As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

You probably know what coaching is when it comes to sports, but what is coaching in a counseling context?Coaching is a close personal relationship between two or more individuals in which the coach or coaches make use of their theological, organizational, and scientific knowledge and skills to help a person evaluate their personal goals, see whatever blind spots exist in their thinking, and work toward living the life that the Lord desires them to live.Christian coaches help you to dig deeply into the Word of God, using guided conversation to understand problems and develop a plan for development and growth.

Spokane Christian Counseling provides Christian Coaching as a service whereby a trained, professional coach comes alongside you as an individual in order to inspire you, help with goal-setting, help you reach those goals, and see change in your life.

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. – Psalm 127:1

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4-5

The purpose of Christian coaching is to teach you how to live and work in a God-honoring way that is within the parameters that God has set for humanity; parameters that are meant to help us to be both salt and light in a sinful and hopeless world.

Everything you do reflects your relationship with God (either for good or for ill) and can have a profound effect on others.Coaches can help you to make effective life changes, as they encourage personal development, help you through meaningful transitions, and encourage you to become a useful member of God’s Kingdom.

Coaches are sounding boards for personal goal setting, management of change, and developing an action plan.Christian coaches can help you to stand on a firm foundationamidst the quicksand of contemporary culture and help you to develop spiritual discernment if that is what you seek.

Our coaching focuses on three specific points:

• Action – planning, implementing, and assessing desired results
• Accountability – wisdom with regard to change processes and outcomes
• Follow-through – after action review and ongoing assessment of initiatives

We ask a lot of questions such as:

What is your vision?

What is your mission?

How do you benefit from organizational thinking?

What are some realistic goals for the short-term and longer term?

Where do you want to go with your life?

Who do you want to be in the future?

What areas of success do you want to reflect?

Your answers to these and other questions will help your coach to create a framework for developing attainable goals, and he or she will offer feedback along the way which will encourage you to keep moving and achieve your goals.

Coaching differs from therapy in that it is focused on the future and its potential, rather than on the past and its problems.Coaching does not typically address psychological issues such as depression or addiction.Instead, it focuses on change in a person’s life that is aimed at achieving personal and professional goals.

Rather than asking, “How did I get to be this way?” the coach encourages a person to ask, “Where do I want to go and how should I get there?” or “Where is God directing me in my life’s journey?”

Do I Need Coaching?

Do you want to improve yourself through goal setting and achievement?If so, you should consider coaching services.There doesn’t need to be any major problem in your life for you to start with coaching.All you really need is to want to live a better life and to have some form of accountability and support.

What Will Coaching Do for Me?

Research shows that coaching can increase job satisfaction, effectiveness, quality of work, and interpersonal relationships.Everything about your life, including your knowledge, skills, accomplishments, and your ability to handle change is made stronger by having a coach.One study suggests that coaching can achieve a nearly 570% return on investment!

What is Executive Coaching?

According to LifeCoach.com, “Many of today’s most successful business leaders, professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, and CEOs use the services of a life coach to take their lives, careers, or businesses to the next level.”

Executive coaching is for professionals who are asking questions including:

• Where should I go in my career?
• How can I better manage my time?
• How can I achieve abetterbalance between work life and home life?
• How can I grow as a professional?
• How can I reduce my stress levels at home and at work?

Are you asking any of these questions?If so, call us today to start down the coaching path.

Coaching is a private conversation between you and your coach.The first session will be spent analyzing your particular situation, identifying challenges, and finding opportunities.The range of the coaching relationship will be established, goals will be set, and a plan for action will be laid out.

Specifically, coaches will:

• Propose the framework for the work
• Assess and diagnose
• Reach agreement on the diagnosis
• Work with you to develop an action plan
• Help you to carry out the action plan
• Analyze the success of the action plan

You may be given homework between sessions – tasks to carry out as steps toward specific goals.

How Long Does Coaching Last?

Every coaching relationship is different and may be longer or shorter depending on your needs, or inclinations.Other factors, such as your particular goals, the way in which you like to work, and frequency of the coaching sessions will also impact how long the coaching will last.

At Spokane Christian Counseling we want to help you flourish and grow in your areas of strength, seize opportunities for positive change, realize your aspirations, and see real results in your life in ways you haven’t before.

…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isaiah 40:31

The Next Step:

Are you ready to take advantage of the coaching services offered by Spokane Christian Counseling?If so, call us, or fill out our online contact form.We look forward to meeting you!

References

Cummings, T. G., Worley, C. G. (2015). Organizational development & change (10th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.