How Life Coaching Works

Part A: How A Lot of Life Coaches Work

Life Coaches (or Personal Coaches—there are variations on what they are called) typically offer “packages” that cost thousands of dollars. They set “minimum commitments” (12 months, 4 months, 6 months) which “encourages commitment” from the client. More to the real point, it is guaranteed cash in the coach’s pocket.

To me, that’s like selling 7-course meals as my only product, because I can up the cost with each course and make more money.

For me.

But what about you?

What if you only wanted, say, a cup of coffee? Or a burger with fries? Or cheese enchiladas, side of beans? Or a filet mignon with Bearnaise Sauce? Well, they’ll try to “upsell” you (a topic discussed much in Coach training) in an effort to convince you that without the other 5 or 6 courses, you are doomed to failure. Fear is a popular tool here. Then they’ll use the usual jive coaching terms and phrases, like “I Deliver Results!” and “Value” and “Over-Deliver!” a lot. Usually the product that costs, say, $4,988 is claimed to be “worth” $11,777. (And “I have a Carlos acoustic guitar that is worth 80 million dollars, but I’ll let YOU have it, today, and today only, for $250. cash on the barrelhead.”)

Yeah, whatever.

Remember too that Coaching requires no license, no credential, no degree, no nothin’. Anybody can be one. Low bar to entry. Actually no bar whatsoever.

Your dog can be a Life Coach. (On second thought, that might not be a bad idea…)

So it’s worth asking about the degrees, credentials, etc., which we all know are no guarantee, but at least they are something. Then there’s experience too…Those are all different from “highly energized rhetoric.”

Anyway, you get the idea.

Part B: How I Work

• One session at a time. No package. No 6 month commitment. No commitment at all. Other than to show up if we make an appointment, but that’s pretty basic.
• I have a very successful Psychotherapy practice, which is how I have worked my way to semi-retirement in Honolulu, with a house in Santa Fe, as a get away from the harsh climate of O’ahu. OK, that last part was a joke.
• I was also President of a graduate school for training therapists for 13 years, and did all right at that job.
• So I don’t need or want to sell “packages” or the “Super Duper Private Secret VIP Coaches Club.”  I don’t want to “upsell” anybody anything.
• I continue to Coach because I find it very fulfilling. I know that sounds kind of schlocky, but it happens to be the case.
• Often clients do one session, and get the inspiration, or direction, or nudge, or affirmation they are looking for to pivot in a new direction at this time. They usually come back for a follow up here and there. Occasionally many, over a few years. Not always. Sometimes I just see them once.

Fees:

For a one-hour consultation, or session, or whatever you want to call it, which by the way almost invariably goes for 75 minutes, I charge $175.

For a two-hour meeting, $300.

If you’re broke as hell, we can try to figure something else out…

(When I seek such consulting for myself, I find that one hour is not enough for me, because I like the momentum, but not everybody prefers this by any means. Probably 20 percent of clients choose the two-hour for the first meeting, and rarely thereafter.)

Bookmark this page.

If you decide you want to touch base, I have my “Special One Time, Never To Be Reproduced Lollapalooza Big Time Results Guaranteed Coaching Extravaganza” offer for only $9,999.00 (a value of seventeen million dollars!) you’ll want to take advantage of.

Oh, wait a minute—no I don’t. I lost my mind for a minute there…

Here’s what I would have to look like in order to charge that much…Thanks, AI…

I hope that was helpful. Maybe I’ll see you on down the road…

Dr. Jim (or James Mick, or “Hey, Pal !”)

Or Dr. James Michael Nolan (for those who want this info…)

Licensed Psychologist in New Mexico and Hawai’i

Licensed Professional Counselor in New Mexico

Licensed Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselor in New Mexico

By the way, I also offer Counseling/Therapy services, using people’s insurance, in New Mexico and Hawai’i.

505-699-7616, (I’m best at responding to texts…)

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