can I expect?
(I.e. is this a painful process?)
Together we will take a good look at some of your most familiar beliefs. This process is sometimes uncomfortable but more often it’s both satisfying and exciting. It is always your choice what you want to do with your insight.
There’s often a lot of laughter in the sessions as we discover the shenanigans your brain has been up to while you weren’t looking, and you’ll likely look forward to our sessions as one of the highlights of your week.
What do we do in coaching sessions?
When you come to me with an issue that you would like to resolve, we begin with by identifying the thoughts and behaviors that are keeping you stuck. I help you clearly see where you have ceded control over your own feelings and behavior. Even though part of you wants to grow and change, your brain will tend to warn you away from new ways of thinking since it likes to stay with what’s familiar. Together we will sort through your thoughts: which ones are serving you? which ones feel comfortable but are actually keeping you in a rut?
Next we take a good look at where you want to go: what exactly is your goal, and why do you want it? What are your worries about getting there? If you’re not yet where you want to be in a particular area, you have some thoughts that are working against you. These thoughts will sabotage you unless you bring them out into the open and decide consciously whether you want to continue believing them.
And finally, we make a plan to get to your goal. We’ll make a personalized strategy that works for you, and the coaching that happens on the way to the goal will offer insight that opens up your life and potential in beautiful and unexpected ways.