Some coaches help with a specific, external goal, such as building a business, creating a fitness plan, or finding a compatible romantic partner. While working with me often does eventually result in those kinds of positive external outcomes, my life coaching emphasis is on helping people start from their “inner lives”.
Inner-life goals include:
- Equanimity — A durable foundation of inner-peace and presence for open-heartedness and resilience to life’s challenges
- Self-awareness — Insight into who you are and what you want
- Self-acceptance — A more positive and kind relationship toward yourself
- Authenticity — The confidence and solidity to know and to skillfully express who you truly are and what you genuinely care about
- Connection — Improving your relationships and connectedness to others
- Wisdom — A clear and accurate view of reality and intentional, skillful decision-making
- Discipline — Greater ability to consistently focus on your highest path leading to your greatest potential
- Inspiration — The “flow” state of presence in which you feel full of life and engaged in what you’re creating and learning
- Purpose — Finding and deepening your sense of meaning and contribution to the world; identifying and accessing your unique gifts and capacities
- Transcendence — Spiritual connection to something larger than yourself; a lighter, higher perspective and foundation for living joyfully in the material world
How I work
I approach coaching the way I approach therapy, with open-minded curiosity and expertise, with honest discernment rather than judgment, and with a belief that you can continue to grow and successfully move toward your goals with the power of your conscious intention.
My coaching is shaped by 18 years of working with people through some of the most significant challenges of their lives. I bring the same philosophical depth, genuine curiosity, and whole-person perspective to coaching that I bring to therapy.
My job is to help you focus your attention and consciousness on what’s most important. That means deeply listening to who you are and what you value and what is challenging you. It also sometimes means guiding you toward ideas and feelings and behaviors that you might not have considered yet. It always means doing my best to invest my own attention into assisting you during the time that we spend together, and taking your pain and your aspirations seriously.
How coaching relates to therapy
Coaching and therapy overlap far more than the public has been led to believe. I think that is increasingly true with the passing of each year, as serious and dedicated practitioners from both fields continue to learn new and old methods of helping people that yield results for their clients. Coaching and therapy both typically involve deep listening, reflective inquiry, reframing, and supporting meaningful change, and the differences have more to do with a particular helper’s experience, expertise, offering, and approach than with their title or credentials (a claim which can ruffle some highly credentialed feathers, but that I believe is nevertheless true).
The differences that are real are legal and financial rather than methodological: a coach doesn’t diagnose or treat mental health disorders, can’t bill insurance, isn’t providing a medical service, and is subject to fewer regulations, which is sometimes in the client’s favor (e.g., a coach can keep working with you when you travel or move out of state; a therapist legally cannot). Clients who have severe and debilitating trauma or who have a diagnosed condition (such as Bipolar, ADHD, OCD, etc.) that they want directly treated or who simply want the medical and diagnostic framework and language itself, should see a licensed therapist who is officially designated and trained to treat those conditions. Because anyone can call themselves a coach regardless of training, it’s important for the consumer to do their own careful vetting if they want to begin a coaching relationship with someone.
Qualifications
- MS in Psychology (With Distinction) from California State University, Chico
- BA in Cybernetics (Cum Laude) from UCLA
- 18 years of experience working one-on-one with individuals to improve their experience of life
- Core 100 Life Coach Certification, Robbins-Madanes Training (Tony Robbins, Cloe Madanes)
Fit
I enjoy working with individuals who are motivated to make some positive change in their inner-lives, who are curious about themselves, and who are open-minded to constructive feedback. If you’d like more insight into the kind of person I work well with, see this page on my values and goals, which apply to both therapy and coaching.
Fee
My coaching fee is $125 per 50-minute session.
Getting started
I offer a free, 15-30 minute consultation to discuss your goals and whether or not I am likely to be the right coach for you. Use this form to contact me and I will reach out with appointment options.
ICF (International Coaching Federation) defines coaching as:
“Partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership.“
https://coachingfederation.org/about
