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Slide 1: ==== ==== For information regarding Christian, please check this website: http://www.scribd.com www.scribd.com ==== ==== So you've heard the term "Christian Life Coach" and are wondering what the career involves. Perhaps you've thought of becoming one yourself. Maybe what appeals to you is the idea of helping others. Or, maybe you like the idea of having a home based business or making a bit of money on the side of your other job. You may even have a career that would benefit from the addition of new skills. All life coaches arrive at the path through a different means and with different set of dreams, vision or expectations of what the role involves. Getting the Proper Picture It might be helpful for you to query a few life coaches to find out more about what they do and what the career entails. While many will give free advice, others find they have so many asking for free advice that they've reached a point where they need to be paid for their time. Most will be happy to spend time with you on the telephone or through email in advice-giving sessions. Bear in mind, as small business entrepreneurs that aren't on a salary, inquiries take up valuable time they could be spending on their own business. Still, it is important and helpful to get the kind of honest information they can offer so consider in investing in a session with one. What is a Life Coach? Most do general life coaching, and call themselves a "Christian" life coach because they coach from a Christian perspective. That is important for those that want to be coached by someone with similar beliefs; after all, the process is all about challenging belief-systems. A Christian life coach is more than a mentor, Bible study teacher or prayer partner. A life coach doesn't just tell a client to "just trust in Jesus and it will all work out". Of course, that is a Christian truth, but as humans walking the rails of this earth with its challenges, most people want practical guidance. Unfortunately, many organizations use the term "life coach" when what they are actually offering is not true life coaching. True life coaches have been through a certification program. Of course, because it is a "Christian" focus, both coach and client will link Biblical perspectives and rely on prayer as a guiding tool in the process, unlike secular coaches. While many Christians want others to find inner healing, life coaching isn't focused on therapy or counselling types of assistance. A life coach can actually be sued for acting as a therapist or including therapy in their coaching. That isn't to say, however, that a client doesn't feel like coaching is good therapy. Anytime a person is vulnerable in sharing a life challenge and feels listened to, it is a type of therapy.
Slide 2: Maybe you think you are wise and a good advice giver. Life coaching is also not advice giving. Coaching is about listening to a client about where she is and where she want to be, more than it is about giving advice. There's no way a coach should be leading a client into paths thought up by the coach. The focus should be on helping the client draw out the issues in their heart and challenging them with a variety of perspectives. The client should be the one to sense what direction they should move. If it is advice you want to give, you might want to add an option for "consultations" that might include advice apart from the general coaching sessions. Important Ingredients for Becoming a Christian Life Coach Different people will suggest a different set ingredients they think is important. Personally, I think there is a place for psychology. God leads certain individuals into psychological research. I will never say that we should discard the research, revelations and methods psychology teaches us. God creates specialists with skills to help the mind. Since we are mind, soul and body, it makes sense to learn how minds work and the dynamics of social relationships, etc. To be a good Christian Life Coach, it can be valuable to combine what you know spiritually with a little psychology. If you have an interest in the study of psychology already, you are on your way. It is important to be teachable. There are skills to be learned. Everyone can benefit from the skills taught in life coaching. Even if you take the training and don't plan to use the skills in a job, the skills will be useful in everyday life if applied. A great life coach also has inborn gifts. A great life coach should have a high emotional IQ, that is, the ability to understand emotions and the ability to empathize, which enables a coach to guide others in making decisions or taking appropriate actions. Being a Christian life coach gives you the opportunity to be God's vessel. When you commit sessions to him, he will guide you to address the areas the person you are working with needs to address. Cultivating a spiritual life is therefore, essential. If you don't keep on learning and taking your lead from God, you will fall back on psychology only or the world's theology. Proper Expectations If you are called forward into taking training, great, but be prepared with information about what happens next. Only a small percentage of Christian life coaches have a thriving practice. Some are successful with high paying clients and are able to make their practice a main focus. More than likely though, it will be difficult to get a practice going. Finding clients is your own personal responsibility no matter what promises the coach training organization has made. Go into coach training fully alert that many promises may be made to you that are simply the fabrication of the one doing the training and earning an income from you. While there are millions who would benefit from having a personal coach, there are as many that have never heard the term, are sceptical or have been disappointed by using one. Most of the population will never financially invest in one for themselves. Ultimately, it will be tough going in the beginning as finding your own support network and gaining
Slide 3: any sort of momentum is completely up to you. If you don't think you'd make a good entrepreneur, then this career isn't for you. Be prepared also to know that your local churches are not likely to support you or promote you. They have very fine lines between embracing you as a volunteer and promoting businesses within a church setting no matter how beneficial your service is. If you want to become a life coach from a "ministry" perspective, the best angle might be to consider yourself as a para-church ministry although the idea of gaining donations is unlikely unless you can become a non-profit organization and issue tax receipts for donations. Life Coaching as a Business What you can do successfully is build your skills, use them in volunteer settings and create an online small business presence. Link yourself through social networks and online directories. If you have the ability to offer your skills part time then it will work. You will gain clients even if they are sporadic. Because of the sporadic nature of this business at present, relying on it for a fulltime income is difficult. Keeping a steady clientele and enough business to keep you busy is tough. For this reason, most life coaches diversify so that they have multiple streams of income. Proceeding as a Life Coach If you identify positively with a few of the tips offered above, investigate a few coach-training organizations. Proceed with realistic expectations, ask good questions and network with other coaches, and see where it leads you. Rosalie Garde is a Certified Life Purpose Coach and content writer. Christian Life Purpose Coaching consists of weekly telephone conversations, or coaching by letter mail, email, chat or in person to assist you in moving from where you are toward more purposeful living. She'd be happy to consult with you about starting out in a life coaching career. She can be reached at http://www.RosalieGarde.com or email info@RosalieGarde.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rosalie_Garde
Slide 4: ==== ==== For information regarding Christian, please check this website: http://www.scribd.com www.scribd.com ==== ====