Common Questions

What is a Professional Strategic Life Coach?
What is a Strategic Interventionist (SI)?
What types of people have life coaches?
How will life coaching help?
What happens in a Life Coaching Session?
How are Coaching Sessions conducted?
Do I really need a personal coach? Can’t I just do it by myself?
How is life coaching different from therapy?
How long do people generally work with a life coach?
How do the Life Coaching Packages work?
Is life coaching confidential?
Do you coach young adults under 18?
What is your cancellation policy?
What if I have more questions?

What is a Professional Strategic Life Coach?

A Professional Strategic Life Coach is a trusted mentor who will help you identify and eliminate the things keeping you from reaching any of your desired goals. This is a one-on-one relationship that provides a supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere to help you create the life you really desire. You can hire a life coach to help you strategize and acquire the tools needed to achieve personal, relationship and career goals. Coaching consists of steps to transform lack of motivation into decisive action by helping you identify opposing thought patterns and reframe new thoughts and perspectives. A Strategic Life Coach will also help you break negative habits, acquire new methods of identification, increase confidence and gain clarity on your mission in life!



What is a Strategic Interventionist (SI)?

A Strategic Interventionist (SI) utilizes strategies that span from the belief systems and emotional patterns within an individual. The strategies used are an assimilation of the most practical and effective forms of strategic action and communication from a variety of disciplines.  As a Certified Strategic Interventionist I do not believe that the past equals the future.  I believe that we all have the power to change our future, no matter how bad the past may have been. F or more information on this practice click Strategic Intervention .

What types of people have life coaches?

People from all walks of life work with Personal Coaches to help them attain their goals and resolve challenges.  Life Coaches work with people in all areas of their life including relationships, career, finance, health and more.  Working with a Personal Coach is not limited to any type of person, though it is best for those who want to take initiative in their own lives.  Usually people who get a Life Coach are committed to a more fulfilling life and are willing to do the work needed to get there. That said inspiration and motivation are just a matter of perspective waiting to be uncovered.



How will life coaching help?

In Strategic Life Coaching we begin by first having you gain an understanding of your 6 human needs.  Gaining clarity on the things you really want out of life is what helps drive us to take action.  If your reasons for coming to Coaching are personal, you can have a Life Coach help you improve your relationships, resolve ongoing negative behaviors, improve your overall health, and enhance communication skills. Professionally, life coaching can help you make your current job more gratifying, gain better focus on managing your work, and market your self more effectively.  With life coaching you can create lasting change and live a more balanced and enhanced life, and truly make your dreams a reality!


What happens in a Life Coaching Session?

Each session is tailored to the client and will vary based on individual needs.  In the beginning during the initial phone consultation, we will discuss what you are committed to accomplishing through our work together.  I will send you a needs analysis form to fill out and returned prior to our first session.  At the beginning we will create a plan for achieving your goals and I will have you become familiar with the importance of the 6 Human Needs.  We will work together to acknowledge obstacles, explore alternate perspectives, and celebrate successes.  With the conclusion of each session, we will revisit your goals, evaluate the next step, and you will usually be presented with a simple assignment or directive to be carried out between sessions.



How are Coaching Sessions conducted?

The majority of coaching sessions are conducted by phone providing anonymity and comfort in your own setting.  I do provide coaching sessions in-person at comfortable community locations throughout Northern Virginia, such as libraries, community centers, parks and coffee shops.  A 5% charge will be added to your sessions or package total for in-person sessions. Private in-home sessions are also available within 10miles of Sterling, VA.  Depending on a clients needs we will determine which type of sessions you are most comfortable with.  I also provide mini-sessions, where we speak for 5-15min, in conjunction to regular sessions.  These mini-sessions are used to help when you may have an urgent question or challenge you are experiencing.  Mini-sessions are provided to all clients when purchasing a coaching package.



Do I really need a personal coach? Can’t I just do it by myself?

Life coaching can take you above and beyond your own personal limitations.  More often than not, people try to achieve their greatest potential, but don’t realize what stands in their way.  A Personal Coach can offer an unbiased and objective perspective, and can help you realize your patterns and habits.  Most people experience that they are more efficient when working with a Personal Life Coach and that this provides the opportunity for them to better realize their goals.  Instead of trial and error, leading to frustration, Coaching provides the tools, knowledge, accountability, and birds-eye-view needed to create sustainable changes.

How is life coaching different from therapy?

While the life coaching I provide is highly therapeutic, it is not traditional therapy.  Coaching is distinct from traditional therapy because it is not designed to address psychological issues.  While emotional issues may arise, the primary focus of Coaching is to help you identify goals and achieve them while developing new constructive habits and skills. Strategic Coaching places little emphasis on a clients past, but instead the focus is on creating what you want now and in the future.  As a coach, I do work with clients who are managing anxiety due to things like a recent job loss or other situational circumstances. This also includes working with those dealing with depression due to overwhelming life challenges versus clinical depression.  Most habitual, painful, emotions are situational and not because of mental illness and can be relieved through specific coaching strategies.

*Note: Coaching is not meant to replace therapy for those dealing with psychological issues, though it has proved beneficial in conjunction with traditional therapy.


How long do people generally work with a life coach?

The length of time a client works with me is highly dependent on their needs and reasons for coming to Coaching.  To experience the effectiveness of a Life Coaching program, I usually suggest clients make an initial one-month commitment once per week or every other week.  At the end of that month, we will evaluate progress and discuss options for continued coaching.  Some clients have been happily surprised how quickly challenges can be resolved within just one session.  Others may have needs, which are a work in progress.  Some clients request to work together indefinitely while they are going through a new life stage.  The most important thing is to achieve the goals you set out to accomplish with coaching.  I do provide all clients the option of Coaching packages, available at reduced rates. Packages can be transferred or used overtime as well.



How do the Life Coaching Packages work?

Coaching packages are meant to help people reduce the cost of coaching, but more importantly create a certain level of commitment and accountability in advance.  Packages are purchased in advance and by number of sessions, from 4 to 24, excluding mini-sessions.  When you purchase a coaching packageyou will automatically receive a certain number of mini-sessions, 5-15min in length, at no additional cost.  Packages and sessions do not have a time limit to be used in to provide flexability. For more information on sessions please schedule your Free 30min Consultation .



Is personal life coaching confidential?

What we discuss will always be held in strict confidence and never shared with others.  However, our discussions are not privileged for legal purposes.  The privilege of confidentiality that exists for the clergy, therapists, and attorneys is not yet granted to coaching professionals.  That said, life coaching is a confidential process and your personal information will always be protected.  I never give or sell any client information for any reason or purpose.  If a client shares a testimonial and allows me to share it, I only use first names.  All client information, such as private notes on sessions are not saved on an electronic device and are placed in a secure fire resistance location. If a client has a special need regarding privacy I will accommodate it per request.


Do you coach young adults under 18?

I do coach young adults under 18 with the consent of a parent or guardian.  Please note that parents (Sponsor) purchasing coaching sessions for their children (Youth), under the age of 18, must sign a Discussion Disclosure Agreement, which Sponsor, Youth and Coach will sign and agree upon prior to the first paid session.  If during a session a client appears to be a danger to themselves, to someone else or to the welfare of a child, the agreement becomes void.


What is your cancellation policy?

I request a 24-hour notice to cancel in person sessions and 12 hours for phone sessions.  Please be sure to contact me if you will not be able to make your scheduled appointment and we can reschedule at a more convenient time.  If you miss an in person session without any notice a session will be deducted from your package.  Being late to a session will not result in less time for the session unless I have another session scheduled right after. Usually this is not an issue as I schedule sessions with a 30min buffer  If you are more than 15min late we will resume another meeting on another day or by phone at another time.  I am very laid back and lenient about such things and I ask only that proper notice be given by email, text or call as soon as you know.



What if I have more questions?

Please don’t hesitate to call, text, or email me using the contact information in the side bar to the left.  I respond to all inquiries within a maximum of 2 hours, if not sooner.

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