So, You Want to be an Equine-Assisted Life Coach?

So, you want to be a life coach?

You decided to employ the wisdom of the WISE model and go off into the world to help focus and encourage people who would benefit from your life experience. That is absolutely EXTRAORDINARY! Allow me to humbly impart some wisdom of my own, if I may be so bold.

There are pitfalls that you need to be aware of, and some rules that must be followed to keep yourself and your mental health safe. 

Be aware of compassion fatigue! A strong ability to be empathetic, and existing in a caring profession can bring so much joy to your life. In the same breath, it can also be draining. Working full time assisting others in varying states of distress, a life coach can experience "compassion fatigue"- a state of tension, emotional and oftentimes physical exhaustion that can lead to secondary trauma in your life. I may be going out on a limb here, but I'm fairly certain that is something no one cares to deal with.

We each have troubles enough, there is hardly a need to take on your clients heartache. Therefore, maintaining boundaries is important. Cindy Garavaglia, one of the founders here at WISE, once said "Never work harder than the client". That taught me to be aware of who in the professional/client relationship was doing the work they are responsible for. Coaches need to remember to let their questions lead the client to do most of the talking, to avoid the temptation to fill gaps in conversation.

Treat yo' self. If anyone here is a fan of the t.v show Parks and Rec, you'll understand that reference. Busy professionals struggle to find time for self care, and life coaches also place self care on the backburner. It is very easy to get swept up in providing the best quality experience for our clients that we forget to do the same for ourselves. Putting aside 20-45 min a day for self care; yoga, reading, meditation are all things you can do daily. Once or twice a year take 3-5 days for intensive care, which can include a vacation or a stay-cation. Also, make sure you have a strong support group of friends and family that allow you to decompress and vent as needed. All of these options warrant a successful outcome in the self-care department.

Imposter! Imposter syndrome is real ya'll. It is perfectly normal to ask yourself 'who am I, and how am I qualified to help others figure out their lives?'. Write yourself an affirmation, that you read daily, to remind you exactly what you have to offer. You already know you have so much to give just because of this life path you have chosen! It takes a special soul to choose this line of work, so find solace in the fact that you are working to become the good you want to see in the world.