Enjoy guidance that is personally tailored to you
Working with a counselor or coach on a one-to-one basis could be just what you need to launch some exciting changes. The key is to find someone who you can communicate with easily—and trust completely. There are a few options in this area so here are some suggestions.
People working in this field can vary from those who are professionally trained to laypersons who have developed their own technique over time. There is no iron-clad guarantee of effectiveness in any category, so you must use your own discernment, maybe with a little trial and error, to find the kind of help that is right for you. A personal recommendation from a trustworthy source can be very helpful. No matter from which category you choose, the “relationship” is often more important than the technique, so there’s no substitute for talking directly to a few candidates before you decide. The best way to begin is with the deliberate intention that “the perfect person will clearly emerge as the right choice for you.” Then be prepared to invest whatever time it takes to seek them out.
To help simplify the process we have grouped them into three categories:
- Psychologists and Therapists – Includes trained and accredited counseling professionals who generally work within, and are regulated by, the conventional health care system
- Personal and Career Coaches – Includes professionally trained as well as non-accredited practitioners who provide guidance and encouragement based on their client’s expressed interests, goals and objectives
- Spiritual Counselors and Holistic Practitioners – Includes a wide range of modalities and practitioners. Although unregulated, most are highly skilled individuals who operate with integrity. Many are followers of the ‘new thinking’ and have conscientiously developed their ‘intuitive gift’ for helping others to the point where they now have well-respected practices
What is the difference between the three categories?
People often go to a psychologist because they feel something is wrong and want help fixing it. They might go to a coach if they feel there isn’t necessarily anything to fix, but want to close the gap between where they are now and where they would like to be. A psychologist is more likely to look at the past to find the source of the problem, whereas a coach will often focus on the present and the future. A Spiritual Counselor may do either or both of the above, but often incorporates alternative modalities to help you identify and transmute the issues that have been blocking your progress.
Finding a practitioner that is right for you:
- Do an internet search describing the type of person you seek, plus the name of your area (e.g. “psychologist – Minneapolis,” or “personal coach – Phoenix,” or “energy healing – Nova Scotia,” or “holistic therapist – Baltimore,” etc, etc.)
- Contact your community health agency to find listings of local practitioners
- Browse the following links to websites that contain helpful information and directories of practitioners
Psychologists and Therapists:
American Psychological Association
Canadian Psychological Association
International Coach Federation
The International Coach Directory
International Association of Coaching
Spiritual Counselors and Holistic Practitioners:
SelfGrowth.com (click on a category, choose “Find Experts”)
Holistic Health Directory (click on “Advanced Search,” choose the category “Coaching Counseling,” add your location, click Search at bottom of the form)
Browse some websites in Resources >