I became a life coach in the early 2000s, long before the now-booming industry that is life coaching even existed. For the past 25 years, I have personally coached people from all walks of life, from stay-at-home mothers to athletes, celebrities, and high-profile entrepreneurs. In 2008, I founded the Quantum Success Coaching Academy, which has trained and certified over 3,000 coaches worldwide. I have also published 7 books, all in alignment with my coaching philosophy, and two of which have become New York Times bestsellers. So on the subject of life coaching, it’s safe to say that I know a thing or two.
This past weekend, I received a text from a friend telling me about the #1 Netflix mini-series entitled “Escaping Twin Flames.” And after watching it, I felt an obligation to raise awareness about some critical breaches of integrity everyone should keep in mind when seeking out a life coach.
Here are 5 red flags to look for when vetting any potential coach, to make sure that person truly has your best interest at heart:
Life coach red flag #1: The coach claims they have access to wisdom or insight that their clients does not possess.
A good coach helps clients manifest their highest potential by listening to their own intuition and accessing their own inherent wisdom. A life coach is not a substitute for your own inner guidance; they are a conduit to help you recognize and act in alignment with your inner guidance.
Life coach red flag #2: The coach attempts to control the client’s behavior by giving the client specific advice.
Similar to point #1, a life coach’s main goal is to empower clients to reconnect with their own wisdom, so they can make evolutionary choices in regards to their own affairs. A coach who gives specific advice is usurping this innate power from their client.
Life coach red flag #3: A coach who has poorly defined personal or professional boundaries.
A reputable life coach acts in the best interest of his or her clients, which includes upholding their clients’ confidentiality under any and all circumstances.
Life coach red flag #4: The coach attempts to isolate a client from their family, friends, or support system.
A life coach should help you improve your relationships with the significant people in your life, not seek to alienate or demonize them.
Life coach red flag #5: The coach plagiarizes other people’s work, or does not give credit where credit is due.
Being a coach with integrity demands honesty, and this includes giving credit when using another practitioner’s processes or distinctions.
The coaching relationship is a sacred partnership between coach and client that should be exclusively focused on enhancing and expanding the client’s quality of life. But unfortunately, some life coaches are blatantly deceptive, selfishly focused, or otherwise seek to profit by taking advantage of clients’ vulnerabilities.
A life coach who has integrity is exclusively interested in the happiness and success of his or her clients. This means they listen intently to their client’s goals, hold them accountable for the changes they desire to make, and support their clients in developing new skills and celebrating wins. In other words, there is absolutely no room for self-interest in a life-coaching relationship. The coach wins when the client wins, period.
Christy Whitman is an energy healer, Master Certified Law of Attraction Coach, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Having It All: A Woman’s Guide to Unlimited Abundance. Her latest book, The Desire Factor: How to Embrace Your Materialistic Nature to Reclaim Your Full Spiritual Power is on sale now at www.thedesirefactor.com. Christy communicates with, and for, The Quantum Council, a collection of non-physical ascended masters who desire to help humanity understand that we are divinely designed for well-being, abundance, success, and loving relationships. You can take the first step in aligning with and creating your desires by participating in a free 10-day Challenge called Watch Your Words: Click here to learn more; www.watchyourwords.com
