What is a Life Coach?
A Life Coach is a skilled and trained professional who employs various methods, techniques and resources to help an individual set and realize an explicit personal 
goal, such as weight loss, getting a new job or quitting smoking. These skilled mentors are generally successful motivators and they use this charisma to keep people on track when previous attempts to reach their goals have failed.
Are Life Coaches Psychologists?
While they share certain characteristics, life coaches are not therapists or counselors. Life coaches are usually knowledgeable in psychology, sociology and other sciences of human nature, but psychological evaluation, intervention and treatment are not within the capabilities of their expertise. Still, there are extensive training and education programs available to credible professionals seeking to substantiate their knowledge and competency.
Is “Life Coaching” a Way to Avoid Regulation?
In the past some critics have argued that life coaching is merely unregulated psychotherapy. However, these claims have been discredited since life coaching does not examine or diagnose mental illness or past trauma.
Why Hire a Life Coach?
Skills and teachings gained from a life coach can develop into permanent lessons that can change unwanted habits and behaviors, other than those related to the specific goal at hand. Therefore temporarily hiring a life coach can drastically improve numerous aspects of the client’s life.
Is a Life Coach Like a Boss?
No, the client should always be in control. A life coach is merely meant to help maintain perspective and focus, offering suggestions for approaching challenges. The outcome of each session should be based on what a client hopes to achieve for himself, not about what the coach wants him to achieve.
What if the Expectations or Goals Are Unclear?
For some individuals, a problem can be so overwhelming that the path to
an overall success is hazy. In this instance a
life coach would help the individual clarify what steps are necessary and attainable in order to progress toward the desired results.
What is the Length of a Typical Coaching Relationship?
This depends entirely upon the situation. But in general, 6-12 months would suffice. Participating in less than 6 months would significantly decrease the probability of long-term success. Yet an arrangement extending beyond 12 months would likely enable the client to familiarize himself with the techniques
of his coach, thereby diminishing his effectiveness.
Why is Life Coaching Effective?
In hiring a life coach, a person is seeking to learn from someone who has knowledge and expertise in an area that is difficult for them to master. Hiring a life coach allows an individual to learn what behavior patterns are preventing him from reaching certain goals. By consulting a life coach, the individual can obtain an unbiased point of view from someone who can utilize the negative information to formulate solutions.
