Lakeview · Chicago · Virtual
Life Coaching FAQs
Everything you need to know about how life coaching works, what it costs, and whether it’s the right fit for you.
What Is a Life Coach?
A life coach is a professional who assists clients in reaching professional and personal goals. Examples include finding that special someone, career changes, starting a business, getting into shape, or gaining greater self-confidence.
There are times when people are unclear on what they want, but they know they need to create change. Life coaching offers an opportunity to gain the insight of a professional on the best way to proceed. What’s more, life coaching provides an accountability partner as part of the transformation process.
What’s Life Coaching About?
While many people promise “instant results,” Guy Counseling & Life Coaching knows better than to guarantee quick fixes. The process of coaching employs the basic principles of positive psychology, focused on the here and now, to empower clients to create lasting, meaningful change.
Just as it takes time to sculpt a physique into something to be proud of, a life coach helps clients build mental muscle in a similar way.
By challenging self-limiting thoughts that act as a barrier to reaching your full potential, you’re able to gradually develop the strength to live a more meaningful, fulfilling life.
What Can Life Coaching Be Used For?
The list of areas life coaching can help with is too long to fully publish on one page. Some of the major, thematic areas life coaching has helped my clients with include:
How Do You Help Clients?
The life coaching services I offer are designed to supercharge your own unique path. I help you better understand what excites you, what brings meaning to your life, and what things may be holding you back — using components of a cognitive behavioral approach known as ACT.
Together we create a personalized plan of action to propel you forward and keep you on track to goal attainment. As part of the coaching process, I provide support, guidance, tools and feedback — accountability is a large part of the dynamic. Time and again, research demonstrates that people are far more likely to reach a goal when they’re accountable for the results.
To me, coaching is a valuable, synergistic partnership that’s solution-focused and goal-oriented. By combining intuition and perception with proven life coaching techniques, I help you shift your thoughts and awareness, connecting you to a deeper sense of purpose — and by modeling behavior and inspiring you to reach for your dreams, change becomes the conduit to a new reality.
What Is Your Background?
I hold a doctorate in Psychology from Northcentral University and an MBA from the Indiana Institute of Technology, along with advanced training in human behavior and wellness promotion.
I received my professional coach training and certification from the Academy of Coaching and Training, an education program accredited by the Association for Coaching. I’m board-certified in drug and alcohol counseling, a certified clinical hypnotherapist, and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.
For a good part of my career, I worked in the corporate sector, holding positions at Fortune 500 companies and major non-profits, including IBM, American Airlines, and the American Bar Association. You can read about my entire background on my bio page.
What Happens During a Life Coaching Session?
We spend time exploring your current situation and clarifying your vision. I ask questions as part of the process to challenge assumptions, stimulate your own insight, and explore potential options.
As part of the dynamic, I incorporate various exercises, including guided imagery and meditation, to help encourage a state of mindfulness. To reinforce important learning concepts and amplify the positive, I offer clients the option of non-clinical, non-therapeutic guided imagery as part of coaching — an approach that borrows from the world of mindfulness.
Once your goals and anticipated milestones are recorded through collaboration, you commit to specific steps of action before we meet again — think of this as a kind of homework assignment. Together, we review your progress and make adjustments until you’ve reached a place of goal attainment.
How Much Do You Charge for Life Coaching?
Unlike some places that don’t publish their fees, Guy Counseling is upfront. Life coaching is always self-pay, at the same standard rates used across all self-pay services:
$175.00
per 60-minute session
$300.00
per 90-minute session — a popular choice at the start of the coaching relationship
Most clients find that one session a week over a four-week period gives them the momentum to get the change process moving.
You can learn more about costs on the fees page. Nothing is hidden.
How Is Life Coaching Different From Therapy?
Goal-Focused, Not Treatment
Life coaching is action-oriented and starts from the assumption that the client is well. In therapy (aka psychotherapy), a person is typically being “treated” for a given mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety.
Life coaching, however, is not designed to clinically “treat” anything. Instead, coaching employs cognitive behavioral approaches, coupled with mindfulness, to motivate and transform thinking and behavior.
At Guy Counseling, we’re straightforward about this. If you need a traditional therapist for mental health treatment, I’m happy to provide a referral to someone in your area. Life coaching is not a substitute for medical or psychological help.
Is Life Coaching Covered by Insurance?
The simple answer is no. Insurance is designed to pay for the treatment of a medical or mental health condition. In life coaching, nothing is being treated.
Where Does Life Coaching Take Place?
My Chicago-based clients will often meet with me at my office. Because many of the people I work with are located throughout the United States and the world, video sessions through SimplePractice, a secure HIPAA-compliant platform, and telephone are used as alternative meeting modalities.
Who Do You Work With?
I started coaching over 10 years ago, and I’ve worked with clients from all walks of life — from Fortune 500 executives to Broadway dancers to small business owners, entrepreneurs, attorneys, creative professionals and corporate leaders.
I work a lot with men and women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, helping them make smarter, wiser career choices. Many of my clients self-identify as introverts seeking to live a more authentic life and move away from doing “the same old, same old.” They’re looking to break out of their shells and embrace life differently.
Typically, clients who seek out my services are committed to their personal growth. They’re open to new ways of thinking and ready to invest time, energy and resources while achieving desired results.
To keep it real — I only work with clients who want to take the next steps in their lives. This change is possible through interactive dialogue, goal setting and collaboration. Are you ready to make a commitment to personal change?
Ready to Schedule a Life Coaching Appointment?
Click below to visit the contact page.
