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That's an excellent question -- the job description is fairly open-ended. We suggest you read Karen S. Peterson's USA Today piece, "Life Coaches All The Rage." This Indianapolis Star article also features several quotes from life coaches. Basically, life coaches are non-credentialed therapists who take an active, hands-on approach to helping people with relationship, career, family, and finance issues. Many life coach regimens involve weekly meetings, journal-writing "homework," defining goals through "life blueprints," and bullet-pointed progress updates. The life coach
"go get 'em, tiger" philosophy borrows heavily from corporate, school, and sports arenas. Their services are not intended for people who suffer from depression or other mental illnesses. The "coach" moniker also tends to attract men, who might normally be put off by the idea of therapy. According to the USA Today piece, there are roughly 10,000 life coaches practicing today. Many more are signing up, attracted by training programs offering lucrative careers. If you're considering getting a life
coach, proceed with caution. This is a relatively new profession with many claiming expertise. The International Coach Federation claims to provide "self-regulation" and may serve as a good place to start your search.
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