barbthelifecoach.com

In a January 26, 2010 Newsweek article, Nancy Cook asks if Life Coaches are worth the money. While she gives an example of a woman who made positive changes in her career as a result of coaching, she also interviews Dr. Puder-York, who gives the example of a client who suffered emotionally as a result of a poorly prepared and trained Life Coach. You can read the article here.

The article also mentions that social workers are beginning to turn to Life Coaching to circumvent the insurance system. As a clinical social worker, this certainly hits close to home. When Danielle and I started brainstorming Life Gardeners into being, we both expressed our dismay with the current system of mental healthcare and the role of the social worker in the “system.” I truly enjoyed my clinical work at both Austin State Hospital (ASH) and North Austin Medical Center, but in order to make ends meet at home, I had to work both jobs. That meant grueling hours, working 40+ hours a week at ASH, then working on-call from 4pm-7am several nights a week and on weekends.

Because I left the clinical world to move into my position in Community Relations, I didn’t maintain my licensure or seek to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. LCSWs are mental health professionals who can provide therapy and bill insurance. Somewhere along the way I lost the desire to engage in that system. It isn’t that I am averse to bureaucratic paperwork and insurance companies. It’s not overly fun, but there is a certain sense of accomplishment in filling out forms correctly and filing them (the joy of doing something that is step-by-step and emotionally neutral). What I couldn’t see myself doing was sitting in an office talking to person after person all day long. I’m an active being with many interests, so I wanted to create a position that allows me to set my own hours and have time to pet my cats, bake cookies with my youngest daughter, and engage in the pursuits that nourish my soul (knitting, spiritual pursuits, energy work, astrology, painting, gardening).

The caveat offered by Dr. Puder-York is something I considered when I went into this line of business. One advantage Danielle and I offer that few other coaches do is our experience with people who have mental health issues. We are both clinically trained and have hours upon hours of experience dealing with crisis counseling, family dynamics, and mental illness. If you choose Life Gardeners to provide Coaching or other services, you are getting the experience of social workers AND the guidance of spiritual seekers. My strengths as a clinical social worker were my intuition, knowledge base, compassion and dedication. I bring these strengths to my coaching clients. Not all coaches are created equal. This is why I searched for a certification course that was accredited and met both my spiritual and educational needs. Dr. Margaret McCraw, PhD, is a licensed psychotherapist and social worker who is also trained using the Law of Attraction to assist clients in reaching their goals. She grounds the coursework in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, a modality I have used with clients in the past. Additionally, the Law of Attraction model is a seamless fit with Solutions-Focused Therapy, which uses techniques such as “the Miracle Question” to help individuals and families solve problems.

While the Law of Attraction has not been studied and reported in peer-reviewed journals, both CBT and Solutions-Focused Therapy are evidenced-based treatments for a variety of mental health and behavioral issues. I’m grateful that Life Coaching is getting attention from Newsweek. With time, we’ll see a move towards professionalism. It’s exciting to be in a breaking field!

Andy Dean – Fotolia.com

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