Elite athletes know that one of the keys to success is surrounding themselves with a top- notch support team- coaches, physiotherapists, nutritionists and training partners, to name just a few.

For people wishing to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to protecting their health, many have adopted the same approach by using the services provided by various health practitioners. Some of these professionals focus mostly on the physical or a combination of physical and mental: chiropractors, massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, body therapists, and naturopaths for example. Others, such as therapists, mentors, psychologists and hypnotherapists, focus more exclusively on the mental/emotional side of things. Where does a Life Coach fit in? Life coaching is relatively new to the arena of health and wellness support, and you may be confused about what exactly a life coach does. Depending on your personal goals, however, hiring a coach may turn out to be the most powerful decision you could make.

What is life coaching?

A life coach differs from various other health professionals in distinct ways. A coach is not a mentor or a counsellor. There is no flow of information or expertise from one person, who is more trained or knowledgeable, to another. Instead the coach believes that you are the expert in your own life and their role is to help you process information, set and prioritise goals, and hold you accountable to your plan of action and provide support. Furthermore, a coach differs significantly from a therapist or psychologist in that they do not focus on the past. A coach looks at what is and helps you create what will be, but does not dwell on what was other than to acknowledge the impact past decisions, habits and circumstances may have had on your present situation. Indeed there are times that a careful and deep analysis of the past is necessary and helpful, but this is not the role of a coach.

Do you need a life coach?

A life coach may be helpful if:

• you are feeling stuck or stalled in your life, uncertain of where to go or how to get there
• you have a great idea (or many great ideas) but you just can’t seem to follow through
• you have a specific plan, but you cannot seem to stick with it
• you have a big dream that seems impossible

If any (or all) of the above sound familiar and you make the decision to hire a life coach, two important things to consider are what their coaching niche is (if they have identified one) and whether or not the coach is certified. ‘Life coaching’ is a broad term used to describe a myriad of different specialities. While some coaches work under this large umbrella, others choose to work with a much more specific population of client. The most common kinds of coaching are: relationship, health and wellness, executive, business, spirituality, parenting, transition, financial, weight loss, grief and career coaching. What kind of coach you choose is largely up to you and determined by the issues you wish to address. If you have a specific goal already, it may be beneficial to seek a coach who focuses on that particular area because often coaches choose their niches based on personal experiences and their key strengths. If you are, for example, a stay at home mum who wants to write a novel and lose a couple of kilograms, there is a probably a coach for you. To the contrary, if you are unsure of what exactly your issues are, working within a wider framework, at least at the beginning, may be the best use of your time and energy. A good coach is one who can flow with you as you explore your issues and use their coaching tools to deal with whatever arises. If they truly feel that they are unable to help you, they are ethically bound to inform you of this.