By Tony
Deblauwe
As a
follow-up to the huge response of the Life
Coaching post left by Tammy Tkachuk, I interviewed her
recently about the Life coaching profession. Below is the interview Q&A.
1. Why did you become a Life
Coach?
I decided to become a life coach because I wanted
to help people live their best life possible, and I enjoy the
positive nature that underlies life coaching.
2. Why has Life Coaching become so
popular?
I think that life coaching has become popular for a
variety of reasons:
a) It can be more strength based and positive over
many other forms of guidance/treatment/intervention;
b) It is can be more flexible; and
c) It has less of a stigma attached to it then psychotherapy or counseling.
3. What is the biggest myth about
Life Coaching?
I think that the biggest myth about life coaching
is that it is the same as counseling or mentoring, when in fact they are all very distinct.
A mentor
is usually someone from the same profession or industry who is able to provide
insight, advice and recommendations. Usually the focus is on a career. The
career guidance aspect means the mentoring relationship might last a long time.
A counselor
helps an individual to address an issue that is causing dysfunction such as a
traumatic event or bereavement. The discussion will be about past events with
the aim of understanding their impact on current emotions and behaviors. The counselor
will work with the client to come to terms with the current situation.
4. Who typically seeks out a Life
Coach?
The typical clients that have sought me out are
clients who are going through a life transition, and want some guidance to get
onto the right path. They are often looking for support and assistance with
their goals.
5. Do companies use Life Coaches?
Yes, companies use life coaches. They are used in
one of two ways: to provide life coaching on employees on a one-one basis, or
to offer coaching with respect to the business itself (although typically this
would be a business coach or a life coach with a business background).
6. What's the best way to verify
that a Life Coach is legitimate?
The best way is to ask questions about the coach,
and check into their credentials. You can often find out on the various
association websites.
7. What's the goal of an initial
session?
8. Are most coach-client
relationships short term or long term?
Most are short-term, however a client will often feel
that they have accomplished the goal they set out but then months later
something else will come up. Therefore, what starts out short term can turn
into a long term relationship.
9. What results do people you
coach typically report?
My clients report that they feel
they have accomplished a particular goal which makes them feel good about
themselves. They also report a sense of positivity that they never felt before,
and a sense of being able to tackle future hurdles with the tools they have
learned.
10. Where can people go for more
information about you?
The best place to get more information about
me and my services is on my website at http://transitionlifecoaching.ca
-Thank
you Tammy. Life coaching is a great option for people who need a little help with
focus and purpose in achieving goals successfully. We all hit rough patches
from time to time and having a guide to get us back on track is vital.
About Tammy
Tammy Tkachuk, is a life coach and certified counselor. She has experience in a
wide variety of settings and populations. She is passionate about helping
people achieve their fitness goals, and de-cluttering their homes. She
believes that everyone has the potential to live their best life; it just might
take some coaching to get there.
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you an expert on workplace or coaching issues and want Tony to review your
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