Do You Need A Counselor or a Coach?

In the movie, Forrest Gump, Forrest quotes his mother, who said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."

I don't know about you, but I'd like to have some idea about what I'm going to get. Life is rarely as sweet as a box of chocolates, and it can be a whole lot messier. And there's always a nut in there somewhere that can break your heart as well as a couple of teeth.

We can't control everything in our lives, but we do have choices over its direction.

But choices can be a challenge.

Sometimes we have too many choices; sometimes not enough.
Sometimes we see none at all, and sometimes we see our choices but are afraid to make them.

Our choices determine the direction of our lives.
As a licensed counselor, I've met with many clients who are simply stuck.They have no symptoms of a mental illness or long term relationship problems.

Many just seek direction at a crossroad of their lives.
Some of them want something, but don't know what it is.
Others know what they want, but don't know how to get it.
These clients express an unnamed restlessness and a yearning for something more.

They don't need counseling.
They need coaching.

I define and differentiate coaching from counseling by using the letters: C.O.A.C.H..
C. Coaching is cooperative. It is an equal relationship. It's a partnership between you and your coach, unlike counseling where your counselor is considered an expert.

O. Coaching takes an overview of who you are: your values, your visions, your goals, how to achieve them, and what has held you back.

A, Coaching is action oriented. You make the decisions, create your goals and take the steps to achieve them. You move from thinking and talking to doing.

C. Your coach cares, comes from a place of conce
and offers critiques for your consideration. A coach cheers you on from the sidelines, and lets you know when you're veering off course.

H. Coaching assumes you are healthy, and don't have a mental health issue.

Life is not like a box of chocolates. It's not like a box of anything. But sometimes life can feel like a box if you're the one who's in it.

Coaching is a way to get out of the box, put a bow on it and make your life a precious gift that you can give to yourself.