What I do for a profession. "So what do you do?" I am asked. I respond, "I am a Personal Coach." "What is that exactly?" This is a great question. This profession started in the early 90's. It has not been around all that long. Most people are familiar with coaches for sports. A personal coach is similar and then again not.
If you have ever been an athlete, and many of you have, you have had a coach. A coach assists you in perfecting your game. For many of you the game may have been, basketball, baseball, tennis, football. etc. As a personal coach, my intent is to inspire and encourage my clients. Just like an athletic coach. I also encourage my clients to push themselves beyond their perceived limitations to achieve more for themselves in their life. This typically requires getting them out of their comfort zone; their old patterns and habits of living. To get outside your comfort zone can create ambivalence, anxiety, discomfort, dissidence..you name it. As my client experiences stepping out of his comfort zone, I am their to support him along the way. It is quite rewarding to hear the excitement and joy when clients accomplish things in a way they have not before.
"What kind of support would you provide?" That is your next question. I'm on it. I listen to what my client is experiencing. I offer feedback. I share my insights on the subject. If a client starts feeling discomfort we discuss what that discomfort is about. Ideally, we can find a way to reconcile it and get him to continue onward. As a coach, I also offer as part of my coaching packages free support for urgent matters during the week. By providing this support, my client does not get too far off track from what he is out to achieve.
I have also, been trained in many ways to be there to support my clients. I am a Certified Coach with Coach Training Alliance; where we learn the principles,tools and methodologies for coaching people. We don't tell our clients what to do, we have discussions as to what is possible for them, and they make the decisions. As a coach we have learned to be intentional at listening to our clients and to be able to ask thought provoking questions that expand their thinking. With coach training alliance, I took on specific coaching for weight management, singles and entrepreneurs. I am also a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming. I use this training to help people learn how to better control there thoughts to achieve greater success for themselves.The client is taught to identify limiting beliefs, dismantle them and then create empowering beliefs that move them into strategic action. I am also licensed to coach people how to "Live A New Life Story" in their work, at home, with money or in relationships. With this coaching, a valuable gem of this methodology is to share with clients how baggage disappears when you design a future to live into and focus on the steps it takes to get there. This is what separates coaching from psychology. We don't spend time in the past. Coaching is present-future based.
There are many different coaches with many different experiences in work and life that they bring to the table when it comes to their coaching. There are Business coaches, Life Coaches, Coaches for Singles, or Parents. When choosing a coach, you want to feel a connection with your coach. There should be chemistry between you that makes you feel understood and gives you trust. Most of my clients have achieved a lot in their life in work or education. These people typically have no qualms in getting help to advance themselves in areas that matter most in their life.
Coaching is a partnership. I work with my clients to help them achieve their goals. The client states his objective. I work along side him to design the most optimum path to achieve his result with the least amount of time or conflict. There is goal mapping, time management, priority management and helping them get past those moments where they start questioning themselves. When life gets in the way, I help them quickly get back on track. I have helped students in school, salesmen, people working on having their ideal body, people transitioning from divorce to the single world, and business men working on being more effective in the workplace. Personal coaching is designed around the individual , working with their strengths and helping them expand and achieve more.
I have been asked many times how do people find you? I work with a group in Northbrook Illinois called Synergy Healthcare Associates. I also have done advertising around my area. Other than that it is by word of mouth or when I meet people. If you think having a coach would be something you would enjoy in your life, look me up on the web at: www.accessthepower.net I look forward to hearing from you.
Robin
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