Therapy isn’t just for people struggling with their mental health. Although rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are on the rise, they aren’t the only reason someone may need or want therapy.
Therapy is a tool, and like any tool, its usefulness depends on what you do with it.
Imagine an athlete. They strive to reach their full potential, but an injury can quickly stop them from progressing towards their goals. They must go to a doctor before continuing to train. If they are healthy, however, they have no need of a doctor. Instead, they go to a coach. A coach helps an athlete achieve their true potential, even though they are perfectly healthy.
Therapy can act as both a doctor and a coach. When your mind is “injured” with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or grief, a therapist can help you heal. A life coach, on the other hand, is a coach that can help you realize your true potential.
This is similar to someone who has depression, anxiety, PTSD, or is struggling with grief. These are external things that impact their quality of life, happiness, and life trajectory.
What Is Life Coaching?
Life coaching is a collaborative and transformative process that empowers individuals to identify and achieve their personal and professional goals. It’s about working with a skilled and empathetic professional, known as a life coach, who guides and supports you on your journey of personal growth and self-discovery.
Unlike therapy, which focuses on healing past traumas and treating mental health conditions, life coaching is forward-looking and goal-oriented. It helps you gain clarity, set meaningful goals, and develop actionable strategies to achieve them. It’s all about unlocking your potential, breaking down barriers, and creating a roadmap to success.
What does a life coach do?
Well, think of a life coach as your mentor, confidant, and personal cheerleader all rolled into one. They provide a safe and non-judgmental space for reflection, deeply listen to your concerns, and ask thought-provoking questions to help you gain valuable insights into yourself.
With their guidance, you will gain a deeper understanding of who you are, your values, passions, and purpose. Life coaching encourages you to align your personal and professional life with what truly matters to you, leading to a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness.
One of the key benefits of life coaching is the support it provides in setting goals and creating action plans. Many of us have dreams and aspirations, but sometimes we struggle to turn them into tangible realities. A life coach assists you in setting SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—and helps you break them down into actionable steps. Through accountability and motivation, they support you in staying focused and on track, even when faced with obstacles or self-doubt.
Life coaching is not a substitute for therapy, but it can contribute to your overall mental well-being. By nurturing a positive mindset, managing stress, and developing healthy habits, life coaching can lead to increased resilience and a more balanced approach to life’s challenges.
What Can Life Coaching Help You With?
Life coaching can be a transformative and empowering journey that can help you in numerous areas of your life. Here are some of the things life coaching can assist you with:
Setting and Achieving Goals
Life coaching can help you clarify your goals, create actionable plans, and stay on track to achieve them. Whether it’s career advancement, personal development, or lifestyle changes, a life coach can provide the guidance and support you need.
Finding Clarity and Purpose
Feeling lost or uncertain about your path? Life coaching can help you gain a deeper understanding of your values, passions, and purpose, guiding you toward a more fulfilling life aligned with what truly matters to you.
Improving Work-Life Balance
Struggling to juggle the demands of work and personal life? A life coach can help you establish boundaries, manage stress, and cultivate a healthier balance between your professional and personal commitments.
Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem
If you battle with self-doubt or lack confidence, life coaching can provide you with strategies to overcome limiting beliefs, build self-esteem, and unleash your full potential.
Enhancing Relationships
Whether it’s with family, friends, or colleagues, a life coach can support you in improving communication, resolving conflicts, and fostering healthier and more fulfilling relationships.
Coping with Life Transitions
Major life changes such as career shifts, moving to a new city, or transitioning into a new phase of life can be challenging. Life coaching can provide the guidance and tools to navigate these transitions with resilience and clarity.
Stress Management
Life coaching can help you develop effective stress management strategies, enabling you to cope better with everyday stressors and challenges.
Time Management
Struggling to make the most of your time and stay organized? A life coach can assist you in creating practical and efficient time management techniques tailored to your unique needs.
Financial Planning and Success
Whether you’re seeking to improve your financial habits or striving for career advancement, life coaching can provide the support and strategies to help you achieve financial wellness and success.
Personal Growth and Development
As you evolve and grow, life coaching can guide you in embracing change, overcoming obstacles, and continuing on a path of personal growth and development.
Managing Energy
Studies find that managing your energy throughout the day is a more powerful way to harness productivity than time management. Learn what routines work best for you, and stick to them, with Life Coaching.
No matter the challenges you’re facing, life coaching can be a powerful tool to support you on your journey toward growth, fulfillment, and success. Your potential is boundless, and with the right support, you can unlock it and shine brighter than ever before.
Is Life coaching for you?
Life coaching isn’t therapy, and not all Life Coaches are trained or licensed to handle mental health therapy treatments. If you’re looking for help with depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issue, therapy will be a better fit for you. The focus will still be on your growth and striving towards your potential, but it will also be a space to heal and recover. An athlete cannot train on a broken bone, and in the same way, the greater “hurts” of mental illness must be addressed first.
Life coaching could be the perfect fit for you if:
- You’re feeling stuck or unsure about your life path and you want support in discovering your true potential.
- You struggle to set and achieve goals, or you have things you want to accomplish but aren’t sure how to get there.
- You want to improve your work-life balance, reduce stress, or explore how to live a more fulfilling life.
- You’re seeking support through a major life transition, such as a job change, moving to a new city, or becoming a parent.
- You want to boost your self-confidence, improve relationships, or become a better version of yourself.
- You’re dedicated to personal growth and development and want to maintain focus and momentum.
Remember, life coaching is a collaborative and empowering process that can help guide you on your journey of personal growth and self-discovery.
Best Online Life Coaches to Help You Live Your Best Life
Here is a list of online companies that offer life coaching:
Lifebulb
- Provides Online Life Coaching: Yes
- Accepts Insurance: Yes
- Choose your own life coach: Yes
- In all 50 states: No, mostly located along the east coast and southern states.
Thriveworks
- Provides Online Life Coaching: Sometimes, depends on location
- Accepts Insurance: Yes
- Choose your own life coach: Yes, but limited based on location
- In all 50 states: Yes
Sondermind
- Provides Online Life Coaching: Sometimes, depends on location
- Accepts insurance: Sometimes, it depends on the therapist.
- Choose your own life coach: Yes
- In all 50 states: No
Life coaching is a powerful pathway to personal growth, empowerment, and fulfillment. It offers individuals the guidance, support, and tools necessary to navigate life’s challenges, set meaningful goals, and unlock their full potential. Whether you’re seeking clarity in your career, aiming to improve relationships, or simply striving for a more balanced and purpose-driven life, life coaching can provide the structure and encouragement needed to make positive changes.
At its core, life coaching is a collaborative and empowering process that aims to help individuals live their brightest lives. By working alongside a skilled and compassionate coach, individuals can gain valuable insights, develop action plans, and build the confidence needed to overcome obstacles and achieve their aspirations. Through personalized strategies and ongoing support, life coaching equips individuals with the skills to navigate transitions, conquer self-doubt, and thrive in all aspects of life.
