What's a life coach? Plus, how to know if you need one
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
A life coach isn't a therapist, but they can improve your life. Here’s what you need to know about life coaches: types, how to find one, and what they do.
Have you been overwhelmed trying to balance all the moving parts of your life, or do you feel completely lost when it comes to finding your “truth path” — or even just the right next step? Maybe you're stuck in a job that doesn't excite you, or have big dreams but no idea how to make them happen. Or maybe you need some support to feel more confident in your relationships at home, at work, or to get back in the dating scene.
Whatever you’re after, it’s normal to feel like you need a little guidance along the way. Which is why so many people are turning to life coaches to help them figure out where they want to go and how the heck to get there.
What’s a life coach?
For starters, it’s important to know what a life coach isn't. A life coach isn’t a therapist — they probably won’t dig into your past or have the qualifications to help with mental health concerns. Instead, they’ll stay focused on the present and future, helping you discover what you truly want in life and working with you to create a plan to get there.
Life coaches come from various backgrounds and specialize in different areas. There are some life coaches that will be focused on helping you grow in one specific part of your life. If you’re stuck in your job and unsure of your next steps, a career-focused life coach can help clarify the changes you want and work out how to make them. If you’re struggling with personal relationships, a relationship coach can help you improve communication skills or set healthy boundaries.
There are also more general coaches that can help you find balance when you’re struggling to manage all the things — work, family commitments, personal goals, etc.
In all of these cases, life coaches will take a practical, goal-oriented approach, helping you identify obstacles and showing you how to move forward.
Life coach vs. therapist
Therapist: A therapist is a licensed professional trained to help you with emotional issues, mental health challenges, and past traumas. They explore your feelings, behavior patterns, and the root causes affecting your wellbeing. If you struggle with anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma, therapy can diagnose and treat mental health conditions. Therapists can also help you process difficult emotions, and heal from past experiences.
Life coach: Instead of deep emotional healing, a life coach helps you set and achieve personal or professional goals. Life coaches don’t diagnose mental health conditions or provide therapy. They help you improve confidence, mindset, motivation, and focus on strategies to overcome obstacles. While there are a variety of training and certification programs for life coaches, there are no standardized exams or clinical hours required to enter the profession as there are with therapists.
Both life coaches and therapists are trying to help people lead happier, healthier lives, and—if you’re able—you may decide to work with both at different times, depending on your needs. If you’re up against some deep mental or emotional struggles, therapy is likely the best starting point. If you’re feeling stuck but ready to take action toward some big goals, a life coach might be the right fit for you.
What does a life coach do (and how can they improve your life)?
A life coach works with you one-on-one to help you get more clarity around what it is you want in your life, and then helps you build—and execute—a plan to make it happen. Some of the main areas a life coach can support you include:
Clarifying your goals: A life coach helps work out what you really want, whether it’s related to your career, relationships, health, or personal growth. They help break down big, vague ideas into smaller, more achievable steps.
Creating an action plan: They help you map out a step-by-step plan to achieve your goals. This includes identifying obstacles, breaking tasks into manageable parts, and setting deadlines.
Accountability: Life coaches check-in regularly to keep you accountable and motivated to follow through on your commitments.
Building confidence: A life coach can help you develop the mindset needed to take risks and push beyond your comfort zone. By focusing on your strengths and achievements, they encourage a more positive outlook.
Providing objective feedback: Coaches aren’t there to judge you, but to give honest, unbiased advice that helps you grow.
Helping you overcome obstacles: A life coach helps you identify fear, procrastination, or limiting beliefs, and works with you to find solutions.
Supporting long-term growth: A good life coach helps you develop skills and habits that lead to long-term success. This might include improving your time management, learning to set better boundaries, or developing healthier routines.
7 types of life coaches
Just like therapists specialize in different areas or types of therapy to support their clients, life coaching can also be tailored to the parts of your life you want to improve. There are different types of life coaches that specialize in specific areas, allowing you to hone in on whatever dream or goal you need support around.
1. Career coach
If you're unhappy in your current job, looking to make a career change, or trying to advance to the next level, a career coach can guide you in your professional life.
They can help you figure out what career path suits you best, practice for interviews, and improve your networking skills.
Explore the benefits of having professional development goals (and 22 examples of goals you can set).
2. Relationship coach
Whether you’re looking to strengthen your current relationships or hoping to start a new one, a relationship coach helps you develop better communication skills, set healthy boundaries, and improve the way you interact with your romantic partner, family members, friends, or colleagues.
They can help you get clear on what you want in your relationships, guide you in navigating conflicts, and offer tools to help you build deeper connections. Explore these eight tips to help you build emotional connection in your relationships.
3. Health and wellness coach
Ready to step up your wellness game? A health and wellness coach focuses on helping you develop sustainable habits toward a healthier lifestyle (here are 14 you can try), so you can cope with stress better, improve your fitness, or eat more healthily.
They might work with you on meal planning, exercise routines, mindfulness techniques, or stress management strategies to improve your wellbeing.
4. Business coach
Whether you’re trying to build a small business or improve your leadership skills within a larger organization, a business coach can guide you through challenges with leadership development, business strategy, and team management to help you reach your professional goals.
They also assist with decision-making and improving your work-life balance, which can be especially important for business owners.
Take some time to explore the pillars of workplace wellbeing, and why they matter.
5. Confidence coach
This type of coach helps you build self-esteem, self-belief, and overcome fears. Maybe you're facing imposter syndrome, you worry about taking on new challenges, or you need help trusting your abilities. A confidence coach can guide you in developing a more positive mindset.
They can help you identify limiting beliefs and work through them, so you feel more empowered and self-assured. You can start with these seven mindful tips to improve your self-esteem.
6. Executive coach
An executive coach focuses on helping leaders and high-level professionals improve their performance and leadership skills.
If you need support with decision-making, team leadership, or improving your effectiveness at work, an executive coach can provide personalized strategies to help you grow. You can also explore what it means to be a mindful leader by checking out these 10 ways to lead with mindfulness.
7. Life balance coach
A life balance coach helps people struggling to juggle different areas of their lives, such as work, family, and personal goals.
If you often feel overwhelmed or like you’re constantly pulled in too many directions, this type of coach can work with you to set priorities, manage your time better, and make sure you’re taking care of yourself, too.
How to find the right life coach for you
Just like any relationship, it may take a little time to find the right fit for you when it comes to a life coach. There are so many different coaches out there, but with a little research and reflection, you can find someone who fits your unique needs. Here are a few key elements to think through when you’re trying to find a life coach.
Get clear on your goals
Before you start your search, take some time to think about what you want to achieve. Are you looking for help with your career, personal relationships, or your health and wellness?
If you’re not sure exactly what you need help with, that’s okay! Think about the areas of your life where you feel stuck or want to make changes. Knowing your goals—whether they’re specific or general—can make it easier to find the right coach.
💙 Discover The ‘Why’ Behind Your Goals with Jay Shetty to get clear on the goals you want to work towards with a life coach.
Research their coaching credentials
While life coaching isn’t a regulated industry, many coaches are certified by reputable organizations, which shows they’ve been trained in specific techniques and adhere to ethical guidelines. Look for coaches who’ve completed training programs through recognized bodies like the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which sets high standards for coaching.
Some life coaches may have other relevant backgrounds, like psychology or business, which add to their skill set. Learning a bit about a coach's background can help you understand if they may be a good fit for you.
Read through client testimonials
Get a better feel for a coach’s style and results they can help you achieve by reading reviews from current or past clients on their website or other platforms. This can give you an insight into how the coach works, the types of situations they can support with, and what kind of progress you can expect.
Of course, no one is going to put negative reviews on their website, so you may want to do a wider search to see if any other information about the coach is out there.
Get to know them through a consultation
Many life coaches offer a free discovery call, which can be a great opportunity to see if you connect with them on a personal level. During this call, ask questions about their process, experience, and how they’d approach your specific goals. Pay attention to how they speak to you and how you feel when talking to them.
Do they listen to you? Do they seem understanding and supportive? It’s important to feel comfortable with your coach, since you’ll be sharing your thoughts, challenges, and goals with them. You may need to talk to several coaches to find someone you feel at ease with — it’s a worthwhile investment.
💙 Spend a little time Checking in with Yourself before and after you meet with a potential coach to see how the interaction made you feel.
Consider their approach (and if it works for you)
Some coaches are very structured, offering step-by-step plans and strict accountability. Others might take a more flexible, intuitive approach, focusing on deep conversations and self-discovery.
Get honest about what kind of support you need to help you get the most out of the experience — do you want someone to push you with clear action steps? Or would you prefer a coach to guide you through self-reflection and personal growth at your own pace?
If you struggle with procrastination, maybe you’d do better with a more structured approach. But if you get overly focused on details and get lost in perfectionism, maybe you’d have more success with a gentler touch. There’s no right or wrong way, just what will work best for you.
💙 Learn how to Get What You Need (and maybe not always what you want) during this Daily Jay session.
Make sure they’re a good listener
A key component of a good life coach is someone who truly listens to you, not just someone who tells you what to do. Notice whether the coach listens carefully to your unique challenges and dreams, and asks thoughtful questions before offering advice or creating a plan.
The best coaches work with you as a partner, guiding you based on your specific situation, so pay attention to what kind of partner they make.
Consider pricing and commitment
Life coaching is an investment in yourself, but you’ll need to find a coach whose fees fit with your budget. Prices can vary widely depending on the coach’s experience, location, and specialty. And while some coaches charge per session, others will offer packages that include a set number of sessions over several months.
Before committing, make sure you understand the cost and what you’ll be getting in return. Don’t be afraid to ask about payment plans if needed, as many coaches are flexible. And make sure to think about how much time and energy you can spare — coaching is most effective when you can put in the work between sessions.
Trust your gut
After researching, reading reviews, and having a consultation, all that’s left to do is trust your instincts. If you feel a good connection with a coach and believe they can help you, that’s a good sign. Coaching is a very personal experience, and it’s important to work with someone who you feel genuinely “gets” you.
💙 If trusting your intuition feels foreign, check out this session on Self-Trust from the Relationship with Self series from Tamara Levitt.
Life coach FAQs
How often should you meet with a life coach?
Most people meet with their life coach once a week or every two weeks, but this’ll depend on your personal goals, the type of coaching you’re receiving, and the coach’s style.
Meeting weekly can help you stay focused and accountable, ensuring you keep working toward your goals. But, if your schedule’s tight or your goals are more long-term, you might meet less often, like once a month.
Some people like to have frequent sessions at the start to get things going, then move to less frequent check-ins as they gain more confidence and independence. Find a rhythm that keeps you on track without feeling overwhelmed.
What qualifications should a life coach have?
While life coaching isn’t a highly regulated industry, many coaches enhance their skills with certifications and training. Look for coaches certified by recognized organizations like the International Coaching Federation (ICF), which holds coaches to high standards and ensures they follow ethical guidelines.
A life coach’s experience and client success stories can also tell you about their abilities. Some coaches have backgrounds in wellness, business, or other fields that complement their coaching focus. Ask about their training, client outcomes, and how they continue to develop their skills.
Can life coaching and therapy be done simultaneously?
Life coaching and therapy can be very complementary. While therapy helps you work through emotional or psychological challenges, life coaching can help you focus on more practical, forward-moving aspects of your life, like setting career goals, improving relationships, or building better habits.
Be open with both your therapist and life coach about your goals so they can work in harmony.
How long does it take to see results from life coaching?
The time it takes to see results from life coaching depends on your goals, your commitment, and the complexity of the changes you want to make. Some people notice positive shifts after just a few sessions, especially if their goals are clear and specific. For example, if you’re working on time management or building a new habit, you might see improvements fairly quickly.
However, progress on larger goals or deeper personal growth may take a few months. Life coaching is about building long-term progress, so be patient and stay committed. Your coach will help set realistic timelines, and as long as you’re doing the work between sessions, you’ll likely start to notice changes in the areas you’re looking to grow.
What is the difference between executive coaching and life coaching?
Executive coaching and life coaching both aim to help you grow, but they focus on different areas of your life.
Executive coaching is often used by business owners, managers, or corporate executives—or those aspiring to leadership roles—who want to improve their performance at work, enhance leadership skills, or make changes in their careers. Executive coaches can help with things like decision-making, team management, and improving workplace communication.
Life coaching, on the other hand, can address personal as well as professional goals. A life coach might work with you on career development, but they’ll also help with other areas like building confidence, improving relationships, finding work-life balance, or setting personal goals.
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