Is Life Coaching a Scam?

In the mental health community, there’s an ongoing debate about whether life coaching is a legitimate form of mental health care—or not.

There’s been some negative press about life coaching scams, big name coaches who haven’t delivered what they promised, and the lines between therapeutic practices and coaching modalities becoming blurred.

I can’t argue the fact that there are plenty of coaches who have no business calling themselves a coach—who are untrained and unqualified to support people on their mental health journey. I mean, it only takes one Ruby Franke to make the whole lot of us look bad.

—BUT—

The same could be said of many trained, certified, and licensed therapists. After all, Ruby Franke’s business partner was a licensed mental health counselor—and she was arrested, too.

That’s why there’s no easy answer to this question!

Life coaches come in all different varieties. And since coaching is an unregulated field, anyone can call themselves a coach—trained or not.

I believe the answer to this question lies in the focus and accountability of each individual practitioner. So, before we decide if coaching is a scam, let’s look at the difference between life coaching and therapy.

What’s the Difference Between Coaching and Therapy?

A therapist is trained to help you process past or present trauma that has harmed you. They can also diagnose mental health conditions and, depending on their training, can use specialized tools to help you uncover mental distress and heal from life’s challenges, like EMDR. (Learn more about this specific tool HERE.)

Coaches, on the other hand, focus on the here and now. Most coaches have a specific behavior they will help you take or stop taking, a specific habit they will help you break or create, or a specific goal they will help you reach. A life coach is there to set you up for success going forward.

General life coaches are not qualified to help you process severe trauma. They do not heal, diagnose, or treat anything. They are not clinicians and cannot prescribe medications, accept insurance, or do anything that requires a license.

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Trauma-Informed coaches are trained to recognize when past trauma has been triggered so they can avoid retraumatization and support you in finding the help you need. Trauma Recovery coaches are trained to help you deal with trauma that may have impacted you on a lesser level—what we call “little t trauma.”

A coach can be a tremendous resource when you are looking to change a specific belief or behavior, or when you have a specific goal in mind. People commonly hire coaches to help them with things like weight loss, building confidence, and getting organized. However, the problems coaches help with aren’t always that clearly defined since the problems human beings usually deal with aren’t that clearly defined, either!

Sandra Jarvis (that’s me!) helps women heal the lingering effects of trauma that keeps them stuck in the past. Many of my clients have left a high-demand religion and are rebuilding their lives without God. Other clients are young moms who are struggling to stay on top of all the responsibilities of motherhood. Some want to build their confidence so they can pursue their dreams. And others are working toward healing their inner mean girl so they can create a sense of internal peace. If you’ve processed your trauma in therapy, but you still struggle to create purpose and peace in your life, I’m the coach for you!

So…Is Coaching A Scam?

Admittedly, I’m biased.

But coaching changed my life. I went from a bitter and angry woman who hated life and looked forward to the day when I could leave this earth behind—to someone who loves life and loves living. The tools I teach my clients are the exact tools I used to completely change my life!

I believe in the power of coaching. But if you’re considering hiring a coach, be sure you do your homework. Look for someone who has been trained by a reputable coaching school. Ask for a complimentary consult to meet and get to know the coach BEFORE you sign any contracts. Ask about the cost of their services, when payment is due, what their refund policy is, and what you will receive for your investment. While results are difficult to promise in coaching because they are largely dependant on whether or not you do the work, your coach should be able to give you an idea of what to expect if you choose to work with them. Not all coaches are created equal, so shop around until you find one you feel 100% comfortable working with.

If you’re interested in finding out more about how my coaching can benefit you, set up a free consult HERE. I’d love to help you determine whether or not coaching with me could be a good fit for you.

Hope to see you soon!