John on Coaching

Even though I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a a graduate degree in clinical psychology, I have always thought of myself as being more like a coach who comes alongside my clients than a medical practitioner who is performing clinical procedures on them. I believe that in the counseling field, this philosophy has worked well for my clients as well as for me, making the process more of a partnership and the experience more personal.

However, the trend in the counseling profession at large has been more and more toward a "medical model," with increasing emphasis on differential diagnosis, categorized disorders, treatment plans, standardized procedures and justification of "medical necessity." This trend has largely been driven by the insurance industry, coupled with an understandable desire on the part of the consumer to use insurance benefits to pay for services. Health insurance, of course, doesn't pay for self improvement; it covers the diagnosis and treatment of illness.

Though I have been trained in clinical work and believe it has an important place, I never want to lose sight of the fact that in counseling, and even more so in coaching, the subject matter is different than in traditional medicine. A broken bone, an infection or a hormone imbalance is a physical disorder, and it is very important to use standardized clinical procedures in diagnosis and treatment. In much counseling and most coaching, however, the subject matter has a lot to do with a person's hopes, dreams, fears, faith and values. These are highly personal and individualistic, and do not lend themselves well (in my opinion) to a paradigm of clinical "treatment."

In diagnosing a disorder, the idea is to find which subset of the population, based on his or her symptoms, the affected individual most resembles. The only subsets considered, of course, are those identified by the name of a disorder. By contrast, coaching emphasizes a person's individuality - and how people can use their unique set of skills, aspirations, values and goals to shape a direction in life that is uniquely best for them.

What is a Professional Life Coach?

What is the difference between coaching and counseling?

Fees and Procedures: Click here for John's coaching agreement.

I have always loved doing counseling. It is usually the place to start when there is a crisis or obstacle that is especially troubling or seems to be deeply rooted in one's emotions, habits or personal history. In my counseling, the main emphasis, at first, will be on solving the crisis or dealing with the area of dysfunction; but even then, I will tend to include overtones of the coaching perspective that make it more personal and forward-looking.

With some of my clients, there is no crisis or emotionally troubling issue - but simply a deeply rooted desire to move forward toward their goals, or toward a more fulfilling and balanced life. If you fit into this category, I get a great deal of satisfaction from partnering with people like you in a purely coaching relationship. My job is to focus on your agenda. It is about coaching you on a journey toward success in the things that matter most to you.

w For further information or to set up an introductory coaching session, call 425-821-3944. (There is no charge for the call.)

[What is a Professional Life Coach?] [Fees and Procedures]