How is coaching different from counseling?
Licensed Mental Health Counselors are trained to assess, diagnose and treat mental health issues.
A Certified Professional Coach does not assess, diagnose or treat mental health issues. It is imperative that any coach you select be knowledgeable and ethically competent in mental health matters.
Licensed Mental Health Counselors, and the organizations in which they work, are required by legal statutes and insurance restrictions, to treat individuals within established boundaries in which they are licensed and contracted.
Certified Professional Coaches are not regulated by legal statute, other than business licensing, and are not covered by any current insurance plans.
Counseling as a profession is relatively new, in fact, as recently as 2009, California did not require licensure. In any profession, licensed or not, there will be unscrupulous players. Regulations are intended to protect the consumer and offer recourse when wronged. This is why your coach’s training background is important.
The business of supporting others in the transformation of any area of their life is important work. My education, training and experience has evolved into the decision to assist others in the form of coaching. I am a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor in the State of Texas, have completed a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology, and obtained the credential of Certified Professional Coach. Each of my credentials comes with a commitment to maintaining a high degree of professionalism, ethical standards and confidentiality.
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Why hire a Certified Professional Coach?
All adults struggle to change fundamental behaviors and styles that have worked for them and have become comfortable. Even the most self-aware individuals still suffer from a “blind self”, that part of self that others see and perceive but we do not. Coaching provides a non-judgmental, structured approach to facing these blind spots and learning comprehensive ways of modifying the thinking behind them.
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Seeking counsel has existed since the dawn of civilization. (See: Proverbs 11:14, 12:15, 13:10, 19:20, 24:6, 28:26...) Humans have always sought direction to help deal with everyday problems, decision making, crises or the general demands of life. A Certified Professional Coach can help you quickly bust through snags and inevitable roadblocks in life so that more is accomplished with less struggle and less effort in a remarkable short period of time.
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If you’ve been flying solo, try seeing how much more you can accomplish with your own personal coach!
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What makes a good coaching relationship?
Willingness and good chemistry are by far the most frequently cited ingredients of a successful coaching relationship.
When making the decision to hire a coach it is helpful to ask yourself some questions to ensure that you are ready.
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Are you ready to take an honest inventory of your current behaviors and thinking patterns?
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Are you open to new ways of thinking?
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Are you committed to exercising the discipline necessary to stick to your coaching goals?
My coaching style is supportive and understanding that change is personal, takes time and practice, and at times may cause anxiety. We will gently but firmly explore resistance to change and challenge the resistance to understand its purpose and determine its merit. There will be assignments in between sessions which will add value to each session promoting advancement toward your own personal goals.
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Are you ready? Let's explore our chemistry in a FREE Affinity Session!