What’s the difference between coaching and counseling?

While there is some overlap between both practices, it’s extremely important for a prospective client to note the differences.

Coaching is both present and future focused while counseling often includes a deep exploration of unresolved issues from the past. The coaching process is about uncovering personal truth, charting a plan, taking action, reflecting on the results, revising, and repeating as necessary. The counseling process deals more with the inner workings of the conscious and subconscious mind and the behaviors and experiences that are occurring as a result.  

Counseling is offered by health care professional and can address physical and mental health issues in ways that a coach cannot.  

In both cases, you are hiring a caring professional who will hold space for you throughout your transition or transformation process. A coach is a fantastic choice for supporting your actions and accountability, while a counselor is wonderful for addressing trauma or any other places that require deep personal healing. In many cases, clients will hire a coach and a counselor to provide different types of support for co-occurring objectives.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this distinction further!

What are the benefits of hiring a coach?

According to research conducted by The International Coach Federation, some of the top areas that coaching clients have found coaching to be valuable to their lives (ICF 1998, ICF 2009) include improvements in self-confidence and self-esteem, more harmonious relationships, better communication skills, greater career opportunities, improved goal-setting abilities, increased productivity, more work/life balance, improvements in health/fitness and wellness, success in quitting a bad habit, more income, and an enhanced quality of life.

Whatever your goal may be, hiring a coach exponentially increases your chances of actually achieving it! The American Society of Training and Development did a study on accountability and discovered the probabilities of completing a goal as follows: 10% if we have an idea or a goal, 25% if we consciously decide we will pursue it, 40% if we decide when we will do it, 50% if we create an action plan of how we will do it, 65% if we commit to someone that we will do it, and 95% if we have a specific accountability appointment with a person that we’ve committed to! 

When you hire me as your coach, you can expect an inspiring and compassionate accountability partner, new tools and techniques to promote a deeper understanding of yourself and your values, guidance in action-planning, unbiased input, support in a style that works best for you, and results that will exceed the original scope of your expectations.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is the process of using hypnosis to communicate with the subconscious mind and produce positive changes. Sessions can vary in technique, style, language, and application but will always include (1) strong desire to change in client, (2) a state of deep, relaxed focus (3) language and visualization in relation to client’s physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual objectives.
 

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is simply a state of deep, relaxed focus. Each of us enters this state, which is sometimes referred to as an altered or trance state, at least a couple of times a day. At the moments we wake up and fall asleep, we are in the trance state. Driving, watching TV, listening to music, or engaging in a favorite hobby or activity can also bring us into a natural state of trance.
 

What can be treated with hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy has proven to be an effective form of treatment for many different things such as stress, anxiety, fears and phobias, smoking cessation, weight loss, pain management, removing blocks and limitations, transforming thoughts and behaviors, increasing self-confidence, coping with grief/loss, stress reduction, PTSD, intimacy issues, and improving performance (work, sports, etc.), OCD, panic attacks, sleep disturbances, anger management, and so on.

It is also often recommended as a complimentary therapy for treating alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders, and select health issues. Transpersonal hypnotherapy incorporates the non-physical realm, providing opportunities for clients to explore the possibility of a deeper spiritual experience.
 

What cannot be treated with hypnotherapy?

Clients suffering from epilepsy, schizophrenia, severe depression, or any other serious physical or psychiatric condition should always consult a health professional first prior to trying hypnosis.
 

Will I lose control?

This is a common misconception about hypnosis. Hypnosis is simply a deep state of relaxed focus. The client will always have control and will not do or say anything against their will during the session. A client will never reveal or agree to anything in the trance state that wouldn’t also be OK when they are fully conscious.
 

Is hypnotherapy dangerous?

Hypnotherapy is a powerful, safe, and effective form of treatment when offered by a well-trained, ethical practitioner. Harmful myths about people getting hypnotized into saying or doing things they don’t want to do, or getting stuck in the trance state and never fully waking up, are simply untrue. Clients will always be in control during their sessions and will be able to wake up from the trance state with ease. Always make sure to select a hypnotherapist that makes you feel comfortable, and inspires a sense of trust and confidence.
 

What if it doesn’t work for me?

Making real and lasting positive changes in our lives goes beyond the realm of hypnotic suggestion. Clients need to be 100% committed to making the changes that they say they want to make prior to undergoing hypnosis treatment for it to be effective. When a client is totally committed to changing, and agrees to participate in their sessions as fully as possible, hypnosis will be a powerful tool in eliminating negative thoughts, feelings, or behaviors and replacing them with positive ones!

CELEBRANT SERVICES

What kinds of ceremonies would I hire a celebrant for?

Celebrants are fantastic partners in co-creating unique baby blessings, wedding ceremonies, vow-renewals, birthdays, graduations, memorials, rites of passage, or any other significant moments of beginning or ending that one may want to build a sacred ceremony around.

OTHER

 What is your training and education?

I am a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a BA in Communications Studies, and a concentration in Interpersonal Communication. I am also a certified transformational coach, hypnotherapist, and ordained celebrant through an integrative two-year program at Southwest Institute of Healing Arts (SWIHA) in Arizona.  

Additionally, I have enjoyed several years of writing and facilitating guided meditations for individuals and groups, and am currently hosting a grief support group for people in their 20s and 30s who have experienced significant loss.