Life Coaching Short Course

Life Coaching Short Course Content

Unit 1 – Life Coaching and You

This module explores the role of the coach in a wide-range of situations. The module encourages students to look introspectively and starts building the blocks of thinking about the numerous reasons people will seek a coach. The module also examines the various techniques of the delivery of coaching. It explains the differences in advice, guidance and the implementation of coaching. Students gain knowledge of active listening and personality profiling. Students are asked to review thoughts and feelings about certain situations, and then learn how to structure thoughts and plan personal development. Students are introduced to questioning techniques and building up a preliminary client session.

Unit 2 – Essential Qualities

This module focuses on the qualities that a Life Coach needs to possess and develop in order to be a positive influence on the client. This also addresses confidentiality and report taking. The module requires students to complete an interview form and to summarise case studies.

Unit 3 – Interviewing a Client and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)

This module demonstrates to students how to build key client relationships, maintaining confidence and trust of clients, and delivering high quality services all the while managing client expectations. The interviewing technique is key to the successful coach and also enables the coach to see the client as a whole. Key techniques will be examined. These will be developed as the course progresses.

The NLP component of this module is a stand-alone course in itself. NLP brings together the three areas of the mind, our use of language, and our behaviour to achieve our goals. “Neuro” relates to neurology, the study of the mind and how we think, “linguistics” covers our use of language and how it affects us and “programming” addresses how we sequence our actions to achieved desired outcomes. The basic premise is that it useful and desirable for coaches to appreciate the nature and applications of NLP, particularly since there are strong links and similarities between many NLP concepts, strategies and techniques and others widely used in coaching. The Module adopts an objective, informative and questioning approach. It outlines the benefits of NLP in promoting positive thinking, effective communication, and encouragement to use one’s internal resources to “change one’s state” and achieve well-formed outcomes.

Unit 4 – Relationships, Sexuality and Bereavement

This module explores the techniques used to draw information out of the client and aid the coming to terms with how he or she feels. It also addresses coaching couples and examines the way the coach may approach the situation in a different manner. The module covers wide-ranging relationships from workplace to family. This module also discusses the stages of dying and the tasks of mourning. The coach can have a huge part to play in these situations. Many clients will benefit from a mourning plan and dealing with the vast array of emotions they may be feeling. Students cover perspectives of the reality of loss, the client adjusting to their environment, allowing for individual differences. Defences and coping styles are explained.

Unit 5 – Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictions

This module addresses the definitions and effects of drugs, alcohol and addictions. Students will gain knowledge and understanding of the effects with regard to relationships, physical and emotional health, aspects of performance as well as legal and financial situations. The module covers ways of assisting the client in a practical and supportive manner. The course also covers coaching clients with financial problems.

Unit 6 – Stress, Depression and Suicide

This module examines many of today’s largest problem areas that are encountered by clients. Students will have the opportunity to work through the detailed practical steps and goal setting processes that assist the client. The module explains healthy coping styles, relaxation techniques, stress management systems, sources of stress (stressors) and time management.

Unit 7 – Finding Clients and Initial Enquiries

This module explores the areas in which a coach works. Students will learn about coaching in specialised areas; eg. Health and Fitness Coach, Addictions Coach, Female Lifestyle Coach, Relationship Coach, Career Coach and Business Coach, as well as all round coaching. By this stage of your course, students may have definite ideas of specialising in a particular area of coaching. Students will also gain knowledge about promotion of themselves and their businesses, as well as dealing in a positive manner with prospective clients.

Unit 8 – Financial, Career and Workplace (Corporate) Coaching

This module focuses on the clients’ financial goals, using financial indicators and positive goal setting. Students will also gain understanding of coaching within the context of a person’s career and workplace which is one of the largest fields of interest for coaches.

Unit 9 – Business of Coaching, Administration and Ethics

This module contains samples of various coaching sheets. These include: coach/client contract, client session form, client basis form, client goal action form, referral letter, terms and conditions, client’s action plan/care plan and client feedback forms.

The final part to the full course is a ‘Plan for Business’. This is a full course and moves the student through a business plan, how to market important skills professionally, finance and the conflicting elements that may be encountered. This section of the course is especially relevant to those who aim to start their own private practice.