Frequently Asked Questions

What is coaching?

ICF defines coaching as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership.

We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome, and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.

How does coaching differ from therapy?

Coaching focuses on visioning, success, the present, and moving toward the future. Therapy emphasizes psychopathology, emotions, and the past to understand the present, and it works more with developing skills for managing emotions or past issues than does coaching.

Why Choose an ICF-Credentialed Coach?

Anyone can call themselves a coach. ICF-credentialed coaches are professional coaches who have met stringent education and experience requirements and have demonstrated a thorough understanding of the coaching competencies that set the professional standard.

In addition, ICF-credentialed coaches adhere to strict ethical guidelines as part of ICF’s mission to protect and serve coaching consumers.

What makes a good coaching client?

A good coaching client is open to change and willing to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes. They should know what they want to achieve and be willing to set specific and measurable goals. Additionally, a good coaching client should be honest, transparent, and open to feedback and new perspectives. They will put in the effort, take action, and be committed to the coaching process. They should also be willing to be accountable for their progress and to make adjustments as necessary.

How long will it take to see results?

Through the coaching relationship, we will work to understand and challenge your belief systems, identifying which truly work for you and which don’t. By identifying and shifting these, we can then progress to changing behaviors that change your life. While occasionally, clients have major a-ha moments, more typically, the shifts are small and incremental and take at least three to six months.