Some of you have been around long enough to remember when I first started working with my life coach, Jennifer Priest. Some of you might not even know what a life coach is or does. So – I thought for those of you who don’t, I’d break it down. (Check out her FAQs here.)

A life coach is not a therapist. For all you O Magazine readers out there – think Martha Beck. I tend to think of a Life coach as a combination cheerleader, idea bouncer and reality checker. For me, Jennifer has helped me stay focused on what it is I really do want in life, from weight loss to career goals, and make sure the decisions I make are the best for me. She also has helped me as I work on staying disciplined, as well as making sure my actions are in line with my values. For example, some of my most important values are to be caring, loving  and compassionate. If there is someone in my life who presses my buttons (we all have them), she helps me figure out the best way to remain grounded when those buttons get pushed and make sure I actively live those values rather than just write about them. Or, if I want to lose weight or get fit, she is the person who I report to on my exercise and other habits.

Having a life coach isn’t about getting therapy. It’s about focusing on what’s important to a person’s life, making a plan and working a plan. Sometimes, it’s also about adjusting the plan when life throws a curveball.

The following is from Jennifer’s website about life coaching:

Personal and Professional Coaching

Personal Coaching is about eliciting fulfilling outcomes in your private and professional life. Coaches are trained to listen, be in tune, and respond to your particular needs.

Coaches know clients are naturally creative and resourceful and it is the coaches’ job to bring out and enhance your greatest skills, tap in to your strongest resources and bring out your innate creativity.

I’m thrilled to have had the pleasure to work with Jennifer. She’s helped me navigate a pretty devastating time in my life. Frankly, I would recommend her services to anyone without hesitation. If you need a life coach, consider Jennifer Priest. She’s professional, confidential, ethical and a pretty smart woman.

Welcome back!

This entry was posted on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 6:47 am and is filed under Life Coach, Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.