A recent firsthand account of life coaching offers insight into the process and expectations surrounding this growing professional service. The experience, conducted over three Zoom sessions with Marianna Lead, a Master Certified Coach affiliated with the International Coaching Federation, challenges common assumptions about what life coaching entails.

Unlike therapy or consultancy, life coaching does not focus on giving direct advice or instructions. Instead, it emphasizes helping clients clarify their own goals and identify actionable steps through guided reflection. Lead explained that if a client asks, “What should I do?” it indicates the coach has not effectively facilitated the client’s own discovery process. The aim is for clients to leave sessions with clarity that leads them to determine their own course of action.

The initial meeting centered on the client articulating their concerns, which ranged widely, touching on feelings of overwhelm related to responsibilities, deadlines, financial stress, and interpersonal challenges. Lead listened carefully, noting frequently used words and emotions without prescribing solutions. At the conclusion, the client was tasked with considering what concrete steps to take to address the pervasive stress.

Between sessions, the client reflected on the challenge of self-directed problem solving—questioning the value of coaching if ultimate responsibility rested solely on them. Returning to the second session, the client offered tentative plans to break free from the “vortex” of anxieties while incorporating practical coping techniques such as breathing exercises and prioritizing tasks. Lead offered supportive feedback, contributing mental visualizations and affirmations of the client’s organizational skills. A follow-up email summarizing their brainstorm underscored a structured, collaborative approach rather than directive advice.

By the third session, the client admitted to partial follow-through on the proposed strategies. Lead encouraged focusing on progress rather than perfection, emphasizing incremental wins as a key part of the coaching journey.

The experience diverged from expectations of therapy, which often involves diagnosis and expert guidance. Instead, the coaching process resembled a team sport, akin to football, where the coach plays a supportive role helping the client build their own playbook and execute their game plan. For a $500-per-hour fee, this method aims to empower clients through enhanced self-awareness and personal accountability rather than prescriptive counsel.

This account sheds light on how life coaching positions itself between self-help and professional counseling, prioritizing client autonomy and actionable insight as pathways to personal and professional growth.