How to Locate a Life Coach

When you have an important goal that you have difficulty attaining, be it career, health or personal, a life coach can help. Unlike traditional therapy which focuses on the influences of your past that are hindering your progress, life coaching is focused on the now. It typically requires the completion of assignments or reaching certain markers along the path to your goal to measure progress. When the goal is attained, coaching can end. To find a coach, you have to evaluate your needs and then interview several candidates.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with internet connection

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Instructions

• 1

  Evaluate the type of goal with which you are having difficulty. Some life coaches specialize in one area, such as career advancement or stress management, so the goal you seek to attain will guide your choice.

• 2

  Search the Internet for various coach certification bodies, such as the International Coach Federation (www.coachfederation.org). Choosing a certified coach guarantees that you are using a trained coach with the basic knowledge and skills to help you with your goals.

• 3

  Use the "search" feature on the certification websites. You don't have to attend coaching sessions in person, as coaching can be performed over the phone or through the Internet. If you have a very specialized topic in which you need help, you can search for a coach with training and expertise in that field regardless of location. Some sites also allow the coach to add a short description of themselves and their practice, so you can get a feel for the coach's communication style.

• 4

  Create a short list of prospective coaches, based on your search. Contact each one in turn and ask for a sample session. Most coaches will give you a free session (either in person or over the phone) to evaluate if the personal chemistry needed for a coaching relationship is present.

• 5

  Choose one coach that seems like a good fit. At your sample session, ask for references. Check with those references to verify the impressions you have of the coach and to make sure their other clients have received satisfactory service.