A Life Coach - do you need one

When people first started talking about life coaches, there was quite a buzz about who they were and what they did – what exactly was a life coach. No-one really knew but the idea sounded appealing, a sort of grown up buddy system with someone on your side , guiding through the dramas of life. The problem was that although it was a good idea, there was no sense of anyone knowing what it meant. This of course allowed anyone to set themselves up as a life coach, with no qualifications because there weren't any and charge a lot of money for guidance that was based on who knows what. Then of course online coaching grew up with the same principle being applied for slightly less money through a website, and some biography about the person coaching you. There were and still are of course some good people around who work as life coaches. There are also a lot of people in the industry who call themselves life coaches but really have very little clue what they're actually doing. The logic behind a life coach is that its very difficult to know, in a short space of time if the person working with you knows what they're talking about. If you are thinking of hiring a life coach, then simply ask yourself what you want out of it. A lot of people in different walks of life use people to help them clarify their thinking about things. People use spiritual directors, therapists, sponsors in twelve step programs etc. The value in this can be having someone who is relatively objective about you and your life and can help you to become more trusting of your own life experience and thought process's. The danger is always in the possibility of it becoming an unhealthily dependent relationship with real control issues. This happens a lot in this sort of work, and is worth being aware of whatever road you go down, just make sure you trust your gut feeling that the person working with you is really on yours side. A life coach may well go under another name , I.e spiritual friend or life assistant or whatever. Any title is really ok, but if it seems a bit whacky or over the top then it may be worth asking if this is the person you want helping you with your life. Check out their website, as this will tell you what you need to know and if they don't have one , ask why not?