Interview With
Certified Life Coach
Dawn Abraham

I was fortunate enough to be able to steal some time from certified life coach Dawn Abraham. She was kind enough to do an email interview. In it, she reveals some things about how hiring a life coach can give you just that boost you need to take your efforts to the next level. If you've been wondering what it's like to work with a life coach, then you'll want to read this.

In your experience, what are some of the main ways that you, as a certified life coach, help your clients?

A - I partner with my clients so they can become successful in areas that are either new to them, starting a new business or new project, or if someone is stuck in their life or career and can't seem to get out of that rut.

I am trained to guide them into awareness around a situation. When people become aware of why they are stuck or what they need to do in order to succeed that is a beginning point.

Then I help to take them to the next level and either get into action to make their dream a reality or guide them to see the way out of a negative situation by realizing a different path.

Q - If someone is interested in hiring a coach, but they're just not sure if it's for them, is there a good way to test the waters?

A - I do offer a first time sample session that usually lasts between 40-50 minutes. I find it is just as important for me to test out a new client as it is for them. I may not be the right coach for them because our energy doesn't mix and if that's the case then I can recommend someone else or they can keep looking on their own.

Q - What if I feel like I want to change, but I'm not really sure what it is I want to change? I see this a lot with people. They are dissatisfied, and they know it. They know they want something different, but they have a hard time defining what it is they need to change in order to be happier.

What are some of the ways that you help your clients identify the specific areas of their lives they should improve in order to make the most impact?

A - If someone doesn't know what they need to change that is one of the biggest reasons to go to a life coach. My training is geared towards helping people discover what is blocking them. The process I use is both intuitive and learned.

Q - I have found that many people don't truly understand what it means to set goals. They say things like, "I'm not satisfied" or "something's missing" or "I want to be thinner" ... followed by... "but I can't seem to make it happen." Well, none of those are goals!

Tell me a little bit about how you help your clients set and achieve their goals?

A - There are a few different ways to set goals and achieve them. First you start off with your ten SMART goals. These are goals that are set for a year or more down the road.

S for Specific M for Measurable A for Achievable R for Risk/Realistic and T for Time Limit.

Then you break them down into smaller goals that can be achieved daily and weekly.

Accountability is of course important in actually following through. The fact that I will be following up with the client is a motivator to complete their goals. If someone doesn't complete the goals then a discussion on what is blocking them from achieving that goal then moves them into action or we come up with a goal that is more appropriate.

Q - Life change is hard, and often those closest to us are resistant to the changes that we are making. Since a support system is often important, this can sometimes make or break our success.

When you coach, do you encourage your clients to specifically involve friends and family, or is that something that just happens naturally?

A - The coaching I do is mostly focused on career and finances. I do have some clients that have issues with relationships but mostly my speciality is the law of attraction and creating your ideal life. If someone is having that type of difficulty they probably should consider therapy and not Life Coaching.

Q - Some people have compared life coaches to therapists. Many people view therapy as a long, and somewhat difficult process.

How is working with a life coach different from being in therapy?

A - There are many differences. The first one being that Life Coaching is about coaching someone on how to move further in their life now, it doesn't deal with your past and why you are the way you are. It is for people who are doing good but hit a block or want to go to the next level of success but need some support and guidance.

Q - I want quick results. I don't want to hire a coach and then a year later still be waiting to see the benefits.

How long a period do you typically work with your clients, and how soon do they begin to see results?

A - That is one of the great things about Life Coaching usually you see results right away. The results happen within the first to second week and keep getting better. Most people need about three months of Life Coaching which is a good foundation and then after that maybe a refresher touch base once in awhile type of situation. Although some people get so many amazing benefits they stay for years.

I also have Group Coaching Mastermind Groups that are extremely powerful and are three months at a time.

People achieve four times as much when in one of these groups as opposed to starting a new business or increasing business doing it on their own. I have had many success stories come out of my Mastermind Groups.