Is life coaching like counselling?
	Is life coaching conducted over the telephone or face-to-face?
	What happens during a coaching session?
	How much does it cost?
	How many sessions will I need?

Is life coaching like counselling?
Coaching is similar to counselling in that both are used to improve the well-being of a client by helping them to listen to what's inside and note the impact on the outer reality, but that's about as far as the similarity goes.

Unlike counselling, life coaching is completely non-directive and non-judgemental.  The coach asks powerful questions and listens carefully as the client draws the answers from within. Often the client doesn't know that the answers are there, but the coach helps to unlock them by encouraging the client to make observations in ways that they had never before considered.

A counsellor listens for negative conflicts and signs of dysfunction and reflects them back to the client. It's more about observation and exploration of the issues than tangible, forward-looking goals. 

Coaching helps well-balanced, successful people become even more successful. It's about looking to the future. It's positive and motivational. 

Is life coaching conducted over the telephone or face-to-face?
Life coaching is usually done over the telephone. We have found that this is preferable for busy professionals, as it means that each session lasts 45 minutes and there is no travel time involved. 

It also means that during the session, both client and coach are totally focused on the coaching relationship, without external distractions. There are no concerns about being late because of traffic or transport, and the client is completely relaxed in the comfort of his or her own home.

In some cases, clients will prefer to meet up, either for the initial session or on an on-going basis. This is your choice and can certainly be arranged.

What happens during a coaching session?
Put simply, over a 45-minute session, the coach will ask a series of questions and listen carefully to your responses, helping you to unravel scrambled thoughts and identify what you would really like to achieve, in both the long and short term.

By the end of each session, you will have a clear plan of how to reach your short term goals for that week. The joy of life coaching is that results are instantaneous. At the beginning of the next session, you will report back on your successes. 

In between, the coach will be in contact throughout the week to support and motivate you, as necessary. You may be set tasks and self-exploration exercises, but this is entirely your decision, depending on how much additional work you would like to do. 

How much does it cost?
The first session is free, so that you can get a feel for coaching in practice and see if it's right for you.  Thereafter, it's £100 per session. 

How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions depends on the individual. Some clients may wish to be coached on a single, specific goal; others may wish to completely revamp their lives. In either case, the client signs up for a minimum of four sessions. This is usually one a week for four weeks, but may vary according to the client's needs. After the first four sessions, the level of activity and frequency is reviewed.