Life Coaching: COMENSAnews October 2012 Edition

Nov. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- This is the first time that an issue of COMENSAnews has been devoted to the topic: The Life Coach, and it has been hugely encouraging to see the positive response and the variety of articles. It seems to me, on having read through this month's contributions, that many Life Coaches have stumbled on their career by accident. Life Coaching seems to be a path that calls to people who are searching for more in life, and who are looking to give back more to life. The articles in this issue of COMENSAnews make a strong case for the discipline of Life Coaching and its value in the business and personal world.

One of the current COMENSA Executive Committee's 5 strategic pillars is Diversity, and we see this particularly in the field of Life Coaching. There is diversity in the professions and careers from which people come to Life Coaching, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise. The articles in this issue of COMENSAnews will show that there is tremendous diversity in the models, tool and approaches that Life Coaches use to create transformation in the lives of their clients. There is also diversity in the way in which our fellow practitioners chose to practice, and Jeremy Clampett's article gives a particularly original view on this subject!

One of the over-riding themes throughout the articles was the dance between coaching and therapy, and how closely coaching draws on the world of psychology for its models and approaches. It was interesting to see how many of the authors and Life Coaches have a background in Psychology, therapy or counselling and the pains that they have taken to identify the space and place that coaching has versus other disciplines. It makes sense, though, because we are working with human beings, to have a working knowledge of psychological models to inform our work as coaches, and to be in a position to recognise when a client might need the help of a professional from another field. Indeed, this is embedded in the COMENSA Code of Ethics (http://www.comensa.org.za/PROFESSIONAL_PRACTICE/Portfolio...) (have you read it lately?)

In this issue of COMENSAnews: (please copy and paste this link into your internet browser: www.comensa.org.za/NEWSLETTERS/COMENSAnews_2012_(Jan_-_Dec)/COMENSAnews_October_2012.aspx )

Life Coaching: A career for the 21st century (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/337/Life-Coachin...) by Bill Burridge I clicked on the red button, took off my headset and leaned back in my chair, before stretching out my arms and pursing my lips to force out a deep breath of air.

A Plea to Life Coaches from a Past President (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/340/Belinda-Davi...) By Belinda Davies Having been involved with COMENSA since the very beginning, I have been struck by what appears to be hesitation on the part of Life Coaches to really take their place strongly in the community of coaches. In this article, I am going to float a few thoughts, but I am mostly making an appeal.

Life coaching with a difference (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/345/Life-Coaching-with-a-difference.aspx) by Jeremy Clampett From the day I started coaching, I disliked the notion that my 'practice' would come to resemble something akin to a general practitioner's practice, with clients seated in chairs outside my consulting room, queuing up for their 'treatment'.

Life Coaching: A Force That Is Here To Stay (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/349/Life-Coaching-A-Force-That-Is-Here-To-Stay.aspx) by Sharon Stobbia I stumbled upon life coaching as a career choice by accident. In 2010 I read a blog by Robin Sharma (Author of The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari) on "How to Lead an Exceptional Life." One of the tips was to get a coach.

Putting Yourself First (By Hiring a Life Coach) (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/347/Putting-Yourself-First-By-hiring-a-life-coach.aspx) By Lorraine Le Roux It is a perfect autumn day: cool, windless with a crisp, clear sky. It is a small workshop, intimate. Four women who want to stop gaining back the weight they lose year after year; who want to learn new skills to support them in their life-long weight-management struggle.

Life Coaching – Managing life (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/343/Life-Coaching--Managing-Life.aspx) By Katherine Train The past twenty years have witnessed the introduction and rapid growth of life coaching as a profession. Running concurrently with this trend has been a perception in various sectors, ranging from learning theorists and physicists to so-called "new age" followers, of a potential rapid change for humanity.

Lessons learnt from starting the journey as a life coach (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/339/Lessons-Learnt-From-Starting-The-Journey-As-A-Life-Coach.aspx) by Amelia Beukes In 2005, after many years of teaching high school students, I decided to further my studies in psychology.

Life Coaching – living life to the fullest (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/351/Life-Coaching-living-life-to-the-fullest.aspx) By Sylvia Baloyi Life is a precious gift and it is meant to be lived fully. Yet, we tend to spend most of our time focusing on the past or planning for the future and forget that life happens today, right now.

Life Coaching as profession (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/344/LIFE-COACHING-AS-PROFESSION.aspx) By Dr. Christo A. Scheepers, Ph.D. Life coaching is a profession that came across my path by accident, but what a serendipitous moment!

What it Takes to Make Good Strategy: The Foundation of Strategy: Diagnosis Part 1 – Internal Analysis (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/338/What-it-Takes-to-Make-Good-Strategy-The-Foundation-of-Strategy-Diagnosis-Part-1-Internal-Analysis.aspx) By Belinda Davies I'm continuing with my series of articles inspired by Richard Rumelt's great book, "Good Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters" with a discussion on analysing the internal environment of your organisation.

The Life Coach (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/346/The-Life-Coach.aspx) By Margaret Anne Drake My journey to becoming a life coach started when I reached a cross roads in my life in 1998. I initially turned to people around me, colleagues and friends alike and self-development books to not only make some sense of my life, but to get some sort of control back over the direction my life was taking. The next logical step was therapy. Therapy definitely has its place however it stopped working for me because I was frustrated at being stuck in the past with my problems and fears.

Monthly Morsel for Making MORE out of your COMENSA Membership: What to do with Client Testimonials? (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/336/Monthly-Morsel-for-Making-MORE-out-of-your-COMENSA-Membership-What-to-do-with-Client-Testimonials.aspx) By Megan Hudson, COMENSA National Marketing & PR Consultant and owner of MH Consulting I'm sure that every now and again you receive an email, SMS or note from a client complimenting you on the great work that you have done, or on the good service you have given them. You may even be sitting in a meeting when a client says something really good about what it is that you do. CAPTURE IT!

The Life Coach (http://www.comensa.org.za/COMENSAnews/ID/350/The-Life-Coach.aspx) By Rose Lemkus I see Life Coaching as a process in which the coach teams up with a client in an effort to assist the client to design their best possible future by setting goals, examining obstacles and taking action to move towards their desired outcomes.