I metMike Bayera few months agowhen he was a guest on The Verywell Mind Podcast.
Since then, Ive had the pleasure of also being a guest on his podcast,Always Evolving.
The individuals we work with have some of the same problems, like depression or substance abuse.
Verywell / Catherine Song
Yet, we have different titles.
Im atherapist, and Mike is alife coach.
We know our work often overlaps.
But, there are some big differences between the way we work with people.
Amy Morin:Im a licensed therapist, and youre a life coach.
Yet, we treat many of the same issues.
We just use a slightly different approach.
As a life coach, you might do something very different.
Can you talk a bit about how life coaches work?
Mike Bayer:Well said, Amy.
Amy:One thing I appreciate about your work is that you have some freedom and flexibility I dont.
What are some freedoms you might enjoy as a life coach that I cant as a therapist?
As you mentioned, life coaches are not bound byHIPAA, and the client-coach relationship is more casual.
However, thepublic stigma around working with a life coachis very different from a therapist.
This isnt necessarily true.
Amy:People often wait until they feel sick to see a therapist.
Do people seek out life coaches when theyre already doing well but just want to do even better?
Amy:One of the not-so-fun parts about being a therapist is the paperwork.
We maintain anongoing recordthat documents someones progress in treatment.
As a life coach, do you keep notes?
Mike:I definitely do.
I find Im less in the moment when Im typing up notes, plus the noise can be distracting.
I created a coaching program with my team atCAST Centerswith this detail in mind.
I have every coach take notes, and we have a great supervision system to work out any issues.
Verywell / Catherine Song
Amy:How about confidentiality?
Therapists abide bystrict rules surrounding confidentiality.
Im sure your clients are also concerned about wanting to ensure their information is kept confidential.
What are the rules or your policies about that?
Mike:Confidentiality is always important.
We have our clients sign clear agreements that have confidentiality understandings built in.
Amy:Ive referred people to life coaches before when they need something other than therapy.
A life coach was able to go to her home and give her somehands-on assistance.
As a life coach, do you ever refer people to a therapist?
If so, when?
Mike:Thats great!
I always love hearing stories of life coaches and therapists teaming up to help create a positive impact.
I refer almost every case I work with to a therapist.
Amy:What about substance use?
How do life coaches help people who want to stop drinking or using drugs?
Mike:Life coaching is often a key ingredient in helping people get sober.
Amy:Youve coached lots of people, including celebrities, about lots of different things.
Is there a specific problem or personality punch in that makes someone an ideal coaching client?
Mike:As cliche as it sounds, the ideal personality is someone who is coachable.
This means being honest, open-minded, and willing to work.
A lot of people believe they are coachable, but they actually arent.
When I work with someone, I am essentially their thinking partner.
I do this through a series of questions and assignments.
The assignments are often fun and not at all grueling or painful.
A life coach is great for someone who wants to take action and be held accountable.
Id also want them to know that finding the right life coach may take some time.
My suggestion would be to find someone who has bodies of work that resonate with you.
For example, some really great coaches can help with grief and loss.
You have to find someone that is the right fit for you and your goals.
Most life coaches arent on TV or bestseller lists, though.
So how should someone go about finding a coach they want to work with?
Every referral came from word of mouth.
Theres a chance someone you know could share a local recommendation with you if they had a positive experience.
And, of course, Google is a great source of getting information about specific life coaches.
