What is the difference between coaching and psychotherapy?
Psychotherapists and psychologists diagnose, assess and treat disorders of thought, mood, and behavior. They often focus on the past and look to your family of origin to understand how you’ve become the person you are today. More weight is often placed on the past, what’s not working, and what needs fixing.

Coaching is more interested in looking at what is working, what’s right, good, and true about who you are and who you want to become. It helps you find more meaning, fulfillment and purpose in life rather than looking at what’s wrong. Coaching involves developing action plans that often include homework or exercises to complete outside of the session and requires you to be accountable for following through on these assignments. Coaches focus on the resistance that stand in your way. They help you move past these blocks by closely monitoring your persistence in reaching your goals. They also act as your cheerleader, encouraging you and celebrating your wins.

How are you different from other coaches?
Little is needed in the way of training or experience to call oneself a coach. Many coaches have neither undergone their own therapy, coaching, or self-discovery process nor been through any formal training to learn how to empathize or process another person’s emotions.

There are a few details that set me apart from other coaches.

1.) I have a MA and PsyD in clinical psychology and have earned over 5,000 clinical hours of supervised experience working with all types of people with various physical, mental, and emotional stressors. I therefore have a lot of experience in working with all types of people from ages 18-98, from many different nationalities, cultures, and sexual orientations.

2.) All sessions are conducted in person. Many coaches offer sessions over the phone. Due to my experience, I have found that a lot gets lost when it’s not possible to observe the subtle nuances that are exchanged nonverbally. In addition, NET is only done in person.

3.) I’m a Neuro Emotional Technique practitioner (NET). Most coaches do not have this specialized training. NET allows you to achieve much faster results because it bypasses the rational mind and directly accesses the feelings connected to your issues. Instead of spending weeks or months talking about a particular problem, with NET we can figure out what’s getting in the way of achieving your goals and set you on your path to creating the momentum to achieve the results you desire.

4.) Given my background and training, I’m qualified to know when to make the appropriate referrals to psychologists or psychotherapists, psychiatrists, chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, massage therapists, other types of healers, or medical doctors.

5.) Few coaches assist people in alleviating their physical problems. I work with people who want healing, whether that’s physical, emotional, or both. I come from the understanding that emotions affect our bodies and minds and vice versa, and therefore, understanding the emotions underlying a physical complaint is often the key to alleviating the concerns effectively. I look for the root cause contributing to the issue, which allows for deeper, longer-lasting healing.

What kind of problems or goals do you work with and what’s your specialty?
I work with people with many different types of problems and goals. Common ones include weight loss, relationship issues, feeling stuck, lack of direction personally and/or professionally, procrastination, career difficulties, and personal growth and transformation. I specialize in working with people dealing with chronic pain, chronic health conditions, and medically unexplained problems.

For how long will I need a coach? How long before I see results?
Length of coaching varies for each person since everyone is unique. I won’t be able to tell you for how long we’ll need to work together until I meet you and understand your goals as well as learn how long you’ve been bothered by your current issues. It may take as little as 3 months to accomplish your goals and other times it may take 6-9 months.

Results from NET can feel subtle or they can also be profound. In either case, we’re making shifts to the physiology, which is where emotions are stored, and therefore there will be a change in how a certain emotion is felt or exhibited. Combined with coaching, the most immediate result is often one of clarity—knowing what you want in life and considering the steps to get there.