Pictured above, Ada (left) and Annette (right) Stadelman, a mother and daughter life coach team who co-own the Academy for Personal Development in Grand Junction Colorado.
Guest Blog by Annette and Ada:
Many people think coaching is a relatively new profession, but when we look at history, we find coaching has always been part of human relationships. Whenever we walk alongside our friends, family, or colleagues and allow a space for self-reflection, inquiry, and the creation of an openness to see life situations from a position of confidence, peace, strength, joy, and love, we are coaching. It is our opinion that no matter who we are, we all need coaches – even coaches need coaches!
Coaching differentiates itself from counseling in that coaching does not treat mental illness and does not typically focus on the past. Instead, coaches get a brief understanding of what is going on in their clients’ lives and then concentrate on assisting them to take proactive steps to create a positive future. This is done by clearly understanding what the client wants, why they want it, and then working with them every step of the way as they achieve their desires.
All coaches approach their work differently. For us, there are two ways in which we work with our clients:
1. By Assisting Our Client’s Counselor When There Is Mental Illness
We are fortunate to work with a few local counselors in assisting their clients in a variety of ways, essentially serving as a case manager to make sure the client stays on track with their counselor’s recommendations. For example, we may use our coaching session to practice communication and other relationship skills that the counselor is prescribing for the client. Or, we may assist clients in creating a more positive living environment when it is necessary. Each client is unique, and we work closely with their counselor to support them in every way possible.
2. When There is No Mental Illness nor Counselor Involved
When our clients are not suffering from a mental illness and they do not have a counselor, we take a different approach. Specifically, a team approach. We become part of our client’s team, and it is our job to help them create their best life possible. They are no longer alone trying to figure everything out on their own.
In our customized personal coaching sessions, we utilize our unique methodology outlined in our book 5 Points to PEACE to focus on the goal of our clients fully participating in all aspects of their lives. We do this by looking at the internal and external struggles they are facing, creating a safe environment in which to focus on each challenging aspect, and then working together to find permanent solutions to provide confidence for facing similar future challenges.
We have found that our process helps our clients improve their ability to confidently approach work and life.
Annette
For more information about the "Academy of Personal Development" visit their website at https://www.annetteandada.com/welcome/