Life coaching
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Life coaching is used by a growing number of psychologists to aid clients with transitions in their personal life, and in the process of self-actualization. Life coaching draws from a number of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, career counseling, and numerous other types of counseling. The coach, or counselor, applies mentoring, values assessment, behavior modification, behavior modeling, goal-setting, and other techniques in assisting clients.
Coaches tend to specialize in one or more of several areas: career coaching, transition coaching, life or personal coaching, executive coaching, small business coaching, and organizational or corporate coaching. As the internet has grown, life coaching has greatly expanded its online presence. Many life coaching organizations now offer online coaching as well as coaching over the telephone.
The practice of life coaching is controversial and is not currently a widely respected form of treatment among many psychiatrists. Critics assert that the practice of life coaching amounts to little more than a method of practicing psychotherapy without any restrictions, oversight, or regulation and is merely a way of getting the "coached" person to pay for what is essentially a meaningless friendly chat.
See also: Mediation, Negotiation, Conciliation, Philosophical counseling.
External Link
- free life coaching primer (http://www.myprimers.com/my_primers/life_coaching/)
- Matthew Fincher, life coach in Santa Fe, NM (http://www.matthewfincher.com)