Work With Me

A coaching relationship is a collaborative relationship where a person seeks guidance around a desired topic or issue.  The coach helps the individual by conjointly setting goals, identifying problems and roadblocks, and strategizing ways to overcome them and succeed.  Sessions might center around developing sense of self and identity, education and resource-finding, clarifying passions, and empowerment to take steps toward a desired outcome.  A coach is an active listener and compassionate motivator.

Persons seeking coaching are generally brave individuals (even when they don’t feel like it!), as it takes inner strength to recognize a problem or shortcoming and acknowledge it enough to seek help and guidance.  Generally, people who seek coaching are not doing it in lieu of seeking therapy or other mental health care; they are stable with no residual major psychological symptoms and desire to create a roadmap to their best life.  Folks who seek coaching have an idea of their dreams and goals and desire to collaborate to really focus in on their best life possible.

Generally, the client and coach agree on a mutual time to meet, and may meet for a period of an hour or two at a time.  Meetings may recur on a regular schedule, such as weekly or biweekly, or clients may prefer a more spaced-out schedule, to accomplish more between check-ins.  Sessions are generally directed by needs that the client brings to the meeting, and fine-tuned by the guiding coach.  The coach holds the client accountable to their goals, and is directive in setting next steps and markers for success.

No.  Coaching is not meant to address mental health issues, symptoms, or diagnoses in the way that traditional psychotherapy would.  Coaches generally do not work with topics that therapists would, including addictions, trauma, abuse, suicide, and mental illness, among other thing.  If such topics arise, generally a coach will provide a referral for a client to seek further care for these concerns.  Coaches do not provide medical advice, or financial or legal advice.  Coaches refer to the experts in each field for these topics.

Counseling seeks to address psychological issues and problems with functioning in key aspects of life.  Psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists may work with insurance, and may treat or diagnose mental illness or related symptoms.  

Coaches meet with clients who are stable and do not report major residual psychological symptoms.  Coaches do not provide medical advice or treatment and do not diagnose.  They work to collaboratively set goals with clients who desire to meet their true potential.  

A client may choose to bring any sort of goal or topic to the coach that is within their scope of expertise or practice.  If the coach can provide guidance, they will do so.  If a coach hits a wall of expertise, or needs to refer out, they will do so.

My areas of expertise in guidance, education, and coaching include navigating identity and purpose, goal setting and completion, seeking a higher state of self, creating healthy relationships, addressing and  managing sexuality concerns and topics, as well as clarifying gender identity and expression.

This is an open-ended question that varies from person to person and case to case.  Some clients may opt for a singular session to clarify in on one particular goal.  Others may desire an unbiased party to accompany them as they work toward a stepwise series of goals and achievements in their life.  Still others might desire more time to explore their identity, passions, and history, while walking a path at their own pace to create a life that feels good to them.  Whatever the case, it is generally up to the client to have the self-knowledge about when to initiate and when to step back from a coaching relationship.