Life coaching is a professional relationship that supports people in achieving extraordinary results in their lives.
—International Coach Federation

What is life coaching?  How does it differ from psychotherapy? Would you benefit from working with a coach?

I'll be posting information here about life coaching over the next several weeks. After that, this column will be a place for As We Are readers to ask questions -- about life coaching in general, as well as questions relevant to your own life -- and receive personalized attention and feedback from a certified life coach.

This isn't a "Dear Abby"-type column in that I won't be answering questions or telling you what to do. What I will do is suggest possible directions to explore, share relevant information, and offer creative brainstorming and reframing to encourage outside-the-box perspectives.

First, a few basics about coaching:
• Coaching supports you in aligning your life with your highest goals and dreams. Working with a coach helps you access your inner wisdom to design your life consistent with your deepest self.

• Coaches often say we "coach to the gap," which refers to the gap between where you are now in your life and where you'd like to be. If you have a goal or a vision for your life, regardless of how distinct or fuzzy, a coach can support you in mapping out the steps to getting there.

• The agenda of each coaching session is set by the client. You come to the session with a focus and a sense of what you want to take away. We work together to be sure you take away what you came for, as well as several strategies to implement new insights and keep the ball rolling.

How is coaching different from psychotherapy?
• Unlike psychotherapy, which frequently focuses on the past and on what isn't working, life coaching focuses on what is working. Coaching harnesses your strengths, skills, values, and dreams in the service of creating your life as you want it to be.

• Coaching focuses on the future rather than the past. Coaches recognize that what we call "doing archaeology" is sometimes a necessary step in a person's personal growth journey. Persistent obstacles to moving forward, such as chronic depression or deep-seated self-esteem issues, are best addressed in therapy. But if you're feeling sparked to create new possibilities in your life, and if you're ready to devote consistent energy in that direction, coaching is probably right for you.

• A life coach is a partner and co-collaborator -- not an expert. You are the expert on your life, and you gain valuable experience in accessing your expertise during every session. A life coach contributes observations, thought-provoking questions, and a variety of tools to support you in moving forward in your life and attaining your goals.

• In short, coaching isn't about fixing a problem, it's about creating a future -- the best future you dream of for your life. Many people long for a partner in that journey, someone who will walk beside them and assist them in sorting through options, strategies, and possibilities. That's the work of a life coach.

Got a question?
Please e-mail your question to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it and put "Kira" in the subject line. I'll respond to questions in future columns.