FAQ – Lori McCarthy

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is a life coach?

A: A life coach is a trained professional that helps clients set specific goals and then discern their own hidden obstacles. A life coach is trained to facilitate problem-solving and conflict resolution and offer feedback in order to enable their clients to identify what it is that is blocking them from obtaining their desired outcomes. By offering the client feedback and asking strategic questions, a life coach then helps the client create a plan of action and holds them accountable to follow through until each client reaches their desired outcomes.

Q: What do life coaches actually do?

Life Coaches essentially help their clients do the following 3 things:

1: They help the client figure out what they want to do. (i.e., They help them make a decision.)

2. They help the client figure out how to do what they want to do. (i.e., They help them come up with a plan.)

3. They help the client do what they plan to do. (i.e., They help them implement and follow-through with the plan.)

Q: What kind of training does a life coach have?

A: Life coaches are trained to listen to their clients’ words, observe their actions, and become aware of the manner in which they interpret the world around them. Life coaches are trained to identify limiting strategic beliefs through keen assessment of verbal and non-verbal patterns, and then to assist their clients in recognizing these patterns. Once these patterns are recognized, a life coach is trained to facilitate problem-solving and conflict resolution and offers feedback in order to enable their clients to identify what it is that is blocking them from obtaining their desired outcomes. A life coach is then trained to guide the client into discovering how they can apply their own strategies as a means of overcoming these obstacles and go on to achieve their goals.

Q: Is it necessary for a life coach to be certified and to have graduated from an accredited life coaching school?

A: At the present time, there are no specific set of standards or requirements that must be met in order to become a life coach. However, as the field of life coaching continues to expand and grow, it is expected that the requirements to become a life coach will become more stringent. It is also expected that holding a certificate and graduating from an accredited school or university may eventually become a requirement.

Q: Is Lori McCarthy certified as a life coach and did she graduate from an accredited life coaching school?

A: The answer is yes again! Lori McCarthy has earned a Life Coaching Certificate from an accredited Life Coaching School as of September 3, 2019. She would be more than happy to share these credentials with you upon request.

Q: What is the difference between being a life coach and a licensed, professional counselor?

A: A licensed, professional psychologist, counselor, or therapist has gone through 4 or more years of schooling to receive their Bachelor’s degree at a minimum and often go on to receive their Master’s or Doctorate degree as well. Their training is specific to their own field of study and practice which includes being able to evaluate and treat people in the mental health setting. Life coaches are not counselors or therapists; they cannot diagnose or treat mental health issues or addictions of any kind.

Counselors often focus on a person’s past, while a life coach is focused on a person’s future. The life coach is focused on behavior change and is trained to help a client manage or overcome unwanted habits or behaviors which may be hindering them from moving forward or achieving their goals. They are generally not licensed, professional psychologists or counselors. Therefore, they cannot claim to provide any source of medical or therapeutic service. In addition, it is not necessary for life coaches to have a degree of any kind, although most have completed a certain amount of training in order to become a life coach. if you believe that you are in need of mental health services, we encourage you to seek out the help of a licensed mental health professional.

Q: How does a life coach differ from being a pastor?

A: Pastoral care is taking care of the general spiritual needs of the body of Christ, such as visiting people in the hospital, praying for them, providing counsel based on various religious principles. Pastors often tell stories based on what they or what other members of the congregation have gone through. On the other hand, life coaches may try to get their clients to come up with their own stories and discuss any valuable life lessons they may have learned from them to help them move on towards their goals.

Q: How do life coaches differ from teachers?

A: Usually teachers have knowledge or expertise in certain areas which they pass along to their students, and the emphasis is on teaching or training the students this knowledge or skill. In stark contrast, life coaches help their clients teach themselves what they could become with a little bit of help.

Q: How is a life coach different from a mentor?

A: A mentor is someone that you look up to. Therefore, the focus is on the client becoming more like them. However, in life coaching, the focus is on helping the client become the best version of themselves that they can be. Therefore, life coaching is focused on the client rather than the mentor.

If you would like to learn more about Lori McCarthy Life Coaching, please visit our “Contact Me” page and fill out the form. Someone will get back with you shortly.