Life Coaching: A Manual for Helping Professionals

by Dave Ellis

This work is for psychotherapy section, and for healthcare professionals. This manual is specifically designed for therapists, counsellors and other helping professionals who are looking to add life coaching techniques to their portfolio of skills. Dave Ellis, author of "Falling Awake", has produced a step-by-step practical guide to turning your natural people helping skills into a profitable life coaching business. Life coaching is not therapy, but many of the qualities that therapists possess, and the techniques they use, naturally lend themselves to a life coaching approach. Because Ellis advocates a more directive approach than most authors of life coaching books, this book will naturally appeal to therapists and counsellors used to conducting therapeutic interventions. Life coaching is a fast growing profession and many think it will replace therapy as the primary intervention to get people to live more positive, happy and goal-oriented lives.

236 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2006

Reviews

[Dr. Ruth Neustifter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to finish this one, as I was read it while relocating, but I am so glad I did! This is an excellent book for therapists looking to add coaching to their practice, and also for those who are seeking new inspiration and strength-based approaches to therapy. While the book is very clear about the differences between coaching and therapy, there are obvious links between humanitarian, strengths-based, collaborative and narrative therapies and the Ellis's philosophy of coaching. I found this book to be energizing and inspiring, with enough information to help me apply my therapy training to this new area without trying to walk me through the steps of techniques that I am already well versed in. Most aspects of starting a business are covered in brief, later in the book, however this will not be enough for those who are preparing to launch their first private practice of any type. I suspect most readers already know the ins and outs of being self employed, though, and will appreciate the brief over view on running and promoting coaching practice. Highly recommended and very readable, with suggestions for further resources by the author and others.