Navigating Your Path with a Qualified Online Life Coach
We often overlook our personal and professional growth in today's fast-paced world. Imagine having a dedicated partner to guide you through life's complexities. This may involve helping you feel unstuck, offering career coaching, accelerating professional development, or steering you towards financial freedom.
A life coach can be that guiding light.
What Does a Life Coach Do?
Life coaches, particularly those with a strong background in professional psychology, offer more than just advice. They are trained to facilitate your journey through life's challenges. However, the life coaching industry lacks strict regulation. This is leading many individuals to offer coaching services without adequate training.
Therefore, when choosing a life coach, look for someone with extensive training and experience. Trained counselors and psychologists often work in this field. Look for this type of background.
The Proven Benefits of Hiring a Life Coach
Investing in a qualified life coach can be life-changing. Coaches can provide stress management tools, career advancement advice, and financial freedom strategies. These professionals guide you from feeling stuck to taking positive action.
This investment in the coaching process can be priceless.
Research supports the benefits of life coaching in your professional and personal life. One study found that individuals who engaged in life coaching significantly improved their well-being and goal attainment (1). Another study found that life coaching effectively reduced procrastination and stress in the lives of its participants (2).
Look for coaches who provide well-validated scientifically-supported interventions, such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness. Be very cautious about coaches who can’t tell you about their approach in easy-to-understand language.
The Cost of Hiring a Life Coach
The cost of a life coach varies based on factors like experience, session length and frequency, and focus areas. Many coaches offer a free discovery call or an introductory session, giving you a glimpse into their style and approach.
Coaches should emphasise maximising your return on investment by fostering independence in skill development. You should not be reliant on intensive support for long periods. Top-up or 'booster' sessions are entirely appropriate when the focus remains on self-reliance.
Can You Get a Life Coach on the NHS?
The NHS primarily provides healthcare services, including various psychological services. These range from CBT to counselling, psychotherapy, and other mental health services. All these approaches can play a significant role in managing mental health conditions.
However, life coaching is not typically a service offered by the NHS. Life coaching also tends to focus on 'non-clinical' issues.
The NHS provides invaluable resources. However, accessing these services can often involve lengthy waiting times due to high demand. In some cases, this could potentially delay the initiation of your sessions.
The private practice sector offers an alternative to this. By seeking a life coach privately, you can start your growth journey at your own pace and time.
The Convenience of Online Life Coaching
Working with a coach online is an increasingly popular choice in our digital age. They fit seamlessly into busy schedules, providing the same support as traditional face-to-face sessions but from anywhere.
Online life coaching services have exploded since Covid. The wide availability of practitioners provides convenient access to coaching services globally.
What to Expect from Qualified Life Coaching Sessions
Engaging with a life coaching service led by a trained professional embarks on a journey of self-discovery and growth. Most coaches offer a free consultation, which lets you understand their approach and verify their qualifications. In these sessions, you'll work together to define your goals, identify obstacles, and devise strategies to overcome them.
Book a 'Life Coach Near Me'
Life challenges can become great learning and development opportunities with the right person by your side. If you're considering hiring a life coach, prioritise those with a background in professional psychology training.
Also, take advantage of discovery calls and meet-and-greet sessions to check the fit between you both. A coach should be clear in their methods and techniques. You should always have a clear sense of where sessions are going. A coach should also seek your feedback on a regular basis.
We are Coaching & Clinical Psychologists with extensive experience helping people conquer depression and other wellbeing issues. Read more about our work, watch practical skills videos or browse other articles. Get in touch anytime.
References
Theeboom, T., Beersma, B., & van Vianen, A. E. M. (2013). Does coaching work? A meta-analysis on the effects of coaching on individual level outcomes in an organizational context. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(1), 1-18.
Sirois, F. M., Molnar, D. S., & Hirsch, J. K. (2017). A meta‐analysis and conceptual framework of the associations between procrastination and stress. Australian Journal of Psychology, 69(3), 160-170.