FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Questions people often ask before starting coaching.
How is life coaching different from counselling or therapy?
Life coaching focuses on helping you develop greater self-awareness, explore your choices, identify what matters to you, and consider how you want to move forward.
While emotions and past experiences may naturally come up in our conversations, coaching is not counselling or psychotherapy. I don’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions. My role is to support you in exploring your own thoughts, perspectives, and possibilities.
I’m not sure whether I need life coaching or counselling. How do I decide?
That’s a very reasonable question, and you’re certainly not alone in wondering about the difference!
Life coaching may be a good fit if you’re looking to understand yourself better, explore personal challenges, build confidence, make decisions, or consider changes you’d like to make in your life.
Counselling may be more appropriate if you’re experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties that require therapeutic support, or if past experiences and mental health concerns are significantly affecting your daily life.
There’s also some overlap in the subjects people discuss, and you don’t necessarily have to choose one or the other forever. Some people benefit from both, for different reasons.
If you’re uncertain, a qualified mental health professional can help you determine which type of support would best meet your needs.
As my coaching services are offered through Solutions Psychiatry, you can also explore the practice’s counselling, psychiatric, and other mental health services to find the support that’s most appropriate for you.
The important thing isn’t choosing the right label. It’s finding the right kind of support for you.
What if I’m not sure what I need coaching for?
That’s absolutely fine! You don’t need to arrive with everything figured out. Sometimes you know exactly what you’d like to work on, and sometimes you just know that something isn’t quite right. We can begin there and explore it together.
Do you offer advice about IEPs, educational rights, or disability services?
My professional background is in special education, and that experience gives me an understanding of some of the challenges families face.
However, I don’t provide educational or legal advocacy, interpret education law, or advise families on IEPs and school placements.
My coaching focuses on you: your experiences, the decisions you’re facing, and finding greater clarity and confidence as you navigate family life.
Do I have to commit to a certain number of sessions?
No. Coaching is a personal process, and the number of sessions will depend on what you’d like to explore and what you find useful. We can discuss what makes sense for you as we go.
Are sessions online, and will our conversations be private?
Yes, all sessions take place online through a private video meeting. I encourage you to find a comfortable, quiet space where you can speak without interruptions.
Your privacy is important. Before we begin, I’ll explain how your personal information and our coaching conversations are handled, including any limits to confidentiality.
Does health insurance cover life coaching?
No. Life coaching is a self-pay service and is not covered by health insurance. You are responsible for the cost of your sessions.
Ready to move forward? Let’s begin.
You don’t need to arrive with all the answers. Just a willingness to have a conversation.