Frequently Asked Questions

How does coaching differ from therapy?

 

Coaching is focused on defining future goals and mapping out how to pursue them. Therapy typically focuses on understanding and resolving past emotional issues and current mental health concerns.  It’s sometimes said that therapists focus on “why” certain behavior patterns occur, whereas coaching explores “how” to achieve an objective.    

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What are the online coaching sessions like?

 

My pre-retirement coaching is intended to help you sort through your exit from work and determine what you want your next chapter to be like.  We can then identify activities and strategies to help you craft that future.  The sessions are 1-hour long and are usually scheduled every 2-3 weeks.

 

Typically, I will email you questionnaires or exercises to complete and return before each coaching session; these will provide a framework for our discussions. Here is an example of a questionnaire you would complete prior to our first session.

 

I’ve already retired.  Can we still work together?

 

I'm not sure that you would find it helpful.  The questionnaires and exercises I use are designed for those contemplating the transition to retirement.  You may be better served by a therapist or coach who specializes in helping people adjust to life in retirement.  

 

Is the process confidential?

 

I will only release information to others with your written permission or in response to a court order. There are some exceptional situations in which I may be obligated to breach confidentiality to protect you or others from harm.  As you can imagine, such situations are extremely rare in coaching practices.  

 

What if I would like additional coaching sessions after finishing the initial coaching package I selected?

 

I’m happy to discuss whether additional sessions might be productive.  Most typically these are structured as a 3 or 5 session follow-up package.

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