While we work in tandem with therapists, Coaches don’t practice therapy. Therapy focuses on working through past issues, and coaching helps a person take steps to move forward. Therapists may also work with clients to take steps forward in their lives, but coaches don’t have the licensures and tools to support a person working through emotional and mental challenges in their past. However, coaches support people in working through fixed beliefs, hard emotions, and stuck feelings in order to move forward.

A trauma-informed life coach is someone trained in understanding that someone’s past trauma may be informing their present decisions and may affect the choices and steps a person takes to move forward in their lives. This does not mean that coaches are trained to work through trauma with clients. It means that the coach is aware and practices trauma-sensitive language and cultural understanding, and honors a person’s lived experiences.

There is a spectrum of coaching styles and coaching niches a person can choose from. Everything from business coaching to grief coaching. As mentioned before, taking the steps to choose a coach will determine the kind of support you will get. No matter the niche or genre, a coach partners with their client to support the client in moving forward. By asking in-depth questions, reflective listening, and full body attention and awareness, coaches can be a huge support in breaking through fixed beliefs that are causing a person to repeat disruptive patterns, mental and/or emotional blocks, and figuring out what ‘forward’ looks like by formulating an aspiration to work towards. These tools have been said to have a freeing effect on clients, giving them the agency to choose for themselves and the discernment and confidence to trust in their own wisdom.

Sessions and durations vary from coach to coach. Vital Accord offers 45-minute to 1-hour sessions. This is a standard amount of time that a person can typically focus on being in the present moment and discussing their given issues or goals. Some coaches have even shorter sessions, from 15 to 30 minutes, explaining that the shorter time can force a person to make decisions much faster under the pressure of time. This may be another factor to consider when choosing your coach.

Coaches may offer packages of sessions. Why? This is a two-fold answer:

1. To give a new client time for self-discovery and to get used to focusing on themselves. This can be a new experience for many. Especially for women, it can be days, weeks, and even months before we give ourselves our full attention. Sure, we might think, ‘oh, I need to work on that,’ or ‘I think that’s causing a problem,’ but when do we offer ourselves actual TIME to fully rest into our own thoughts, feelings, and voice? The short answer is simple: the TIME to get present and break free.

2. To build a relationship. Trust, mutual respect, and attention are what great relationships are built on, and this one is no different. So often in our clinical and Western culture, we can put up walls to block emotion and focus solely on logic. And how’s that working for us? The fact is, we are connective beings. When we are in a relationship, we have this unbelievable ability to grow exponentially. Attention, validation, and belonging are like fertilizer! No wonder we developed social media, eh? We need each other, and that’s okay. It’s more than okay, it's our TRUTH! And relationships can take time to develop. Think of growing a plant from seed. In the beginning, it can seem like an eternity for the plant to pop its head out of the dirt. But once it does, and we water it, and put it in the sunshine, that seedling grows into a huge plant that bears fruit in no time at all! Working with a coach not much different.

This depends on who you ask. If you browse the internet, you’ll see a variety of answers to this question, further obstructing charity to this answer. Hiring a coach is an investment and commitment to yourself. I know it’s so cliche, but true. So, to help determine if coaching is worth it to you, here are three questions to ask yourself:

1. Does it feel like the coach is speaking to you? Does their website and marketing materials feel like you are the person they were written for? Then it could be a great fit! Often, we can get distracted by accolades, titles, and power - but none of those things guarantee a good fit for YOU in particular. Picking a coach is a commitment to a partnership and a journey together. You want to make sure you’re a good match. This is why many coaches offer a free consultation and sample session. The main purpose is to see if the coach speaks to you and what you’re looking for.

2. Is the coach available for you? Do your schedules match up? And do they offer the resources you are looking for? These are important questions to ask at your first free session. Some coaches have fixed schedules, and others have some flexibility to work with your calendar. Meeting at a time when you can dedicate your full, undivided attention is important. Also, if you want to be coached on building a career in banking, but you’re working with a marriage coach, there may be a mismatch of insights and resources the coach can offer you. This isn’t always the case. In fact, many coaches have walked many paths. But it’s worth considering if you have specific goals you are working toward.

3. What can you realistically afford? Let’s be real, finances are a factor. If you hire a coach for $10k but can only really afford $1k, you might find yourself disappointed, as the cost seriously outweighs the stress it can cause. At the same time, picking a coach solely by cost won’t increase value either. Again, hiring a coach is a commitment to a relationship. Allow the cost to be one factor among others in determining whether the coach is the right fit. If you run into sticker shock and think Holy cow! I can’t afford that!’ Still sign up for that initial free session. You’d be surprised how often coaches will work with you and your budget. Coaches, generally speaking, are generous, kind-hearted people who get into the business of supporting others for a reason. So don’t run away so fast. Have a conversation. And if you really like the coach, talk to them about your budget and see if they are willing to work with you. It’s worth a discussion.