To wonder why there are so many life coaches

People do sometimes think the costs are high but coaches have overheads and are running a business with the associated costs apart from the time they talk to a client.

Someone once said to me, if working with a coach saves you your marriage, or helps you walk away, or helps you get a great job with £10Kpa more, would you begrudge paying less than the cost of a package holiday?

Counselling isn't regulated. Nothing to stop anyone setting up as a counsellor. There are professional bodies, and if you are looking.h.fur a counsellor obviously you want a trained and registered one, but it's not a registered profession.

@Eastie77Returns Hi! (I was Emma on here during our home moves)

Your post has got me thinking…

There’s nothing new here but sounds like there’s been a resurgence?

I am thinking about seeing one myself. Obviously the cost puts me off - and the fact that they now don’t seem to meet in person.

for me it’s because I can’t motivate myself anymore. In the past I had forms of support, but now I haven’t, I wondered if it would be useful and also help with being isolated. Even someone just taking an interest in my ideas would be really helpful, someone to bounce ideas off.

I haven’t gone for it so far partly because I worry that I’d let them down and partly I have yet to find somebody who actually works in person with clients.

The reason this post got me thinking is that if there has been a resurgence, I wonder if it’s people having similar needs to mine. In fact as I type …I’ve just remembered someone else who went to a group coaching thing one night a week and it really helped her as well. And it was much cheaper than individual sessions.

I wonder how much of it is just about having that support. I mean props to people who can manage without it, but my current lack of achievement shows that I’m not one of them 😂

There is the International Coach Federation (ICF) and the Association for Coaching, and also Coach U.

There are others.

There is a code of ethics which coaches have to adhere to.

You have to provide evidence of your training and the number of hours' experience you have. Most training involves at least 50 hours with a number of clients. And ongoing CPD and sometimes what is called 'supervision' which is the same as in counselling. That means having an independent more senior coach to confer with, to discuss your work with clients (all anon) to make sure you're working ethically.

Counselling isn't regulated either. There is the BACP but anyone can call themselves a counsellor. And the same for a coach.

You don't have to be a member of these but anyone choosing a coach should know where to look and what to look for.

I saw that! I was so disappointed they didn’t give them actual money. Delusional and probably sunk now.

It's an MLM model - life coaches training new life coaches is the main earner - not being a life coach. It's a massive scam

I tend to think that if someone has really got their life together, they'd not be working as a life coach. So if they can't sort themselves, they're unlikely to be able to sort me.

TBH there are a lot of misconceptions here.

Although coaching isn't regulated like counselling, there are some industry standards especially when it comes to recognised qualifications. There are professional associations where there is some verifying training/experience. Some coaches are psychologists, for example. And professional coaches take out public liability/professional indemnity insurance.

They also don't give advice (and neither do counsellors.)

Coaches who are trained are told never to give advice. It's the first 'rule' of coaching.

Like a counsellor, they allow their clients to make choices, by asking very searching questions and trying to help them overcome negative mindsets or behaviour, if that's an issue.

In practise, it's about setting targets and being a facilitator to help the client set and achieve a goal(s.)

'Executive' coaches often work in companies and many executives have regular coaching around their performance at work. It's a way they can bounce ideas or issues around away from the boardroom, as it's confidential.

You need to do your homework because yes, a 25 year old with little training or life experience isn't someone I'd choose.

I remember seeing a pair of ‘coaches’ on Rich House, Poor House who live in my city. They were laughable in their delusion. Their ‘rich house’ is on a street with a YMCA hostel on one end and a distinctly dodgy boozer at the other. A surface level dig shows a lot of failed companies and enterprises and lots of money owed to HMRC and banks. Hilariously, I think they both believe their own nonsense and instead of giving some actual cash to their ‘poor house’ compadres, they gifted them some of their phenomenal courses 😂

Genuine question, is there a professional body that moderates the activities of 'life coaches' or can just anybody set themselves up as one?

It's easier that having a proper job!

Life coaches I’ve come across seem to be unaware they’re in some sort of pyramid scheme, where their clients are only ever other life coaches. Bizarre. They’re an eye roll from me.

There are a lot of MLMs targeted at clever, well-to-to and underemployed mums peddling “be a lifestyle coach” type opportunity shit.

Look for the money. Someone is making a lot out of exploiting people to try and therapize their friends and acquaintances.

Just to give a slightly different view, I've had two career coaches ( paid for by different employers) to help me through changes in my roles, and both were transformative for me. I got to choose them- had a budget and objectives but I could pick the person I wanted to work with. I also used a stylist (recommended by one of my coaches and paid for by me) and she helped me a lot. It's unregulated and there's a lot of bullshit out there, but if you are clear what you want it can be really helpful to get you out of a rut. I agree there are lots of failed execs out there who just want to make a job of it though! But I'd be open to using a life coach or similar. I think being clear what you need help with and finding the right person is critical.

As Tipsyjoker said: Going to a good life coach isn’t really that much different than having a personal trainer for example. This is a great example as the PT can guide you but can't do the exercise for you.

There are qualified coaches out there that will support you and keep you accountable whilst you work towards your goal.

However, I'm sure there are a lot of dodgy coaches out there too. As with anything, you need to do your homework before employing any kind of service.

I know several people who have turned their lives around through seeing a life coach, so whilst my initial reaction was to think it’s a con, I’ve changed my mind and think it’s actually very valuable to a lot of people.

I had one free session and it was more useful to me than a whole course of psychotherapy via the NHS. Don’t knock it unless you’ve tried it!

Obviously some people are going to be shit, so you look for someone with good references or personal recommendations.

They couldn’t hold down a proper job. Many of them do MLMs on the side.

I was just thinking that 🧐

I knew someone who set herself up as one of these. She does ‘food coaching’, where she has dinner with people and talks about mindful eating and being at peace with hungry sensations. She also offers various types of therapy with no qualifications other than a certificate from a £30 course run by the university of spiritual quackery. I wonder if she actually has any clients or if it’s a fantasy.

Estate agents are a new fad?

send me your money and i will give you great advice! @Eastie77Returns

The two that I know have both made a complete mess of their own personal or working lives.

Because they have realised that they can charge not very bright people a lot of money for doing very little.
A friend i used to work with is doing this, the rubbish on her socials is never ending

I think there are genuine coaches out there who can provide helpful guidance, but there are also grifters who slap on the title and churn out a few wanky LinkedIn posts about growth.