I’ll be the first to say it: Not everyone should hire a life coach. Sure, it may seem counterproductive for me to be discouraging people from working with one, but it actually isn’t. If you’re not in a place where you should see a coach, it would be a waste of my time (and your money!) to work with me.

There are a lot of amazing things that life coaches can do to help people. Be their sounding board, someone to hold them accountable, their kick-in-the-pants, a mentor, a friend, someone who has the knowledge and resources to help you achieve your goals…the list goes on. If you’re curious about whether or not you should see a life coach, I covered that in another blog post.

But there are definitely those who shouldn’t work with a coach, at least not in this moment. Here’s how to tell:

You’re looking for help with trauma or mental health issues

A life coach is not a therapist or a counselor. We aren’t trained in the same way as these professions, and we don’t have the qualifications to handle these types of issues. Now don’t get me wrong, it’s totally normal to work with both a coach and a therapist. But it’s like seeing a specialist for your diabetes and also a fitness trainer — both are in the health fields, but they handle entirely different issues.

You’re not ready to commit to the process of coaching, including getting uncomfortable, listening to new ideas, and getting your homework done.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. I can do everything on my side to help you get somewhere, but if you’re not willing to put the work in, nothing is going to change. It’s like the old saying, “You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” I can provide you with all my knowledge and expertise, I can touch in with you every day, I can be at the top of my game — but if you don’t do the work, it won’t make any difference.

You don’t take the coaching experience seriously.

All of my clients are kind, positive, honest people looking to make a real change in their lives. They’re open and eager to the process and have literally put their time and money on the line to see results. This is why I don’t offer discounts. If you’re not willing to ante up to what I’m asking of you and take the relationship seriously, you won’t take yourself seriously either. Let’s go back to the comparison of a personal trainer. There’s a big difference between spending $30 a gym membership and saying you’re going to work out, than spending a $300 on one-on-one training with someone who knows when you decided to sleep in instead of heading to the gym. You need to take it seriously in order to make serious change.

In the end, it’s really all about knowing who you are and what you’re ready to handle. Any other questions? Share them in the comments below, or join the party on my Instagram and share there: https://www.instagram.com/katrina.widener/

You'll also love:

• A look at the book You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero

• Learning how to trust your own intuition

• How what you wear can lead to self-acceptance

And when you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you:

• Start your journey with self discovery and goal setting.

• Take the next step with one-on-one life and business coaching.

• Be challenged, inspired, and supported through a group coaching experience.