Humanist Life Coaches Are Unique
Humanist Life Coaches become intimately involved in the life of their "clients" (really more akin to friend, but client sounds more "professional").
They are not psychologists, sitting down deconstructing the past, analyzing behavior, strategizing on ideas to address problems.
Life Coaches do some of the things social workers do, but take it to another level : past the client / worker relationship, into real friendship. Formalized, structured, strategized friendship, but friendship nonetheless.
Humanist Life Coaches are, in effect, best friends with their clients.
They go shopping together.
They go out clubbing together.
They cook together.
They eat out at restaurants together.
They play sports together.
In quite nearly every way, Client and Coach are best friends.
But not every way.
This is where the distinction of being a "professional" best friend comes into play.
When the Life Coach goes home to their own life, maybe their own family, Client and Coach are separate and distinct entities.
A Life Coach is not a beer buddy, or a poker chum.
A Life Coach is not someone to be called at 2am to talk about the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries.
A Life Coach is not someone to ask for a $20 loan.
A Life Coach is a professional best friend.
Their job is to help empower people,
help people gain confidence in themselves.
Certainly their approach is 100% hands on.
Certainly there are genuine feelings of warmth and affection between Coach and Client, which may become 2am phone call / Vampire Diary discussion friendship after the professional relationship has finished.
Until the professional relationship is over though, the Coach is there to empower the Client first, and the friendship remains in the limits of the time spent Coaching together (although, personally, I believe if Client and Coach want to have a more casual relationship, that is just fine).
The Professional Life Coach Empowers People
until they are ready to forge powerful friendships of their own.
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