Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Coaching has originally been associated with sports, however in recent years coaching has become applicable everywhere: in the corporate world, in business and in every aspect of our lives.
In this regards, coaching is a partnership between the coach and the client. A partnership, where the coach helps the client to achieve their personal best and to produce the results they want in their personal and professional lives.
In other words - as defined by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) - coaching is “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”

Therapy deals with the client’s mental health. In a therapy the therapist works with the client who seeks relief from a deep-seated emotional or mental pain.
Whereas coaching deals with the client’s mental growth.
”The client’s motive for entering therapy or counseling is usually to get away from pain or discomfort, rather than moving towards desired goals. Coaching is not remedial, it is generative. Both therapy and counseling are more likely to involve understanding and working with past experience than coaching.”

The coaching industry is not officially regulated, so the entry barriers of becoming a coach is low. Therefore you will see self-proclaimed coaches in many platforms. Therefore, it is important that you do some research about your coach in advance.
A certification can be a great indicator about your coach’s competencies. (See more details about certified coaches below.)
However, the lack of social media presence (e.g. if you do not find links to social media from a specific coach) is not necessary a bad sign. Many well qualified coaches have ‘organic’ mouth-to-mouth marketing, so they do not need active social media presence.

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) sets the ethical standards and coaching guidelines for coaches. Certified coach is a coach who is certified by ICF or by an ICF accredited institute, and complies with its ethical standards and guidelines.
Certified professional coaches have a recognised education and a proven record of many coaching hours. They are also life-long learners.
Acronyms - you might see after a coach’s name (e.g. SHRM-SCP, PHR, ELI-MP) - indicate the qualifications and certifications of that coach.

Coaching is an investment in yourself, and in your continued development and growth.
If your coach has graduated from a reputable coach training program (e.g. iPEC), s/he has an extensive toolkit to support you through your journey.
Your results will also depend a lot on you, i.e. on your engagement and your commitment.
For tangible, research-backed ROI data indicating the powerful personal transformation and the value of working with a certified Core Energy iPEC professional coach, please check out some reviews from my clients here.

You are probably familiar with personality tests like Myers Briggs, DiSC and Enneagram. These are valuable tools dedicated to make you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and to discover how you can reach your full potential. However, they do not assess how you perceive your life, and how you act in certain situations.
The ELI, on the other hand, captures how an individual currently perceives and approaches work and personal life during ‘normal’ times. It also compares these results with those obtained during more stressful ‘abnormal’ periods. The ELI provides tangible, research-backed ROI data for any coaching engagement as clients have the opportunity to reshape their attitudes and worldview and “transform who they are.”