Why is everyone saying they’re a coach these days? As a certified coach myself, I find myself scrolling through social media and asking this question. I get excited about some coaches, but quite angry about others.
Now, do I have what it takes to coach anyone and everyone? No! Nobody does. Coaching is a special relationship based on trust – the right coach will change the right person. They will free you to be you and, from there, you can do anything. How does that happen though, and why am I able to do this?
The only way I can truly address this is through my experiences with becoming a life and equus coach. As far as my excitement for some and anger towards others goes, I hope my story answers that question…
Six years ago, I was reading the business section of the New York Times. Looking back, I was setting foot on tracking my calling. I do believe everything we do leads to where we go, much like how no movement from the horse is frivolous.
While reading I found Dr. Martha Beck, who was conducting a coaching retreat on her horse property in California. Reading about Dr. Beck, I was transformed. The Earth moved and the Universe said, “read this, google her, read her books.” I didn’t know where this fascination was coming from. I was gainfully employed by an amazing tech company with an amazing boss and life was pretty good. However, this was pulling me and I went all in. I told my husband, “Hon, I want to be a Life Coach.”
I enrolled in the Martha Beck Institute (MBI) and completed her intense year-long certification program where I learned many amazing coaching tools. The shifts I was able to make, and the new perspectives on things that were holding me back, were amazing. My job flourished while I was taking the course – though having a good life gave me the coaching tools to make everything mesh.
In short, I believed in this work because I had a very good testimonial: ME!
While attending MBI, I learned of another coaching discipline created by Koelle Simpson, called Equus Coaching™. This is a method of coaching humans with a magical co-facilitator added – the horse. Turns out I wasn’t done learning just yet. So to my coac
hing tools, I now added a horse!
These two years of education, along with 30 years of being in the trenches of both corporate America and my up-and-down life,
gives me the agility needed to be an awesome coach.
Before launching my practice, I did hundreds of hours of free coaching and mentoring to hone my skills and learn from clients if this helped them. The answer was always -- in a big way – yes!
You might ask, “what’s the point of all this, Trish?” Simple. The coaching industry is not regulated, which means literally anyone can say they're a coach.
Look, I’m happy the business of coaching is becoming more mainstream. Hiring a coach has become a go-to step in enhancing one’s life, career, and relationships. Compared to six years ago when I was reading the Times and didn’t even know what a Life Coach was, we’ve come a long way. I just don’t want it getting watered down and while I embrace my fellow coaches, there are still some I raise my eyebrows at.
Okay, I got that out of my head and onto paper – I should be free of this “anger” now and the shift will begin :) I’ve been coached!
Feed Your Mighty,
Trish