FAQs

What is coaching?

The International Coach Federation defines coaching as follows: “Professional coaches provide an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Coaches help people improve their performances and enhance the quality of their lives. Coaches are trained to listen, to observe and to customize their approach to individual client needs.  They seek to elicit solutions and strategies from the client; they believe the client is naturally creative and resourceful.  The coach's job is to provide support to enhance the skills, resources, and creativity that the client already has.”

How is coaching different than therapy?

Coach University defines the difference between Coaching and Therapy as follows:  “Therapy focuses on the life an individual is living as related to past, often childhood issues.  Therapy focuses on accompanying feelings and emotions, patterns of behavior and any self-destructive tendencies.  A typical outcome of therapy is healing the individual, the creation of more useful and healthy coping skills, and dealing with current issues and challenges.  

"Coaching focuses on what a person wants, beginning in the present and moving forward, developing the person to engage life with new behaviors and ultimately to achieve his or her definition of success.  It can be useful for the coachee to access information or knowledge from the past in order to identify past patterns of behavior that do not produce the preferred outcome..." 

How does coaching work?

I first offer a complimentary consultation so that we can get to know each other and see if there's a good fit for a coaching relationship. These sessions last 30-45 minutes and you can call or email me to schedule. I usually coach my clients between two and four times a month for 45-55 minutes.  The fee is monthly and includes unlimited e-mails and brief telephone support outside of the regularly scheduled coaching time. Please contact me at 828-350-9300 to discuss the full range of my services. I am also available for one session at a time without the monthly support.

How much does it cost?

~ One-on-one: The cost ranges from $150 to $500 for personal and $250+ for business coaching.

~ Small Group Coaching on career, relocation, relationships or other: The cost ranges from $97 to $147 for three sessions in a month.

~ E-courses: These are being developed and will consist of 5-10 email lessons delivered to your Inbox over a set period of time (usually one week to one month). Cost TBD.

~ Relocation Guide: If you want to relocate and are not sure where, I suggest you start by purchasing my softcover workbook Make the Right Move Now: Your Personal Relocation Guide for just  $24.95. Click here to preview the first 10 pages and purchase: http://snipurl.com/1k21n

What do I have to do when I'm working with a coach?

For coaching to be effective, you need to be committed to the process and creating the results you've said you want. I ask clients what their commitment level is on a scale of 1 to 10 during the complimentary consultation. I only work with people who are an "8" or higher, because if you are lower, it may be a waste of your time and money. It's okay if you are lower than an 8, it just means you're not quite ready yet. Coaching requires a commitment from you to meet during the designated times and to complete mutually agreed upon homework before our coaching sessions. There are times you will not complete your homework because something more pressing came up in your life. The amount of work that you do is up to you. It is your responsibility to be in charge of your results.

How do I get in touch with you?

You can call me at 828-350-9300 or email me at: barbara@mycoachbarbara.com

Are my sessions and communication with you confidential?

Definitely. I also don't give out client names without your permission.